I took the 3rd grade Smarter Balance assessment exams and I like the questions they have on it compared to the assessments I took during my elementary school years. The questions seem more engaging and meaningful. When I was taking it I felt like I was solving something for myself not just for a test. The questions for me were easy since it was third grade mathematics, but I could see how the problems could challenge the students. Every problem had a logical and real world sense to it, meaning it didn’t just ask for example, “What is 44+15” it included the problem in a real world situation such as a pencil has a mass of 25 grams, and an apple has a mass that is 75 grams more, what is the mass of the apple?” I remember in some of my old assessment
It is how you make many educational decisions regarding the classroom. My CT stated that she knew how most of the students would do but there were a few that surprised her. Having this digital way of assessment is also convenient for parent reference. The students individual scores are easy to print and also the classroom scores are given to the principal for review. It is a smooth, efficient and manageable way to assess the students equally. Assessments like this could also be helpful in creating a seating arrangement or partner system. I think it is beneficial to pair lower and higher skilled students together. You could use the higher skilled students to help teach other students. Students teaching students can be a valuable resource to struggling
The MACI consists of a 160-item inventory, provided in the English and Spanish language, with a combination of the 27 subscales. The intention of the inventory is to provide counselors and other healthcare or school professional with information to assist in diagnosis and treatment planning for personality disorders in adolescent (Millon & Davis, 1993). The inventory consists of true or false questions; given that this inventory is shorter compared to other personality assessment, it only takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. Millon’s MACI inventory provides convenient and cost-effective methods for scoring the inventory, which include Q-global web-based scoring, Q-Local software-based scoring, and mail-in scoring. Since the MACI is tailored toward adolescents ranging in ages from 13-19, participants must have a minimum of a sixth grade reading level in order to
After completing the Clifton strength finders test, I learned my dominant strengths and it gave me a sense on what areas I am strong in. It allows you to work in the areas that you are good in and not in the ones you might not be as strong in. My top five strengths were learner, connectedness, belief, positivity, and includer. A lot of these I figured I would have because I am an athlete and I love to be positive. That is good because I practice these strengths every day which in turn will make me better at them and will allow me to use them in my career.
Moreover, I learned the act of administering an assessment of this nature in a one-on-one setting. As a future teacher, I will need to assess my students informally, formally, and quite frequently. This particular assessment was great practice. Something to consider is completing running records in a
After taking the Personal Assessment Literacy Survey, I learned a lot about myself and what I do know about assessments, and what I don’t. This survey allowed me to reflect on the process that I take to plan, develop, and administer tests in my class and what I need to do with the results. When I went through the criteria of all of the topics in the survey, I honestly did not know what the survey was talking about or what it meant. This was really concerning to me because I like to think that I do a pretty good job when it comes to instruction of my class and how I assess their knowledge of the material. I learned from this survey that there are a lot of things I do well during assessments and that there is still a lot that I need to learn to be an effective classroom leader.
Students do not get to express their understanding of the world or to even form their own opinions. Instead they are given a limited amount of time to dance the steps that are deemed important. In these tests there is only one right answer and no room to question or to think critically about them. The “whys” students have always wanted to ask are never answered on the test. If intelligence includes abstract thought, questioning, and creativity, then Standardized tests are in no way measuring students intelligence.
High stakes testing does not accurately determine a student’s intelligence. In 1999, the National Academy of Sciences researched the appropriate and inappropriate uses of tests. They agreed that “no single test score can be considered a definitive measure of a student’s knowledge”(http://www.allianceforchildhood.net/news/histakes_test_position_statement.htm).
Classroom management is one of the most essential skills to becoming an effective classroom teacher. Teachers who possess the ability to manage their classroom are able to create an environment where learning is the focus (Burden & Cooper, 2004). Although teachers may be well prepared and skilled with classroom management, at some point in time they will encounter a student or students whose behavior hovers authority and the functioning of the class. There is no simple way to deal with these difficult situations, but there are strategies to help. The first step is to identify the purpose of the behavior. A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), is a systematic set of strategies that are used to determine the underlying function or purpose of a behavior so that an effective intervention plan can be developed (NPDC, 2014).
Everyone has a different way of learning things; I like to think that I am a more visual learner. However, the smart measure assessment has brought to my attention that I may actually have multiple ways of learning. The assessment has actually informed me of a lot of my strengths in each section but the sections that caught my attention are Learning Styles, Reading Rate & Recall, Technical Competency, and Technical knowledge.
Assessments allow for teachers to monitor the progress and growth of his/her students, help engage students and help guide teachers as well as students in their decision making. Teachers should know that tests are not the only way to assess students in the classroom. It is important for educators constantly assess their students on comprehension and progression.Teachers can take use of both formal and informal assessments so that they can engage students in their own learning, as well as monitor their comprehension and progress.
“Teachers help students use assessment as a window into their own growth and identify as learners so, they develop the power and agency necessary to take charge of their learning (Tomlinson, 2010). Summative assessments are a mirror to student thinking. Summative assessments help teachers and students see a trajectory of their learning. Teachers can use them to identify which students are ready for other tasks; and which students need more time to develop specific concepts. The assessment that we administered asked students to answer a series of questions using information from a graph. It also prompted them to create a graph using the results of survey for our field trip. This assessment combined constructed response questions with a meaningful task. “The paper and pencil multiple choice test is not the only way to assess learning. It is a limited way to gain insight into what some students know and are able to do”(Berliner, 2010, p.113).
Through assessment students and teachers are able to determine the level of mastery a student has achieved with standards taught. Both formative and summative assessment should be purposeful and targeted to gain the most accurate data to drive further instruction (Ainsworth, 2010). While this syllabus does a good job of identifying the need for both formal and informal assessments, the way in which this is communicated does not provide enough detail for understanding. Simply listing assessment types does not give any insight into how these assessments fit in the learning process of this course. While some of the assessments mentioned could be common assessments chosen by the school or district to gain insight into the effectiveness of instruction, the inclusion of authentic assessments is most beneficial to students and demonstrates learning in a context closer to that of a work environment (Rovai, 2004). Unfortunately, this particular course, according to this syllabus, relies heavily on quizzes and traditional tests and essays to form the bulk of assessment opportunities. While other activities, such as formative assessments, journaling and discussions are mentioned as possible avenues for scoring, they are given a very low percentage of the overall grade. This shows that they are not valued for their ability to show progression and mastery. If this is indeed the case, this puts the students as a
One way I believe I can help my students prepare for the standardized test, is by providing more test throughout the year. Research shows that, “taking more frequent test improves learning” (WOOLFOLK 579). There are different ways that I can test my students, such as using traditional or authentic assessments. In my opinion I believe authentic assessments will be more beneficial to my students. By using authentic testing, I will be asking my students to apply what they have have learned to real life situations. This will help them more because they will understand how to apply the concepts they’ve learned in situation other than the classroom. This will also help students on the standardized test because they will have had different examples where they have had to apply the skills they have learned and will be prepared for different questions on the assessment. Another problem with testing is that many kids are beginning to only focus on learning information for their test. They are beginning to become content with surface learning rather than taking the time to fully understand the material they are studying. While tutoring at a junior high this became relevant. As I was working with a group of girls I realized they weren’t studying all that they had in front of
It is my goal to make assessment and grading a positive element to my classroom for both my students and me. I want to give many opportunities for my students to do well and achieve mastery as well as become the best student they can be. Students should not just be measured by the end result. Learning is a process and I believe that it is in this process that true learning occurs. Aside from being graded on the basic facts, students need to be measured on how well they apply their knowledge. Assessment will be a huge part of my classroom; however, I will hold more importance for a student’s performance and progress rather than a factual test. Down the road, these students will need the skills learned during their early years. A multiple choice question isn’t what is going to help them in the long run
I use assessments to assist me to identify and to develop their learning process. Assessment is not about the final grade, but the learning experience. I would rather have my students know how to look up information and apply knowledge than to memorize it and forget it ten minutes after the test. Learning is a life-long adventure and I want my students to know how to adjust and cope during their adventure. I want my students to have the skills for researching and finding the answer. It is not always that answer which demonstrates learning; it is in the process in which you find the answer that demonstrates learning.