In education, assessment and evaluation can be powerful tools when used properly, but it may hinder student success

if used incorrectly. Throughout my assessment and evaluation philosophy, I will establish my personal definition of grades, discuss the three main forms of assessment (diagnostic, formative and summative) and I will also address other controversial assessment issues. Providing students with fair grading practices will generate motivation and increase student success. They will also allow me to accurately assess my instructional strategies and view specific student needs in order to differentiate lessons. Alfred Kohn, one of the radical philosophers of evaluation and assessment, explains many destructive aspects of grades. While his arguments are valid, I recognize that our education system is based on grades for good reason and if proper grading practices are used, they can be beneficial. As a teacher, the grades that a student earns in my classroom will represent that students understanding of the curriculum. As a teacher, using many different types of assessment that meet the different learning styles and needs of my students will be one of my main focuses throughout my education career. Pre-assessments (diagnostic) can be considered the primary form of assessment and is important when assessing students prior knowledge on a subject. At the beginning of each unit, creating a small pre-assessment not only assess students prior knowledge, but it allows students to see what they will be learning throughout the unit. It is beneficial to correct a pre-assessment as a class to allow each student to view and reflect on their own knowledge of the subject. It also provides me, the teacher, with data that will allow me to create effective lessons and assessments that meet the specific needs of the students. I will also use this data to determine the amount of vocabulary that my students have about the specific unit so that I can effectively communicate essential learning goals. Formative assessments are the most effective form of assessment, as they are intertwined with the learning process. The two (formative assessment and the learning process) occur simultaneously, providing both teachers and students with valuable feedback. Students can recognize what they have or have not learned during the class. It also allows the teacher to adjust and differentiate instructional methods based on the results of the formative assessment. Implementing regular formative assessments throughout the learning process will increase success among students. As PLCs (professional learning communities) are also an extremely beneficial practice within the school system, co-developing common formative assessments and processing student data to better instructional practices will benefit my students. Collaborating with fellow teachers in this manner will better both my grading and instructional practices creating higher student achievement. Formative assessments will provide my students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the curriculum without the stress that goes along with summative assessments. My formative assessments will consist of written or oral comments that will allow each student to improve themselves based on my constructive feedback. The feedback provided to students in this manner will encourage students to take ownership of their learning, developing motivation in the process. Formative assessments, whether created by myself or collaboratively within a PLC, will lead to higher student achievement and better instructional practices.

On the other hand, summative assessments are typically used at the end of a unit. They allow students to demonstrate what they have learned and understood. As a teacher, these type of assessments need to be carefully constructed to highlight student knowledge and mimic the instructional practices used in the classroom. Involving students in the creation of these assessments is a necessary part of creating student friendly summative assessments. Salend (2011) explains that surveying the students on the types of questions they like and dislike is an excellent way to get students involved in the process (p.24). Involving the students will not only lead to student friendly tests, but it will also ease some of the test anxiety that most students experience, when they take a summative assessment Despite being a widely debated topic in evaluation and assessment. I believe that allowing students to redo/retake an assessment that they had originally had trouble with is an excellent practice. If a student wishes to better themselves, we as teachers need to support, not oppose this wish. However, (Wormeli, 2011) indicates that the student must first demonstrate to me that they have studied the content and have made an attempt at improving their understanding before providing them with the opportunity to redo/retake an assignment (p.25). Redos and retakes also provides those students who require more practice or time to master a skill an opportunity to do so. Doing so differentiates the lessons as not every student follows the same time line and everyone should have equal opportunities to succeed. As mentioned above, grades are a representation of a students knowledge or understanding of the curriculum. If we develop policies that includes zeros or deductions for late assignments than the grade that we are awarding students no longer fits under this definition. In order to ensure that each student completes the required tasks and meets the required learning goals, using zeros and late deductions is not the solution. Developing a school wide work room during the lunch hour where students are required to complete unfinished work is a more effective method. As a teacher, I will be sure to grade assignments for content and understanding, not for tardiness. Implementing diagnostic, formative and student friendly summative assessments in my classroom will be an essential part of my assessment philosophy. As the focus is and always should be on students, designing my assessments to meet the different educational needs of my students will ensure that higher order thinking (blooms taxonomy) and multiple intelligences are addressed. While these are the most important forms of assessment, providing students with assignments, projects, etc. that allow them to demonstrate their learning will be another crucial aspect of my assessment philosophy. The different forms of assessments implemented will increase motivation, self-efficacy and student achievement. While I address some of the more controversial issues in evaluation and assessment, such as redos/retakes and zeros/late deductions, I recognize that professionals are constantly doing research on these topics and I will remain up to date on the newest and most effective grading practices. My philosophy is not concrete, it will change constantly based on the research and also on my own classroom experiences.

Bibliography
Salend, S. J. (2011). Creating student friendly tests. Educational Leadership, 69(3), 52-58.

Wormeli, R. (2011). Redos and retakes done right. Effective Grade Practices, 69 (3), 22-26.