W5/6.A3 - Learning Journal Blog - Teacher Reflection

 One of the overarching ideas from this week’s readings that I think I am already doing as an educator is formatively assess student learning in a lot of different ways. While I feel like sometimes, my school might over-assess student learning I do think as a teacher I do collect a lot of meaningful data on my students. Some of the ways I currently formative assess student learning are through student interviews, student conferences, observation notes, and student portfolios. One of the big ideas from Wiggins & McTighe’s readings this week explained how “Effective teacher-assessors gather lots of evidence along the way, using a variety of methods and formats.” (2005, pg 152) Generally, within a unit, I already build several forms of formative assessment and take observation notes on all my students daily. While these formative assessments are not perfect, I feel like most of the data we collect (that isn’t state or district required) is “descriptive and narrative not just scored and numerical” (Zemelman & Hyde, 2012, pg 81). Another thing I believe my team and I do well is collaborate around creating assessments and looking at those assessment tools to modify what we are teaching. Each month we have data discussion meetings where we either develop an assessment tool together or we will look at students’ products and see how we can better support student learning.

 

A few challenges I face when creating formative and summative assessments are to make sure that the assessments I create act as part of instruction, are authentic tasks, and are valid measures of students learning based on the identified learning outcomes. The readings this week made me think a lot more critically about if my assessments “operate as part of instruction” (Zemelman & Hyde, 2012, pg 82). The concept was echoed in several of the readings this week, that assessments need to also be an opportunity for students to continue their learning not just show evidence of understanding. Traditionally, tests are the most thought of form of assessment, however, tests or quizzes really don’t allow students to continue their learning. However, authentic tasks involve students in “developing meaningful responses” and require students to apply their new understandings to realistic situations. (Zemelman & Hyde, 2012, pg 82). I really liked how Zemelman, and Hyde described these types of assessment as “Live Assessments” that not only reinforce vital subject matter but “they also expand students thinking and their performance skills” (Zemelman & Hyde, 2012, pg 81) Additionally, it can be challenging to create assessments that are valid measures of student learning. It can be easy to lose sight of the learning outcomes when trying to create an assessment that fits within a unit’s time frame. I now have a much better understanding of why it is so important to follow the stages of UbD design to best assure the success of a unit.

 

Going forward there are several goals I have for myself as a unit designer. Foremost, I want to simply take the time to evaluate all the forms of assessment I currently use within my classroom and evaluate their quality for students and the data I collect from them. I also want to better explore how I can use different forms of self-assessments in my classroom. I currently feel like I provide some informal opportunities for students to self-assess but I generally do not plan opportunities into a unit. I also want to explore how I can provide more opportunities for my students to provide structured and productive peer feedback. Since learning is so social students receive peer feedback pretty naturally. However, I want to capitalize on that concept in a more productive way. Lastly, I also want to explore how I can provide more opportunities for parent involvement in students learning. I really liked the idea of student led parent-teacher conferences and overall giving my students more autonomy in the learning process.

 

References

Black, P., Wiliam, D. (2010). Inside the black box.  Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 92 (1), pp. 81-90.  InsideBlackBox.pdf

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA:  ASCD.

Zemelman, S. Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. (2012). Best practices: Bringing standards to life in America's classrooms. (4^th edition). Portsmouth, NH. Heinemann Publishing.