Sarah Kushnar

ED335
November 26, 2014
Philosophy of Assessment
One of the most important, and often misunderstood, tools in
education is assessment. First and foremost, assessment is an ongoing
evaluation of student progress, skill mastery, and overall achievement. Data
from assessments is used to track student progress, make decisions about
classroom instruction, and evaluate program effectiveness. They must be
designed in a way that all of this information can be attained and used
effectively.
In todays rapidly growing society, teachers need to meet the needs of
a technology-centered generation. Students now require 21st century skills to
succeed critical thinking, problem solving, communication skills, creativity,
innovation, and collaboration. Teachers need to include these skills in
instruction and assessment by asking for explanations instead of just giving
an answer. By using apps such as Hopscotch, a computer programming app
for the iPad, students can use all of these skills together to create a variety
of projects. Students at the elementary level are very hands-on with their
learning, so providing multiple modes of learning and assessment is
appropriate for them.
Recently, assessment has been going through changes. In
Pennsylvania, the Department of Education has revised the standards and
introduced the Pennsylvania Common Core Standards. These have
introduced new goals that students must meet in specific grades. The Rhode
Island Department of Education has written a document, the Rhode Island
Comprehensive Assessment Model, which outlines a plan that monitors the
academic achievement of students by utilizing various types of assessment
to gain data about student progress. For each assessment that is given, six
criteria must be documented and kept on file name of the assessment,
purpose and use of the data, type of assessment, screening procedures and

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turnaround time for feedback, implementation schedule, and
accommodations and/or modifications.
Assessment comes in all shapes and sizes to serve all students.
Formative and summative are two of the most common forms of assessment.
In the elementary classroom, formative assessments are given through
discussions, worksheets, group activities, and journals that take place
throughout the course of learning to check understanding and plan future
instruction. Summative assessments, such as tests, quizzes, or projects,
occur at the end of learning and provide information regarding content
mastery. Curriculum based assessments (CBAs) are based on what is being
taught and the best ones are teacher created. These assessments can be
formative or summative in nature and allow teachers to accurately assess
what the students know. Teachers know the students and curriculum so they
can tailor the assessment to their needs and abilities. Benchmark
assessments such as DIBELS Next provide data to allow teachers to see how
their students are progressing toward meeting specific learning goals. On the
other hand, diagnostic assessments, such as the Kindergarten Readiness
Test, allow teachers to assess students before placing them in a program or
level so the learning and activities will meet the individual needs of each
student.
Not every student is the same each one learns differently and has
unique abilities and knowledge. To evaluate students on what they already
know or are able to do, teachers can give diagnostic assessments to
measure students skill level. The data from these assessments can be used
to determine where a student should be placed in one of three tiers in the
Response to Intervention and Instruction (RTII) Model. All students are at the
same level in the first tier because the teacher provides high quality
instruction. At the second tier, students may need a small amount of
reinforcement or reteaching; teachers provide this support through
enhanced, individualized instruction. Students at the third tier receive
intense individualized support to provide remedies for problems. Once their

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place is determined within the three-tier system, students can be given
benchmark assessments to check if goals and standards are being met. The
students can move throughout the three levels of the model based on their
needs. The data can determine if students stay at their current level of RTII
or need moved to a different level. Robert Marzano is a trailblazer in
assessment. The data from both the benchmark and diagnostic assessments
as well as the three tiers of the RTII model will impact assessment in the
classroom because the teacher will make decisions regarding instruction
whether to move forward, reteach, or enrich the material.
Some students may only need small changes to assessment such as
spacing out the questions on a page so they are not overwhelmed or simply
providing more time for the test. These accommodations dont change the
content, but the student now has the ability to take the test in the way that
fits his or her specific needs. Students with Individualized Education Plans
(IEPs) or Gifted IEPs may require modifications that change the content such
as an easier or more difficult reading passage or fewer questions on a test.
Because technology is so prevalent in the education system, there are
a variety of ways to incorporate it into assessment. By using Khan Academy
or Study Island, students can work at their own pace and master the
concepts and topics, as they are able and ready. Alternative assessments can
be given through apps such as ShowMe, where students can record
themselves on an interactive whiteboard and share it with the class. The
highest form of learning is being able to teach the content to someone else,
so students need to be able to demonstrate what they have learned rather
than taking a paper and pencil test because they may have only memorized
the material rather than mastering content. When students complete
activities and assessments this way, it can make them feel like they arent
being graded. One example is First in Math a website where students play
math games and earn points while mastering a variety of concepts.
Grades go hand in hand with assessments as a way to track student
progress. Grades are important because they can show teachers how well

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students are mastering a specific concept. Students are also able to track
their own mastery through grades. Robert Marzano believes that grades are
so imprecise that they are almost meaningless (Marzano, 2000). Grades are
subjective but they must also be authentic. Authentic grades much show
what a student is able to do rather than just get points to make the grade.
Giving points to arbitrary tasks such as covering a textbook or returning a
test signed by a parent or guardian does not measure student mastery;
rather, it measures student responsibility. Commonly, grades are given only
on tests, quizzes, and homework assignments. Teachers should also provide
opportunities to complete other assignments such as projects, performances,
or demonstrations. The combination of these assignments will provide an
accurate snapshot of student mastery.
The classroom environment can play a large role in student learning.
Teachers should create a bright, positive, welcoming atmosphere where
students want to learn. Desks should be arranged in small groups to promote
collaboration and interactions between students. This will also allow the
teacher to create learning stations for specific activities. Students can be
seated within the groups based on a variety of characteristics such as what
level they are currently at in the RTII model. Technology such as iPads and
SMART Boards will help prepare the technological generation and make
learning meaningful and interactive.
As a future teacher, it is my goal to assess my students in the most
effective way possible while meeting their individual needs. I will provide a
variety of assessments to measure student mastery and get to know their
learning abilities. I will accommodate and modify lessons as required to make
sure that my students are achieving the highest level they can. My students
will use their 21st century skills everyday and be creative, critical thinkers
ready for the new face of education.