Assessment
It's about the students!
Is Assessment about the sudents or the teachers?
Damen Lopez says that the assessment is about the students and to use that information to generate lesson plans that help your students to be more successful. I do think that teachers see assessment as a reflection of themselves and how effectively lessons were delivered to support students in their learning.
Lopez asks four questions...
1. Why are you participating in the assessments that you use with students?
2. Can you share in explicit detail the value that you find in each assessment?
3. Do you participate in assessments that you find no value in for students?
4. Are you using an assessment you have no idea how to deliver, but are afraid to ask for help with?
This question is what made me change my point of view from administrator to teacher. When I stopped and put thought about those questions from a teacher’s point of view, I thought I might have some work ahead of me. This is where I found the value for my practice. It made me question how many of my teachers just complete assessment because they “have to” not because they see or understand the value.
Partnering
In my preschool setting, we very much partner with parents in assessing their students. We train our parents on how to observe their children in the classroom, at home and while doing classroom extension activities. I am motivated by the story Lopez shares of the young boy in the hallway who was excited to know about his progress and what that meant for him. We set goals for our students and work to achieve them, but we have left the student out completely. I think Lopez’s story proves that including student on that conversation, can encourage and motivate the students, no matter their age.
Collaborating
Reference
Lozez, D. (2013, No Excuses University, Second Edition (Electronic Version). Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUNEU.15.1/sections/title