Lacey Russell Measurement and Evaluation Grant Williams February 17, 2014 Assessment Philosophy Introduction For the

past 19 consecutive years, I have been attending a number of different educational facilities. Throughout these years, I have always been extremely open to experiencing different teaching methods and strategies, but the one that has always been able to strike fear into me is assessment. From the time I was five years old I always experienced the worst anxiety when it came to tests, assignments, or anything that had to do with being assessed. As a soon to be teacher, I am contemplating how to make sure my students dont have the same fears. This is why I am developing my own philosophy on the subject of Assessment. I believe that using formative assessment we are able to see where our students are and it allows for a less aggressive classroom environment That being said, summative assessment needs to happen also, but in a way where the students are not intimidated by it. There are other topics that I feel need to be looked at when it comes to the topic of assessment and we will be looking at them in the upcoming text. Our mission as teachers is to help our students succeed and to do that we must supply them with the appropriate tools. By preparing them to deal with assessment, we are teaching them one of the most important lessons they will ever learn like how to deal with a bad grade and how to manage the work they are being assigned. Anxiety I believe that one of the most key features in my philosophy of assessment is trying to eliminate as much anxiety when it comes to assessment. It is not fair to judge students abilities when they are so nervous they cannot possibly work to their fullest potential. I believe that by using different forms of assessment a teacher is able to do this. By using formative assessment like an exit slip or peer assessment, we can see how our students are doing without the ever-present fear of being assessed. By doing this, it also allows for choice in the class. Although I am a big supporter of Formative Assessment I firmly believe that there is still a need for Summative Assessment. Conventional Grading In the article The Case Against Grades by Alfie Kohn, it states that, Grades tend to diminish students interest in whatever theyre learning (Kohn 28). Grades tend to be a negative subject when it comes to school, whether you are looking at it from a students point of view or teachers. I feel that by using the conventional grading system we are almost labeling the students. It also states in the article, the impact of grades on intrinsic motivation has found a negative effect (Kohn 28). Why in the world should we use grades if we already have evidence that it is literally hindering our students? I myself have been a victim of this conclusion during my time in high school. I received a bad grade on a math test and because of that I found myself trying less and less in that class, eventually I stopped taking math simply to avoid the subject. It is sad to think something

like that could make a student less interested in a certain subject. So, if we have already seen the proof that number, and letter grades have been found to have a negative effect on intrinsic motivation, why are we still using them? Based on research we have received and looked at, it has been proven that grading students is detrimental, but in order to give appropriate progress reports we will have to provide some sort of grading to allow parents and students to see where they stand. I believe that the key way to do that would be to provide feedback report. Giving Feedback As I mentioned earlier, giving feedback is the best possible way of communicating with our students when it comes to assessment. Giving a simple letter or number grade does not provide our students with the information they need to succeed; by giving comments they will understand what they need to work on. It is very important to inform students about the grade they have received. In an article by Robert Marzano entitled Classroom Assessment and Grading that Work, we learned about the four points about giving feedback to students. The four statements are something I agree with completely. It should allow students to see the progress of their learning and how they might improve in the future. It should always be encouraging; if we are to tell a student that they have done badly on an assignment they are not going to want to attempt the work again. There is more of a chance that the student will not want to put themselves out there again. Our assessments should be both formative and frequent. By giving them frequently, the students will not be so surprised when they happen and allow them to be better prepared. Homework I believe that homework is something that should be utilized, but it should not be something that is graded. Homework is really more of a tool for the students to use if they need extra material in order to understand a subject better rather than an assignment that has to be completed to achieve a perfect mark. I think that best way to think about homework was said by Cathy Vatterot, Its not about homeworks value for the grade, but homeworks value for learning (Vatterrot 62). Homework should not be a regular occurrence either; students should be allowed to have a life outside of school so that they can have a well-rounded educational background in arts, sports, and academics. I have come to the conclusion that homework should be marked for its correctness, but instead of receiving a grade for it the students should be given feedback on how they might be able to improve. Collaboration Collaboration is a key aspect in working in a school environment and I believe that it should go right along with grades and assessment. I believe that collaborating with students about grades, we will be able to get a feeling about how our students are feeling rather than just assuming we know all. By doing this, we might be able to realize that our students have a better grasp on a subject than we assumed because it may have just been that they student was able to convey themselves in the manner assigned. A way that we can easily do this is and tie it into different themes of collaboration into assessment is by using exit cards on assignments. At the end of an assignment allow the students to fill out

a card on their feelings on the project. By doing this we, the teachers, can see exactly how they are feeling when we collected their assignments. Conclusion It has become extremely apparent in the past few months that assessment plays a very important role in our students educational livelihood. That being said, assessment should play a regular role in their academic careers. If we use different forms of assessment, we will be able to test them in a way we never could have thought. I have come to terms with the fact that my philosophy of assessment will change and morph throughout my career but this early on, I am taking away what I can from different sources in order to begin my own.

Works Cited Kohn, Alfie. "The Case Against Grades." Educational Leadership. 69.3 (2011): 28-33. Print. Marzano, Robert J. Classroom Assessment & Grading that Work. 2006. 1-8. Web. Vatterott, Cathy. "Making Homework Central to Learning."Educational Leadership. 63.3 (2011): 60-64. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. <http://web.uvic.ca/~gtreloar/Assessment/Educational Leadership Nov 2011 Grading/Making Homework Central to Learning.pdf>.