Running head: PHILOSOPHY OF ASSESSMENT 1

Philosophy of Assessment

Sarah Pierce

North Carolina State University

PHILOSOPHY OF ASSESSMENT 2

Philosophy of Assessment

I plan to teach Secondary English Language Arts. I hope to create a community in my

classroom where all students feel welcomed and valued. I also hope to create community with

my fellow teachers and specifically my PLT so that students are able to see the interdisciplinary

nature of different subjects; that they aren’t distinct but rather work together to create well-

rounded knowledge of the world we live in. As far as disruptive behavior goes, I’d like to create

an environment of respect, where students understand that disrupting the classroom affects not

only their own learning but also my teaching and the education of other students. In response to

disruptions in the classroom, I would not want to take away from that student’s learning time, so

I would choose to first move them to an isolated area in the room and would discuss their

behavior with them at the end of class. If disruptions are ongoing and affecting the learning

environment for other students, I would probably have to remove the student from the classroom,

but would strive to understand the root of the issue, and whether anything is going on in their

personal life that is causing the change in behavior. Aside from behavior issues, I plan to use

activities and assessments that adhere to the standards we are expected to meet and that focus on

the skills I want my students to master. Ultimately, my classroom will consist of respect,

collaboration, and passion for learning.

Belief Statements about Assessment

1. I believe that assessment is important and should not be something we utilize only after

learning has taken place. Rather, assessment should take place before, during, and after

instructional time. Assessing before learning allows the teacher to see what foundations

and even preconceived notions students have about certain topics. Assessing during

learning allows teachers to see what still needs work and where they need to focus their
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teaching. And finally, assessing after learning is most effective when there is a pre-

assessment to compare to, because it shows how much students have grown and what

they have learned. As Chappuis, Commodore, and Stiggins (n.d.) describe, “No

assessment system can really be in balance unless the classroom level of assessment is

fulfilling its role in supporting and verifying learning” (p. 10). In my classroom, there

will be informal assessments during every lesson, where I ask students how they are

doing, walk around and check their work, and gauge the class atmosphere to see where

we need more practice. I will also present students with plenty of formative assessments

throughout learning to ensure that I have a good grasp of how they are doing. Finally, I

will use summative assessments to determine how my students did in each unit.

2. I believe that all formative assessments should be stepping stones towards learner

success. As Chappuis et al. (n.d.) describe, “It is with formative assessment strategies in

the classroom, what we call ‘assessment for learning,’ where students are users, decision

makers, and players in the entire process, where assessment becomes more about

teaching and less about testing” (p. 4). Assessment, especially formative assessment,

shouldn’t be used as a way to trick students or trip them up. When I assess my students, it

will be to see what I need to improve about my teaching and what extra instruction my

learners need. Involving students in this process to me just means using assessment in

ways that lets them show their mastery. Students may not get to decide how they are

assessed, but the assessment I use will be based on their skill and their areas of strength

and need.

3. I believe that creating assessments should be a process in which teachers assess and re-

assess their own test. Simply creating multiple choice questions about a novel that
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students have read isn’t enough to truly test their knowledge and skill. Tests need to have

multiple types of questions that challenge students to think about the topic in different

ways. As Wormeli (2017) states, “By using a variety of questions and prompts, we get a

better picture of students’ mastery” (p. 130). Additionally, I would never want my test to

intentionally try to trick my students, so I would go through it multiple times to make

sure it assess what I want it to and that students will be able to show their knowledge.

4. I believe that it is essential that assessments are valid and that they assess what has been

taught. Designing tests isn’t always easy, especially when trying to make sure all

questions are actually asking what they are intended to measure. As stated previously, I

am not trying to stump my students, so it is essential that all test questions and even tasks

on assessments other than tests are designed carefully. As Witte (2012) mentions, the

goal of assessment is “providing educators and their students with valid data that is then

analyzed in order to make good educational decisions” (p. 87). It is important that

assessments measure student skill and mastery accurately, because that data is then used

in the future.

5. I believe that students learn in diverse ways and therefore may need to be assessed in

diverse ways as well. Even in the mainstream classroom I will have plenty of students

with specific learning needs. These might be explicitly stated for me, or I may have to

figure them out as I get to know my students. Either way, my goal as an educator is to

help my students succeed, which might mean giving them accommodations that make

things easier or more efficient for them. This doesn’t mean I am giving them the answers;

it simply means that I am bridging the gap between where they are and the expectations

in place for them. As Tomlinson (2000) states, “Differentiation must be a refinement of,
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not a substitute for, high-quality curriculum and instruction” (p. 2). Allowing for students

to prove their mastery in different ways can be made equitable as long as all students are

given the same opportunities to succeed.

Sample Syllabus

As a former student myself, I understand completely the demands placed on you and the

effort it takes to balance school, home, and social life. That being said, I will do my best to be as

understanding as possible in regards to turning in work late. I am aware that not everyone works

at the same pace, and can understand that mistakes happen. However, any work that is late will

need to be accompanied by a 1-page summary explaining why that work is not on time and what

steps the student will be taking to make sure future assignments are turned in by the deadline. I

believe in second chances, and I know that with self-motivation and determination you can be

responsible and punctual with your assignments.

All class participation, homework, and daily groupwork will act as practice for you, the

student. These tasks are not meant to fill the gradebook or to stump you into making a bad grade.

I will mark all homework with the grade that you would receive based on the work that you

complete, but this grade will not be reflected in your class percentage. The purpose of this is to

show you that practice is your responsibility. I am a strong believer that your major assignment

grades will accurately reflect not only your mastery of the content, but also the amount of work

you have put in on your own to learn and understand the material. I hope that you will take

advantage of all opportunities to improve, and that you will take ownership of your own

education.

All grades in my class will be a gauge for both you and myself to see how you are doing

and what we still need to work on. Any score lower than a 70 will be addressed personally in a
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conference between student and teacher. Grades should be an indication of your mastery of skills

and content knowledge, so any low scores will mean that you need extra practice. I will do my

best to catch you up to where you need to be, but I ask in return that you complete all

assignments in a timely manner and take active steps towards your own success. If we both do

our part, I know that you will be successful.

The following is the grading scale at Millbrook High School as determined by the Wake

County Public School System:

A: 90-100 = 4.0

B: 80-89 = 3.0

C: 70-79 = 2.0

D: 60-69 = 1.0

F: < 59 = 0.0

“These grades will be reported on the transcript as numeric grades, rather than letter grades as

have been reported in prior years.”

Conclusion

My teaching philosophy relies heavily on my belief that all students should have a chance

to succeed and to show their ability to master skills and content. Students are all unique

individuals, and it is dangerous to view them as a group or to generalize their needs or abilities. I

hope that in my future classroom I can actively implement my beliefs in effective ways that show

students how much I care about them and about their success both in my class and in the future.

My favorite standard from the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards is stated

as follows, “Teachers demonstrate the value of lifelong learning and encourage their students to

learn and grow.” This aligns so well with my personal philosophy about being a teacher. One of
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the things I am so excited about with teaching is the fact that I will have the opportunity to

continue learning and growing long after I have left the classroom as a student. I hope to embody

an enthusiasm for learning and show my students that it can be fun and effective when you find

something you are passionate about.

As a future professional, I see tremendous value in articulating my own philosophy not

just about teaching, but specifically about assessment as well. Assessment is a huge part of

education, and knowing my own beliefs and the course of action I plan to take will help me

establish myself as a teacher. Figuring these things out before I even step foot into the classroom

is important, because it lays the groundwork and gives me a foundation to work with once I have

students whose education I am responsible for.

References

Chappuis, S., Commodore, C., & Stiggins, R. (n.d.). Balanced Assessment Systems and Student

Learning. In Balanced Assessment Systems: Leadership, Quality, and the Role of

Classroom Assessment (pp. 1–24). Corwin.

New North Carolina Grading Scale. (2018). Retrieved from

https://www.wcpss.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4587&ModuleInstanc

eID=26138&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-

3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=24401&PageID=10041

Tomlinson, C. A. (2000). Reconcilable Differences? Standards-Based Teaching and

Differentiation. Educational Leadership, 58(1), 6–11. Retrieved from

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/sept00/vol58/num01/Reconcila

ble_Differences%C2%A2_Standards-Based_Teaching_and_Differentiation.aspx
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Witte, R. H. (2012). Validity, Reliability, and Avoiding Assessment Bias. In M. Ryan (Ed.),

Classroom Assessment for Teachers (pp. 84–112). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Wormeli, R. (2017). Creating Good Test Questions. In Fair Isn’t Always Equal (pp. 129–141).

Stenhouse Publishers.