Main Idea Quotes

Opening Pandora’s Grade Box: This article
discusses the impact that grading can have on
students and presents alternatives that can be
used instead of traditional methods.
What Counts? Literacy Assessment in Urban
Schools: Discusses how assessments impact urban
schools. An overreliance on assessments has led to
an overemphasis on the assessment.
“In other words, the curriculum becomes
dictated and limited by the assessments.”
“The second reason that many urban schools’
assessment programs have gone off track is the
direction of the relationship that has developed
between literacy assessments and literacy
curriculum and instruction. As stated earlier, we
want assessment to be an integral part of
curriculum and instruction, but it is
also important to understand that the
relationship between assessment and curriculum
and instruction is not really like the chicken-and-
egg conundrum. I believe that the answer here is
that curriculum rules—or more accurately,
standards rule.”

“The goal of a school assessment program

should be to improve instruction for children.
With anything less, we run the danger of
assessment becoming an end unto itself rather
than a means to an end.”

“When assessment and instruction work

together seamlessly and each informs the other,
instructional time is maximized and assessment
time minimized.”
What I’m Thinking Now
This week’s readings left me with several questions and musings. Looking at the data collected for my
advocacy project, there are low rates of literacy across Nashville. In the cluster, I teach in 12% of third
graders read at grade level. The literacy assessment article causes me to wonder if an emphasis on
assessment is causing these students to fall behind due to a disconnect in instructional methods. An
emphasis on assessment creates more problems for students. Creating a continuum of literacy within
a school will be more beneficial for students since the assessments are matched the skills. Regarding
grades, including students in the evaluation process creates a power sharing dynamic and allows
students to take an active role in their learning. Using alternative grading means could be one way to
bring parents in as stakeholders, creating change. A major takeaway is that grading on effort is
problematic in comparative situations, since children view ability and effort as being inversely related.