Assessments and the CCSS
"The standards era demands a highly rigorous approach to assessment. Rather than collect data for collection's sake, let's collect data to inspire us to teach and learn more fully and richly than ever before" (Allyn, 2013, p. 138) According to Allyn (2013), assessment should help us with these questions:
Allyn also discusses that teachers should use assessment methods wisely by creating a strategic plan for assessment (2013, p. 138).
- What skills do my students have firmly in place?
- What skills do my students need to better develop?
- What does the data tell me, the educator, that I should do next?
- What does the data tell my students they should do next? (p. 138)
Allyn also discusses that teachers should use assessment methods wisely by creating a strategic plan for assessment (2013, p. 138).
Summative AssessmentsSummative assessments are used to evaluate learning that the teacher has already done. They would include: state assessments, district benchmarks, end of term exams, chapter tests, or report cards. One way to prepare students for summative assessments would be to prepare them wisely and teach the "Test Genre". If the CCSS standards have been taught well, the students will do well on the test but they also need to be able to demonstrate that information on a summative assessment. According to Allyn (2013), test takers should know that multiple genres of text might appear on the test and how to identify them with they do come up (p. 140). Allyn (2013) also states that they will need to understand that, "the test reader is a unique audience unlike others that might read their work" (p. 140). By teaching the test as a genre rather than to the test, teachers are able to teach above and beyond the test.
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Formative AssessmentsPam Allyn (2013) states "Formative assessment plays a vital role in helping us understand both where our students are and what we must do to support them. It helps us to know how to group them for more intensive instruction and how to provide differentiated material for homework and independent practice (p. 140)". Formative assessments are the driving assessments in the CCSS. They are there to drive our instruction and understand what the students need. Formative assessments involve student involvement as students should be able to evaluate their own skill, identify learning objectives and should always receive timely, thoughtful feedback on their performance. According to Allyn (2013), formative assessments should be tailored to your class and the information gathered should help to do close readings with each student and individualize instruction based on the students' needs.
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Performance Based AssessmentsPerformance based assessments (PBAs) can be one of the most useful ways to assess students, as well as being enjoyable for students. They generate beneficial data that is collected while the child is in the act of performing a skill in an authentic setting. According to Allyn (2013), "They provide students to be a part of their own assessment process in an active engaged approach to appraisal and reflection (p. 142)." PBAs are a combination of summative and formative assessment strategies.
Both the teacher and student have roles in performance based assessments. |
Teacher's Role
The teacher's goal in PBAs is to create authentic tasks that are important and interesting for the students, tasks that offer opportunities to perform outcomes that correspond with the CCSS (Allyn, 2013, p. 144). According to Allyn, (2013), "These tasks should be authentic and represent the kinds of skills and produce readers and writers will need to demonstrate outside of the classroom (p. 144)". Therefore, they should be able to produce both process and product and allow for timely feedback to students. Along with the tasks, teachers can create ways to keep records of data and observations of their students.
Student's Role
The student's also have a role in PBAs. They should be active by creating products or performances that will help to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. According to Allyn, the student must understand that they should be able to demonstrate higher order thinking skills that are outline in the CCSS (p. 144). Through the CCSS standards students should be able to: deeply analyze, infer, craft, create and compare.
The teacher's goal in PBAs is to create authentic tasks that are important and interesting for the students, tasks that offer opportunities to perform outcomes that correspond with the CCSS (Allyn, 2013, p. 144). According to Allyn, (2013), "These tasks should be authentic and represent the kinds of skills and produce readers and writers will need to demonstrate outside of the classroom (p. 144)". Therefore, they should be able to produce both process and product and allow for timely feedback to students. Along with the tasks, teachers can create ways to keep records of data and observations of their students.
Student's Role
The student's also have a role in PBAs. They should be active by creating products or performances that will help to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. According to Allyn, the student must understand that they should be able to demonstrate higher order thinking skills that are outline in the CCSS (p. 144). Through the CCSS standards students should be able to: deeply analyze, infer, craft, create and compare.