Standard 5 – Uses a variety of methods to monitor student learning.
As a Career teacher I apply knowledge of the purposes, characteristics, and uses of different types of assessments. I collect and analyze assessment data from a variety of sources and use those data to inform instruction. I am knowledgeable of the different types of assessments--and their uses, benefits, and limitations--that I draw on to inform my instruction.
I review data, both individually and with colleagues, to monitor student learning. I use assessment data to eliminate gaps between students’ potential and their performance. I use assessment data to establish learning goals and to plan, differentiate, and modify instruction. I address the specific needs of English learners and students with special needs as I use assessments to inform my instruction. I work to differentiate goals and plans based on assessed needs of my diverse learners. I involve all students in self-assessment, goal setting and monitoring progress. I use available technologies to assist in assessment, analysis, and communication of student learning. I use assessment information to share timely and comprehensible feedback with students and their families. I draw upon assessment data to support development of learning goals.
As I develop my lesson plans, and craft my instructional strategies, I am meticulous about aligning my content with school, district, state, and national standards and performance expectations. Regardless of my instructional decisions, my students will be held accountable for the mastery of the content laid out in the school, district, state, and national standards. In order to determine my students’ levels of proficiency, I continuously assess their learning. To meet the unique strengths and growth areas of my students, I balance formal, informal, formative, and summative assessment strategies.
I believe in receiving continuous feedback from my students. On a day-by-day basis, I want them to allow me to peer into their minds to determine the barriers that stand in their way of mastering content and developing an intrinsic passion for learning. While I believe strongly in utilizing standards-based assessments as a tool for learning, I also believe that these assessments provide a mere snapshot of my learners at a particular moment along their journey. Although summative assessments provide an opportunity for my students to articulate their overall level of proficiency, there are also limitations to the format.
Standardized test scores cannot possibly tell the whole story of my students. In order to paint a more accurate picture of my students as learners, I believe in conducting consistent formative assessments. The more data points I collect, the more appropriately I can shape and reshape my instruction to fit the day-to-day needs of my students.
In addition to continuously gathering formal and informal assessment data, I am also insistent upon providing my students with feedback. This feedback, in turn, allows me to further articulate my expectations and encourage my students to address possible misconceptions independently. I believe in empowering my students to take ownership of their learning and feel that providing feedback is a valuable step in the right direction. If, after internalizing my feedback, student misconceptions still persist, I then take the necessary steps to address the issue instructionally.
In addition to assessing my students, I am also consistently assessing myself as a classroom facilitator. After videotaping a mathematics lesson on using parenthesis, I encouraged my peers to review my instruction and provide constructive feedback and encouragement. I value the feedback of my peers and am consistently seeking input from my peers to improve my instruction. Just as my students are continuously receiving feedback and modifying their learning accordingly, I too am receiving feedback and altering my instructional strategies to become a better teacher.