Assessments

 are  used  for  teachers  to  gauge  what  the  students  are  learning  and  
where  common  misunderstandings  are  occurring  in  their  learning.  Assessments  
show  opportunity  for  students  to  improve  their  work,  giving  students  a  positive  
feeling  and  opportunity  for  growth.  Assessments  are  given  feedback,  rather  than  
grades.  Grading  has  a  very  negative  effect  on  students.  When  students  receive  a  
grade,  they  often  focus  only  on  the  grade,  and  do  not  look  at  feedback  made  by  the  
teacher.  They  also  don’t  seek  to  improve  their  work  or  thinking.  An  assessment  with  
feedback  does  not  provide  evaluation  or  advice.  Instead,  feedback  focuses  on  ideas  
for  how  to  improve  and  encourages  further  development  or  understanding.    
   
1. An  assessment  strategy  I  see  myself  using  is  exit  questions.  I  think  these  
provide  the  teachers  feedback  and  insight  to  each  student’s  individual  
thinking.  Exit  questions  can  help  the  teacher  see  at  a  quick  glance  what  
concepts  and  procedures  the  students  may  not  understand.  This  allows  the  
teacher  to  make  informed  decisions  about  what  information  needs  more  
attention  in  following  lessons.  
2. Feedback  is  an  important  part  of  an  assessment  that  I  hope  to  do  well.  
Feedback  is  most  effective  when  it  provides  ideas  of  how  to  improve  or  
encourages  further  mathematical  exploration,  rather  than  grading  for  right  
or  wrong  answers.  A  classroom  with  a  focus  on  feedback  rather  than  grades  
creates  a  classroom  environment  where  students  are  unafraid  to  think  freely  
without  the  fear  of  being  incorrect.    
3. Student  made  rubrics  are  a  unique  aspect  of  assessments  that  engage  the  
students.  By  having  the  students  create  the  rubrics,  the  students  know  and  
understand  what  type  of  work  is  expected  of  them.  Students  also  feel  that  the  
work  is  more  meaningful  and  personal  since  they  have  been  involved  in  the  
entire  process.  Even  through  the  process  of  creating  the  rubrics,  teachers  can  
assess  if  students  are  recognizing  which  information  is  important  enough  to  
be  included  on  the  rubric.