The Importance Of Assessments In Physical Education

Assessments are according to Edglossary.org (2014), “the wide variety of methods that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning process, and skill acquisition of students”. Assessments can be used to identify several important aspects of learning and development. First, they can be used to distinguish a child’s strengths and weaknesses as well as measure specific knowledge and skills. Assessments can also be used to demonstrate what a child has learned and what they understand (“Assessment,” 2014). My opinion of assessment has not changed; however, now I understand how to use assessments that will help ensure that I am providing the most benefits for my students. I always knew that assessments were valuable to teaching, but I never understood their true value. Now, I have a better understanding on how to use assessments in my classroom to provide students with developmentally appropriate practices that are geared more towards the specific student and their needs. For instance, if I assessed a student using a task performance checklist and noticed that he had already accomplished a task, it would not be beneficial to have him keep doing the same thing that he already knows over and over. Instead, since the assessment

Since I am a Physical Education Paraprofessional, I am required to assess students and their physical abilities based on the “Virginia Wellness-Related Fitness Testing Program” yearly (“Physical Education,” 2012). In order for the students to do their best on these assessments, I must make sure that I prepare them accordingly. In order for me to do this, I provide practice on each portion of the test during warm-ups every time the students come to my class. I also conduct these tests twice a year and use the students’ best score so that they have a higher chance of