Caitlin Etri
M.A.T. Biology, Secondary Science
Assessment
Effective teachers demonstrate the ability to develop and utilize a variety of assessment tools and techniques designed to evaluate student learning and performance, provide feedback, and shape future lesson planning, programs, and curricula.
"We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience." -- John Dewey
Assessment is an integral part of instruction. It’s unfortunate that high-stakes assessments are most often used incorrectly, as there is no room for adjustment or question analysis to allow for student improvement. However, informal, formal, summative and formative assessments all play important roles in my classroom.
As my student teaching placements progressed, I realized the importance of answering the “how do you know?” question on a daily basis. How do you know your students are learning? How do you know that every student is on the same page as you? Consequently, I’ve implemented a variety of assessment tools to answer these questions (e.g., randomized flashcards, individual whiteboard responses).
There’s more, however, to true reflective assessment than just answering a few arbitrary questions. An effective teacher must learn to continually re-evaluate his or her own assessments as objectively as possible (a practice that’s not always easy and not always fun). I remember a distinct moment during my second placement when I was forced to question my own use of assessment practices. I was encouraged by my mentor teachers to have a discussion with the students about their work quality. This was during the first week of my placement, so I did not know the students very well at this time. That aside, I decided to highlight what they were doing well, and then suggest methods of improvement. As I proceeded to do this, however, I suddenly became aware of my own biases—an epiphany that prompted me to question my own use of some of these assessments. During lab activities, students were engaged in lively discussions which involved appropriate scientific discourse, yet the quality of their written work was poor. I commented to the students regarding how well they were doing in class during the lab, but then I added, “but that is not what you are being assessed on. You are graded based on the written portion of the lab only.” I instantly realized that I’d taken a pedagogical step back afterwards as I recognized how contradictory this statement was. Why shouldn’t students be positively assessed on their class work? Why, in education, do the assessments gravitate toward written portions only? I was unable to change the assessment standards due to constrictions in my second placement, but in my own future classroom, students will not be evaluated solely by paper responses. I value multiple assessment methodologies. As evidenced by my first placement, students produced outstanding work quality when allowed assessment-choice. For the culminating marine pollution infograph, students had the opportunity to perform a skit, use a website to create an infograph, or generate a poster. One student filmed a stop-motion video—all of the student projects were displayed throughout the school and the community library. The sense of student accomplishment was palpable.
At the beginning of a unit, I incorporate a variety of National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) formative assessment probes to identify the prior knowledge of my students. These are usually matching or grouping activities where students are comfortable to tentatively move ideas and concepts around. Throughout my teaching experiences, I’ve come to realize how hesitant students are to write down their thoughts for fear of them becoming “permanent.” To counteract this hesitation, I’ve incorporated many whiteboard, flashcard, matching and grouping exercises to allow students to interact with content in a variety of formats. Whiteboards hold every student accountable for their own learning and allow for individual participation. Henry, Henry & Riddoch have promoted the use of whiteboarding in science classrooms for data display, individual student responses, and collaboration. This research conducted by Buffalo State College has influenced my incorporation of whiteboards—as I now use individual whiteboards on a daily basis to aid in whole-classroom formative assessment. Quick-writes also encourage students to write down ideas and thoughts when they are not fearful of a “grade.”
Artifact 1. Literacy Strategy, Making Connections
During my second student teaching placement, students were accustomed to completing weekly homework assignments in which the textbook was the basis for the focused information. However, when asked to use a textbook as a resource in class, many fumbled not knowing the different uses of a glossary versus an index. Subsequently, these formative assessments informed me of their literacy challenges. As a result, I created a lesson in which students were required to closely read the text and make multiple connections. The students were hesitant at first. Immediately they were put off by the lengthy text. I instructed them to read the text closely and jot down any idea or thought that came to mind while reading the text. I circulated during this time, yet my students were still displaying empty margins. I prompted them with further ideas--explaining that it didn't necessarily have to be related to science. It could me a movie, a quote, or a personal event. My students were underlining the text but struggled to make personal connections. Why was a seemingly simple task so challenging for these students? Some spoke up and said they thought their ideas weren't "school related." This comment sparked an important discussion about making personal connections with the text. Too often students read the words without comprehending their meaning. Some believe the act of reading is enough to understand. I valued the objectives of this lesson immensely. Once my students got over their initial fear, they started making innovative analogies between the text and related experiences. Students then engaged in a think-pair-share activity. Discussion skyrocketed. My students were collaborating thoughts, ideas and having discussions about the text--because it finally meant something to them.
Artifact 2. Student Self-Assessment
I distributed this self-assessment following the culminating plant quiz with my 9th grade students. I appreciated the honesty that went into their responses because it provided me with invaluable feedback regarding exam preparation. The majority of students admitted to using only the in-class review time prior to the quiz. However, a large majority of responses identified the benefit of studying outside of school, either at home or in a library. Unfortunately, my placement ended before I could give another self-analysis of a summative assessment. It would be interesting to see if their study habits changed after completing this self-analysis. Regardless, it encouraged them to review their quiz and examine the conceptual misunderstandings or careless errors made. Their question 5 responses also commended teachers for making review packets which improved their study habits. I plan to give more self-assessments in my own classroom--as it provided informative feedback for me (identifying where and why students struggled), and promoted greater self reflection by the student.
Artifact 3. NSTA Assessment Analysis
Analyzing results of student assessments is a critical component of being a reflective practitioner. Without analyzing how your students performed, the adjustments made for the following year would not be of the same merit. During my second student teaching placement, I created and incorporated a variety of assessments that were representative of the National Science Teacher Association standards. Attached is one example of how I mathematically deconstructed student responses based on a 3-point rubric scale. For larger summative projects, students receive the rubric in advance of the project deadline. Displaying student rubric scores in a graphical format has enabled me to effectively analyze how well my students understood a particular concept, and where I need to make improvements in my lessons.