Each week we are assigned readings in all classes. In order to better comprehend what I am reading, remember the content of the text, and be able to write down any questions/comments/concerns I have regarding the assignment or application, I take notes on my USC Google Drive. This particular week of notes really stuck out to me as helpful and applicative in my future classroom as it gave multiple examples of varying assessments, what assessments are best for what types of objectives, and even how to differentiate those assessments for ELs and for Special Education Caseload students. I feel that this week's notes will be something I can reference and come back to as I start planning and implementing my own assessments in my classroom.
This piece of evidence obviously relates to assessments and differing types of assessments, but I also want to draw attention to the fact that it attends to differentiation as well. By the end of EDU 671, we are supposed to be able to compare and contrast traditional and authentic
methods of assessment and the information they are able to gather. Specifically, there was a table of information included in the article that I decided to screenshot and include within my notes that shines light on some characteristics we, as teachers, might observe in our future students, and how to accommodate and differentiate our assessments to better fit their needs. Ideas like tailoring assessments to student reading levels, using informal assessments to back up the results of more formal assessments, to allow more time for students , and ways to reduce anxiety for students.
Personally, I am test-taker. I enjoy working on tests and showing what I know. I get a thrill out of the opportunity to show my success regarding learning objectives--rather than feeling anxiety/nervousness and an inability to perform to the best of my abilities. Unfortunately, many of my future students do not share this particular interest/skill. Growing up with two siblings with severe test anxiety, I had a first hand look at what can happen outside of school when a student feels stress/anxiety/fear regarding assessments--and I vowed to always try to never let these feelings overtake my students. Using varied assessment strategies can still extract the same sort of data (sometimes even more accurate and reliable data) but reduce the anxiety and fear that go hand in hand with traditional paper-pencil tests that so many students feel.
This particular piece of evidence may not initially indicate growth, but for me it does hit close to home. I prided myself at my previous job in terms of differentiated assessments. In my math class I always had at least two versions of the same test--objectives clearly written in student friendly language, directions always triple checked to make sure it was understandable by students, I went above and beyond to make sure my students were prepared and had a very low-stress low-anxiety environment to work in--I wanted them to do their best and want to do their best. Unfortunately, looking back at it, I was only hitting just the tip of the iceberg in terms of potential assessments I could have been using. The opportunities are endless in ways to gauge what students know and what they need to know and I am fully committed on using as many variations, differentiated, scaffolded, learning modalities, and types of assessments as possible--at all times, including both formative and informal assessments to guide my instruction and make it as individualized and student-oriented as possible.
Using different assessment strategies is a form of differentiation. Each student requires and deserves a personalized and unique way of extracting the information/knowledge that they have regarding a content standard. I will utilize as many different types of assessments and make choices based on the learning target and outcome I desire for my students. For example, if the standard lends itself well to a performance task over paper/pencil task, of course I will choose the option that fits best. More so, I will do my best to allow for student choice regarding how they wish to show their learning/mastery of the content. Similarly, having different levels of the same assessment is helpful for accommodating different levels of students. For example, on a math assessment, students could have place value guide lines, examples of problems, reminder of notes, less amount of problems, or conversely, more story problems, more application problems, etc. all concerning the same standard--for example addition of decimals.
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION
EDUC 671 Week 8 Assessment Notes:
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Ormrod, J. E. Assessment and grading in the differentiated classroom (8th ed.). Chapter 14: Classroom assessment strategies