Philosophy of Assessment Statement

Courtnay Gillingwater

EDUC5912

Bill Buggie

March 1 2018
Courtnay Gillingwater

Bill Buggie

Measurement and Evaluation 5913

March 1, 2018

Philosophy of Assessment Statement

It Begins with Sharing Learning Goals

I believe any type of fair assessment will only exist when I begin with being clear with

students about what their learning goals are. ‘I can’ statements should be created based off the

learning outcomes in a simple student friendly language so students can read and understand

them. This gives the students a clear understanding on what they are learning and why they are

doing whatever they are doing each class. At the end of each class it if beneficial to have

students restate each of the I can statements, then discuss what we learned that day and ask them

what they did that day to prove to me that it is true. Building a collection of I can statements can

be very empowering to the students as it shows them how much they are actually learning each

day. Collaborating with students when creating I can statements is also beneficial for them.

When students are more aware of what they are learning and how that looks they can more easily

begin the process of self-assessment and begin to develop a deeper awareness in their learning

(Davis, 2011).

Gathering Evidence: Triangulation

Collecting triangulated evidence is giving equal value to the products made, observations

of, and conversations with students one on one and in groups (Davies, 2016). A large variety of

evidence collected daily is necessary to always feel confident that I have the full picture of what

a student has learned as in capable of. Triangulated evidence will be gathered through plenty or
creative formative assessments. This helps me plan the direction for my next lessons, see where

groups or individuals need special attention, and know where each individual stands in relation

to outcomes. Having this collection of data in multiple forms also makes it easier to then use my

professional judgement in order to best evaluate the child when it comes times for report cards,

and have plenty to share with parents throughout the year and in conferencing. This process takes

the pressure off any kind of final evaluation for the students, and it should be no surprise to

where they student stands since I have been closely monitoring and checking in with them all

year.

Observations

Lessons and activities should be designed to encompass observational assessment every

day (Davies, 2016). Assessing through observation takes the pressure off assessment at any age.

We can observe students when they are engaged, comfortable, and having fun with learning.

Recording information during this time is valuable evidence.

Conversations

One-on-one student teacher conferences will be frequent in my classroom. I believe these

are absolutely necessary and can take learning to new levels. I will carefully plan lessons in order

to provide time every day for these talks. When the rest of the class is engaged in activities that

involve learning centers, independent writing, or other individual work, I will have time to have

scheduled conferences in order to check in with each student frequently about their individual

work and goals, in every subject. Students need to be taught early own how to be independent. It

important to establish the expectations that when you are conferencing with a student, that unless

it is an emergency, they respect that this is a time for you and that student and will not interrupt.

Conferences should seem informal to the student. The focus should be on one major thing that is
the most important goal for the student to progress. Open-ended questions should be asked to get

the most honest answer from the student. Questions like “how is ___ going?” (writing,

something they have been struggling with, a goal they set, etc) or “what do you think about

____?” (a piece of work they completed, a task they need to work on, an certain book or topic

that is being worked on) or “Tell me about _____ (their writing, experience, subject,

perspective). Recording notes can happen after these conversations so students do not feel like

they are on the hot spot and like they have to say something specific you are looking for.

Products

Students need to feel that the products they develop and create in class are of great worth

and that their work is valued. Students products and accomplishments should be celebrated and

shared (Davies, 2011). Building knowledge along with portfolios of work that students feel

proud of and that reflects their learning is a great way to show progress and for students to show

their top work. I must make sure students are aware of the process and routines involved around

their work, portfolio gathering, and assessment process. The more clairvoyant the process is, the

easier it is for them to catch on quickly to the flow of things and to strive to create and organize

their best work.

Assessment that works for everyone: Differentiating

When assessing learning outcomes, each students’ individual needs must be considered.

We must know our student’s individual needs and strengths, and remember that there can be

what the Reggio approach calls “one hundred languages” that a student has, as to say there are

endless creative ways to demonstrate what you have learned (Strong-Wilson, 2007). As well,

proof of meeting a learning outcomes can be adjusted to match the abilities of each student to

demonstrate their individual growth. For example, a ELL with very little English skills cannot be
assessed on the same principals that a native English speaker is. If you do not consider

differentiating, you could be either setting students up for failure, with a feeling like any growth

they’ve made is not going to be good enough, or you could also be risking setting the bar to low

for high flyer student who need enrichment. Quality is not going to look the same for everyone,

and I will respect that when evaluating as I want every student in my class to feel successful.

Involving students in assessment

When it comes time for evaluation, students should be involved in a self assessment

process. In a conference with the student along side with their portfolio we can negotiate a grade

together. If you ask almost any student if they believe they can or cannot do something, they will

answer honestly with you. Often students will pick the same grade you would have given them

anyway. If they realize that they do not have the evidence to prove they can meet an outcome,

then I can work with that student to find a plan that reflects a personal goal towards meeting that

outcome.

Student led conferences are a fun way for the child to be involved during parent-teacher

conferencing. These are best done when there has been consistent communication with the

parents through the year about what their child has been learning and how they are progressing.

This is the child’s time to shine and show the parents and teacher what they know, what they

love about school, and what they have been doing and learning.

Grades are not the goal

Most people can relate as we think about our years of schooling, getting back a test, paper

or project from your teacher; whether you worked hard on it, you loved the project, you think

you did horribly, or you did not care about it at all, the first thing we all do is check the grade. In

this system of grading, the grade becomes the motivation, and not the learning. Students become
so worried about how they are doing, especially compared to others, they stop worrying about

what they are learning and why the knowledge itself is important (Kohn, 2011). Instead of

grading every piece of work, my student are given effective feedback about the work they did,

how they met the learning goals, and how they can move forward from where they are. This

helps students understand the importance of the work they are doing, instead of focusing on the

importance of getting a good grade.

Final Thoughts

When student’s personal needs are met, expectations are clear, and they are involved in

the process of assessment and evaluation, I believe I will be able to best meet the needs of each

individual child and provide them with the richest education experience. Through ongoing and

engaging formative assessment I am able to have a consistent clear understanding of how each

student is doing, and the state of the class as a whole is when it comes to meeting learning goals.

Assessment should be stress free and be collected through observations, conversations, as well as

products that manifest into many different forms. I believe that the philosophies of assessment I

have now will meet the best interest of each child and that my practices and beliefs will always

be growing and expanding through experience, reflection, professional growth, and working with

my peers in learning circles.

 References

Davies, A. (2011). Making Classroom Assessment Work, 3rd Edition. Courtenay, BC: Building

Connections Publishing.

Davies, A., & Herbst, S. (2016). Grading, Reporting, and Professional Judgment in Elementary

Classrooms. Courtenay, BC: Building Connections Publishing.

Kohn, A. (January 01, 2012). The Case against Grades. Education Digest: Essential Readings

Condensed for Quick Review, 77, 5, 8-16.

Strong-Wilson, T., & Ellis, J. (January 01, 2007). Children and Place: Reggio Emilia's

Environment As Third Teacher. Theory into Practice, 46, 1, 40-47.