Assessment for me is not just about the final destination for my students' learning. It is about the journey and challenges that come with it. But first, I want my students to understand where the journey has begun. This is the reason I included different pre-assessment tools in my toolkit. By giving them a visible starting point it gives them the opportunity to witness their growth as learners. As a teacher, I am the guide and facilitator in this journey of
growth. But what will this journey actually look like? It begins with me learning about my students in real and authentic ways. I am the teacher who stands at the door to greet my students as they enter the classroom. Yes, I am already assessing them:
- Are they ready for class?
- Do they seem distracted?
- Are they excited by something from last class?
I am heavily influenced by the teachings of Jim Burke and his book The English Teacher's Companion (2007). He talks about carrying on a "conversation" with your students in order to learn about the space in which their minds and hearts dwell. By learning these things one can then begin to reach out and plan what kind of path these students may take.
Planning and assessment are both key elements in constructing the learning experience for my students. A teacher must look at where the student is academically and consult the appropriate curriculum documents to assist in the planning of where they need to go. It is through careful planning and thoughtful assessment that differentiated instruction may be used along with scaffolding opportunities. I want to put my students in a safe place where they can use their strengths as they are learning and build on other skills. It will be important to give them authentic, "just in time" feedback on their growth and learning opportunities. It is through this type of feedback that I plan to help
my students begin to develop their own independence in assessing their own work and how they are progressing. Through proper modelling, instruction and feedback, I want my students to be able to tell me how they are doing and what they need to do to achieve their learning goals. In order to assist my students in reaching this aspiration, I will need to utilize the ideas and thoughts presented in the ITL document on 21st Century learning.
Technology in the classroom should not be to just demonstrate what they know but must become an integrated part of how they construct their knowledge. It will be key for students to embrace a more global aspect of learning and utilize collaboration (locally and globally) as a vital tool in their learning experience. Where content material was once confined to a textbook in front of students, it is now organic in nature and exists through modern technologies such as smartphones, digital cameras, tablets and so much more. It will be my responsibility to guide my students through this digital menagerie. I will need to help them be smart consumers of technology but also help them create, produce and display their learning in meaningful ways that extends past the walls of our classroom.
To make the learning authentic and to motivate my students, I will need to create learning opportunities that will feel relevant to them; they need problems based on real life scenarios. Assessment will be vital in these students' growth. I will need to distinguish what they know and what they should know. Through peer and self-assessment they will help me understand what they have gained and what they still need. It will be through continuous formative assessment and quality summative assessment that they will find their sign posts. It will be through varying groupings such as whole class to small groups to individuals that I will guide them to understanding and critical thought.
In the end, a lot of what this relates to is described by Anne Davies in her book Making Classroom Assessment Work (2011). She describes triangulation where the learning and assessment process has three key elements: observation of the process, collection of products, and conversations. Integral part of assessment will be to collect the artifacts of learning but also to supplement this with observation of how they arrived to this point. I will also need to engage them in conversation with what they have achieved and where it goes from there. My biggest challenge will be to balance these elements so that it will be a meaningful learning experience for my students and not be an overwhelming one for me. I love the idea of what the digital age can do for students and teachers. It is why I wanted to use a website to develop my toolkit and link it with my other webpages. In order to teach our students about ICT we need to model it ourselves.
My goal in assessment is for me to keep learning. I want to try new ideas to achieve quality assessment but maintain authentic ways of assessing student learning. I love a quote from Benjamin Franklin which best describes my thoughts on assessment and teaching:
Tell me and I forget…
Teach me and I remember…
Involve me and I learn.
growth. But what will this journey actually look like? It begins with me learning about my students in real and authentic ways. I am the teacher who stands at the door to greet my students as they enter the classroom. Yes, I am already assessing them:
- Are they ready for class?
- Do they seem distracted?
- Are they excited by something from last class?
I am heavily influenced by the teachings of Jim Burke and his book The English Teacher's Companion (2007). He talks about carrying on a "conversation" with your students in order to learn about the space in which their minds and hearts dwell. By learning these things one can then begin to reach out and plan what kind of path these students may take.
Planning and assessment are both key elements in constructing the learning experience for my students. A teacher must look at where the student is academically and consult the appropriate curriculum documents to assist in the planning of where they need to go. It is through careful planning and thoughtful assessment that differentiated instruction may be used along with scaffolding opportunities. I want to put my students in a safe place where they can use their strengths as they are learning and build on other skills. It will be important to give them authentic, "just in time" feedback on their growth and learning opportunities. It is through this type of feedback that I plan to help
my students begin to develop their own independence in assessing their own work and how they are progressing. Through proper modelling, instruction and feedback, I want my students to be able to tell me how they are doing and what they need to do to achieve their learning goals. In order to assist my students in reaching this aspiration, I will need to utilize the ideas and thoughts presented in the ITL document on 21st Century learning.
Technology in the classroom should not be to just demonstrate what they know but must become an integrated part of how they construct their knowledge. It will be key for students to embrace a more global aspect of learning and utilize collaboration (locally and globally) as a vital tool in their learning experience. Where content material was once confined to a textbook in front of students, it is now organic in nature and exists through modern technologies such as smartphones, digital cameras, tablets and so much more. It will be my responsibility to guide my students through this digital menagerie. I will need to help them be smart consumers of technology but also help them create, produce and display their learning in meaningful ways that extends past the walls of our classroom.
To make the learning authentic and to motivate my students, I will need to create learning opportunities that will feel relevant to them; they need problems based on real life scenarios. Assessment will be vital in these students' growth. I will need to distinguish what they know and what they should know. Through peer and self-assessment they will help me understand what they have gained and what they still need. It will be through continuous formative assessment and quality summative assessment that they will find their sign posts. It will be through varying groupings such as whole class to small groups to individuals that I will guide them to understanding and critical thought.
In the end, a lot of what this relates to is described by Anne Davies in her book Making Classroom Assessment Work (2011). She describes triangulation where the learning and assessment process has three key elements: observation of the process, collection of products, and conversations. Integral part of assessment will be to collect the artifacts of learning but also to supplement this with observation of how they arrived to this point. I will also need to engage them in conversation with what they have achieved and where it goes from there. My biggest challenge will be to balance these elements so that it will be a meaningful learning experience for my students and not be an overwhelming one for me. I love the idea of what the digital age can do for students and teachers. It is why I wanted to use a website to develop my toolkit and link it with my other webpages. In order to teach our students about ICT we need to model it ourselves.
My goal in assessment is for me to keep learning. I want to try new ideas to achieve quality assessment but maintain authentic ways of assessing student learning. I love a quote from Benjamin Franklin which best describes my thoughts on assessment and teaching:
Tell me and I forget…
Teach me and I remember…
Involve me and I learn.