Chapter 7

Assessing & Reporting Student Achievement:

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY:

• Assessment / Evaluation
• High-stakes / Value-added Assessments
• Measurement
• Validity / Reliability
• Authentic / Performance Assessment
• Diagnostic, Formative & Summative Assessment
• Criterion referenced / Norm-Referenced Assessment
• Checklist / Rubric
• Formal / Non-formal Tests
• Alternative Assessment
• Portfolios

The section of this chapter that I have taken careful note of is the formative assessments. The need for careful planning to assess throughout units to gage the depth of understanding. This allows for the teacher to stop, remediate, or provide activities that appeal to the learner on another level. It provides checks and balances for students and teachers. In the beginning it will be more work for the teacher, but in the end it will become second nature. It will also cut down on the need to redo, reteach, and fix what was not learned the first time through. 

Alternative assessments are fun. It gives everyone in the class the chance to be creative and show what they KNOW.

I think you get less negative responses, the kids do not see them as "tests" and they can truly engage the concepts and understand them.

Often, creating alternative assessments are easier than sitting down and hammering out the traditional  pen to paper test.

Another aspect of the chapter that caught my eye was parent interaction. I have seen interactive teachers that have great working relationships with parents. I have also seen disconnected teachers. Although grade reports go home (weekly in our school), many parent do not see them. Relying on paper communication only (especially when there are grade issues is not always a good idea).

I walked into a meeting a week before school was out and the principal and 3 teachers were discussing failing a 7th grade girl (I have her on behavior check in/out). The week passed and I asked how the discussion went with her mom. The educator I spoke with said, "We are waiting until the last day, last bell to give her the report card (non promotion) because we don't want to deal with the mom." I wondered how crushed the girl was going to be and how angry the mom was going to be. I thought .... I would be rude too if my daughters school acted like that....it is a vicious circle. Parents need to be part of the team, whether they are black, white, poor, rich, cranky, excited....