Standard 9: Assessment. The teacher understands and uses a variety of informal and formal assessment strategies (both formative and summative) to evaluate and support the development of the learner.
Indicators:
- Communicates clear expectations and provides descriptive feedback to students
- Encourages student goal-setting and self-reflection during informal and formal assessment
- Accurately documents, interprets, and reports assessment results to students, parents, colleagues and the community
- Uses a variety of informal and formal assessments that provide valid evidence of student’s performance of learning goals (objectives, outcomes) and standards
- Interprets assessment results to adjust instruction, and enhance student progress and confidence
- Supports students’ performance in district and state assessment programs
It’s important to foster an “I can do it” attitude in the classroom. Students should be encouraged to think independently, problem solve, and avoid falling in the habit of asking “Is this good?” every time they add one brush stroke to a piece of art work. There are different approaches I will take for different age groups when it comes to fostering independent thinking. For middle school or high school, I created a poster that reads, “Ask three before you ask me!” and below it there are two questions that read “What have I done well?” and “Where can I improve”. I instruct my students to ask three classmates these questions when they feel they are done with their piece of artwork. Only after they have asked three and made appropriate changes can they approach me for a final check in. This technique fosters independent thinking and collaboration among peers. My students respond well to this self evaluation technique and I include it as a required on my non-traditional rubrics that I use for many of my lessons.