One type of assessment doesn’t fit all in my classroom and Student Seen as Causing Grade Disputes

KENNETH BERNSTEIN in What’s Behind the Curve also in New York Times talked about educators learning to teach in a complicated world where tests are an objective measurement and students are seen objectively and MAX ROOSEVELT in an article in the New York Times stated that educators have observed that their students feel entitled to receive A’s and B’s for simply completing basic coursework and There are many examples of how one type of assessment doesn’t fit all in any classroom. Accessing students in a variety of ways help me to know where their ability lies and it also helps me to better assess my students and know what they know. It also helps me to know how to reach them. I think an array of assessments: Comparisons of Common Final Exams, Comparisons of Common Content and Items Selected from Exams, Comparison of Pre- and Post-tests, Comparisons of Student Work Using Common Rubrics, Comparisons of course Grades Using Common Criteria is the only consistent way to guarantee long-term understanding of the lesson not just giving A’s and B’s for just completing a task. Measuring success is more than assigning numbers. I measure success in different ways by using variety of assessment.

According to FRED M. HECHINGER although it is fair to give quizzes to check on the homework, ''It is foolish and impertinent to ask students to write to questions that call for trivia, and downright perverted to try to trick them on obscure or difficult details.'' We as educators need to make realistic assignments and be sensible in assessing students' time. I access students in a variety of ways. I use formative, summative, diagnostic assessment to assess my students. I use participation in class, neatness of work, following direction, homework, class work, test, quizzes, class discussion, submitting your work early, working hard, interest in learning and project. I also give them rubric (formative assessment) to help them to know what is required of them. Using this formative assessment always help me to look for other quality in my students that is not only paper exam.

After quizzes, test, I always provide feedback or we go over it to help them to know it better next time. “Assessment and measurement strategies provide feedback to both the student and instructor. Students learn more effectively if they receive frequent, meaningful, and rapid feedback” .I also makes my students to evaluate (pier review) their work and assess themselves to know how they are doing in class.

We do test and quizzes –summative assessment every day to know what they have learned for the day and for the unit. I use summative assessment every time. I always find out what my students have learned by asking questions to get to the right answer. Also I tell them to write down what they learned today. I also give them worksheets to complete, that way I know if they understand the lesson or not. We also have a warm up at the beginning of every class.

Kenneth Bernstein in what’s Behind the Curve discuses how she asses students. I can put this in perspective for them by showing them how they did without crushing their spirits. In other words, the raw percentage is not what I put into the computerized grade program. I use Diagnostic assessments (also known as pre-assessments) provide instructors with information about student's prior knowledge and misconceptions before beginning a learning activity. By working one on one with them; this way those that will not like to answer in class will have opportunity to say something. I also lead them to the right answer with questions.

Although, they like A’s and B’s but it is good to cultivate effort base belief in them that it good to try and work hard in order to achieve. My students like the many ways I evaluate them, as it makes them more accountable. They know that there is no excuse to fail, because I have many ways of assessing them.

Some of my students are not good with test or quizzes but when you call it class work they do well. I had one student that detest taking a test or exam so much so that when you give him a quiz, test with quiz or test written on the paper, he will refuse to take it and if you make him to take it, he will fail the test. However, without the name test or quiz, when I give him the same paper he will do very well. For better or worse, some students do agonize over every single grade, and I don’t want a poor performance to lead to their “shutting down” or even dropping out of school
I try to give my students that chance to show their ability through many ways of assessment. We educators need to discourage a “one assessment fits all assessment" to judge our students.