Assessment

Routman did an excellent job in covering the many different aspects of assessment. As I was reading I made sure to underline some key phrases and sentences that I found insightful and valuable. Despite taking an entire course on assessment I feel there is still a lot to be learned. Assessment is an ongoing process that will always be correlated with teaching as long as there are students.

The text provided the historical background to the word assessment. It is derived from the Latin word assidere, meaning to sit beside someone. The definition does not refer to someone receiving a grade or evaluation but rather someone sitting beside another. When I thought about it, that is what assessment should be. Assessment should be the act of accompanying another in their attempt to ascertain knowledge. Your job may include a variety of different tasks. You may be there to assist, guide, evaluate or just simply provide the company of another. We should not always direct assessment with a grade or judgment.

As teachers we implement assessment in a variety of ways. We may use portfolios, observations, or even tests but the reason should be the same. Routman wrote, “Assessment must promote learning, not just measure it” (559). Assessment is a gauging tool to allow us to know how well we are doing as teachers. If the entire class did poorly on an assignment, it most likely means the teacher failed in the execution of the lesson. No one should be penalized, just evaluate the situation and move on. After teaching the lesson again in a different style the whole class may excel past your expectations. Allow assessment to promote growth not stagnation.

The concept about making a checklist and having the class work in groups was a great idea. I can see how students would most likely double-check their work before having a peer evaluate it. This past school year my class enjoyed the lesson, when I made them teachers. I would pair the class off into groups of two and let them evaluate a letter I wrote. Each group was provided a red pen and it was their job to correct my letter. They enjoyed being the teacher and helping me find my flaws to make my letter sound better. I never thought of breaking them into groups and evaluate their own work. I may use the checklist from the text and modify it from my class for the upcoming school year.