Assessments

According to dictionary.com to assess something or someone is "to estimate or judge the value, character, etc., of; evaluate: to assess one's efforts." Many times when students and parents hear the word "assessment" they often think that their child's ability is being judged, but I like to look at it in a different way. I tell my students that their assessments are really to see if I did a strong and thorough job teaching them what they need to know about a given subject.

Assessments can come in three major types: summative, diagnostic, and formative. A summative assessment is the kind that comes at the end of a unit to evaluate learning. In my classroom this can look like a report, an oral presentation, a construction of a product, a piece of writing, or a test. This is where I find out if my teaching choices have helped your fourth grader grasp the concepts. Typically summative assessments receive a grade. Students would say they "count" as the results affect their grade on their progress report.

Diagnostic is an assessment given at the beginning of a unit. Teachers use them to check students' prior knowledge and skill levels, and identify student misconceptions. Sometimes a diagnostic assessment can be used to catalogue their hopes and dreams about a future unit, in that students can express what they are interested in learning, and how they'd like to learn about that topic. A great tool for pre-assessment is known as the K-W-L chart. Students offer ideas for what they (K) know, and what they (W) want to know. Later as they go through the unit, they add the (L) learning they've acquired.

Checking student learning throughout the unit fits in the formative assessment category. An article on assessment in ASCD's Educational Leadership describes it this way: "Formative assessments include both formal and informal methods, such as ungraded quizzes, oral questioning, teacher observations, draft work, think-alouds, student-constructed concept maps, learning logs, and portfolio reviews." (You can read more about assessments in the article by clicking here.) I use all of these types of assessments throughout the units to make sure each student is on track, so to speak. Also to check for misconceptions of the material, and correct any misunderstandings along the way.

What's not listed here is the conversations I have with parents about their child's concerns, or misunderstandings that you all see as you do homework with your child. Your words and insights are invaluable to me in helping your child excel in all subject areas. I'm so thankful that we are in a school that partners with parents in this way.