Taylor Bullman

EDPY 303
Assessment Philosophy
November 26th 2013

Assessment is like a See saw, It is a game of reciprocation which is not always equal but
dependent on both parties cycling in and out of balance.
I believe assessment is the most important part of any successful instructional program, it
is an ongoing conversation that takes place between the teacher, the child and their parents with
the goal being to monitor the childs learning and building a supportive framework that takes
them beyond their current capabilities. Teachers are not just recorders of assessment nor are
students passive recipients, rather, all three parties are considered Assessment consumers and
data based decision makers in the school (Stiggins, 2005, p.4). Schools are called upon to offer
high quality learning opportunities for all students and assessment should support the developing
attitude that we can use information as a positive means to support their childs growth and
learning (The four foundations of assessment).
The art of assessment is the ability to take misunderstandings and transform them into
learning opportunities. Leahy supports this notion by saying that the product of the assessment
process should be used to adapt instruction to meet student needs (2005). The product of
assessment informs the students about their next steps based on the evidence and also allows the
teacher to reflect on their instructional decisions to improve future practice. Stiggins, suggests
that Involving students in the assessment process is a window for powerful learning which can
and can help learners see and understand our vision of their academic success (2005, p.3).
There are complex dimensions of emotion and self-esteem tied in being evaluated and
children are no exception. As a student forms an image of themselves in the school context, it is
important to provide multiple examples of their learning successes to impact their future learning
lives in a positive way. When considering what assessment is viewed as through the students
eyes, Rick states that the students roll is to strive to understand what success looks like (2007)
but the road to success is messy, and the real learning happens when students are given the
opportunity to reflect on their misunderstandings. A healthy partnership between the teacher and
student is developed when clear expectations are established and the path to learning includes
examples of strong student work from the past. Black (1998) sates that the dialogue between
pupils and a teacher should be thoughtful, reflective, focused to evoke and explore understanding,
and conducted so that all pupils have an opportunity to think and express their ideas (p.32).
Teachers rely on two forms of assessment to inform their instructional practice, formative
and summative assessment. Although these take place at different times in the school year they

must be both valid (appropriate and meaningful to the student) and reliable (consistent with the
KSAs of outlined in the provinces program of studies).
Formative assessment focuses on the learning processes that underpin provincial
standards and achievement targets. This assessment practice includes the student work and
personal learning goals which may be reviewed, revisited, and reworked while there is still a
chance to correct potential misunderstandings while learning is still occurring. Formative
assessment is often described as assessment for learning, meaning that it addresses three main
questions the students will be asking: Where am I going?, Where am I now?, How can I close the
Gap? (Seven strategies of assessment for learning, 2004, p.42). Each of these three questions
provide the opportunity for the teacher to supply descriptive feedback which is helps the student
understand their current position and what steps they need to take to see success in the future. In
formative assessment, the goal is for each student to understand their own successes in a way
that maximizes opportunity for growth and feeds their desire to be an active participant in the
learning process. Examples of using ongoing assessment in this way motivates students by
helping students watch themselves succeeding- by helping them believe that success is within
reach if they keep trying (Stiggins, 2005, p.1).
Summative assessment focuses on adhering to guidelines from Alberta Education which
outlines the expectations of what students need to know and understand in comparison to
provincial standards. These norm referenced assessments take place after learning has occurred
in provincial achievement exams which are closely related to college admission, certification and
grading. The purposes of these summative assessments are to communicate that learning has
occurred for individuals outside the classroom. These public reports such as these summarize
information collected about learning in order to make judgments and provide evaluative
feedback. In preparation for this, teacher must ask how can I measure the intended learning
most directly? so they prepare students for which performance skills are necessary for their
success. Conversely, summative assessment for the student takes the form of avoiding failure
and achieving the highest score.
Developing feeling that their learning journey to mastery is intrinsically motivated rather
than grade oriented is essential. To be effective, feedback needs to cause thinking. Grades dont
do that. Scores dont do that.(Leahy, 2005, p.22) In the past, this dialogue has generated a great
deal of anxiety for students, but a reflective approach to assessment empowers the child to be

accountable for their learning and connections to big ideas that drive growth and development.
Reflection should help the child see their real steps to achieve their leaning goal (Sarah Jans).
Great teachers assess their students at every moment by using a variety of strategies to
engage and assess differentiated learning styles to eliminate bias in their evaluations. This
practice emphasizes a profound the shift from quality control to quality assurance (Leahy,
2005, p.21) which puts the spotlight on learning, not teaching. Flexible assessment practice
makes both teacher and learners accountable for achieving and monitoring success. Applying a
variety of strategies like anecdotal record keeping, learning logs, peer coaching opportunities,
performance tasks, and observational checklists are just a few strategies that help us in
eliminating the Zero from our grade books in the future.
For Guskey, a zero really means that the teacher his given up on the success of the
student or removes their responsibility to see them success in the future and goes on to say that
No studies support the use of zeros or low grades as effective punishments (Guskey 2004). In
this light even if this means extra time resources, lunch hour, recess, after school learning
opportunities, an I for incomplete is one way to adapt to meet student needs. An I means
until further notice and still makes room for the student to exhibit the intended learning
outcomes. Students are not let off the hook, instead they learn that they have specific
responsibilities in school and their actions have definite consequences (Guskey, 2004).
In general, assessment includes a process of providing short term goals, clarifying the
learning process, providing feedback for improvements and making the necessary corrections. I
hope to offer students multiple ways of showing their learning and develop assessments that
reflect on them as an individual, not in comparison with the class. While it strays from tradition,
I would like to adopt the viewpoint that Grades (numbers and letters) do not provide the detail
needed to function effectively as feedback in this setting (Stiggins, 2007).

References

Black, P., & William, D (1998) Inside the Black Box: Raising standards though classroom
assessment, Phi Delta Kappa International.

Guskey, T., (2004) 0 alternatives, Principal Leadership, 5, 5; Wilson Education

Abstracts, p, 49-54)

Leahy,S., Lyon, C., Thompson, M., and William,D. (2005) Classroom assessment:
Minute by minute, day by day, Educational Leadership, 63(3), 19-24

Stiggins, R. , & Chappius, J. (2005). Using student-involved classroom assessment to close

Achievement gaps. Theory into Practice, 44(1)

Stiggins, R. (2007). Assessment through the student's eyes. Educational Leadership,

64(8), 22-26.
Assessment FOR learning Seven strategies of assessment for learning Pearson assessment
training institute, 2004 p.42)