Ch. 5 Considering Evidence of Learning in Diverse Classrooms

In assessing, Tomlinson and McTighe want us to reflect on whether or not the students actually learn what you want them to from the lesson and how you chose to teach it. I appreciate the thought of making a “photo album” so that you can observe the progress of your students through more than just the written word. It is a known fact that we rely too much on the quick and dirty standardized test and not get the chance to see what our students like or want. It is crucial to be flexible and give choices, so students can be the best they can. I always liked the fact that I had the choice of an oral presentation or an essay and group or individual work in high school because we all grow and learn at different rates and in different ways. Tomlinson emphasized that we should always keep our goals in mind while assessing, what did we want our students to learn? I will keep in mind the three essential goals as I pursue my career further, (1) declarative knowledge, (2) procedural knowledge and (3) dispositions in order to accommodate all my students’ educational needs. The GRASPS frame is another thing we must keep in mind to keep growth strong for all. We are supposed to teach the “big idea” at a level so that everyone can understand. Therefore, we must pre-assess, assess and give feedback. Assessment never just comes at the end of a lesson, it is everything that encompasses the lesson and the growth we are targeting. Always keep in mind that our aim is to collect appropriate evidence of learning based on our goals and that no two kids will ever learn at the same pace or the same style. Noted by the authors, “Effective assessment not only measures students but assists them in becoming evaluators of own learning,” so, we must teach the skill of self-assessing while we ourselves assess the “big ideas” and main goals. Overall, assessing should be fun and an ongoing process from the onset of the lesson until the very end. We need to ensure that all students ended with the same overall knowledge of the subject or we have not done our job properly.