Resident Name: Rachel Watson

Placement School: Soaring Eagles Community School

Subject/Grade Level: 3rd, core subjects

Assessment Assignment #1: Assessment Overview

Assessments are key to the planning process when they are used to inform instruction. You have now been in your placement for a number of
weeks, and have probably seen assessments administered. Please answer the following questions after identifying an appropriate assessment
and talking with your mentor teacher. Your answers need to be at least 5-8 sentences in length and as specific as possible.

1. How do you feel about assessment and its role within your own education?
In my own education I have a neutral feeling towards assessments. I don’t love them, but I don’t hate them. I generally tested
well and did not have any problems with test anxiety or not understanding the questions. As I got older, my performance on
tests were related to how well I prepared myself for them. In my undergrad, if I tried to cram information at the last minute, I
would not score well. To succeed on assessments, I would have to be in class, and I would have to gradually and consistently
study the material.

2. Having reviewed the resources within this unit, have your views changed? Explain with reference to specific resources.
Each type of assessment has pros and cons and will offer different insight on students’ understanding. “I came to understand
that assessments that came at the end of a unit—although important manifestations of student knowledge, understanding, and
skill—were less useful to me as a teacher than were assessments that occurred during a unit of study…. It took time before I
understood the crucial role of preassessment or diagnostic assessment in teaching.” (Tomlinson; EDUCATIONAL
LEADERSHIP/DECEMBER 2007/JANUARV 2008) This resonated with me that assessments can come at anytime during the lesson
and to use each activity to spot check, not just as to fill time. Take those opportunities to reteach and guide students to better
understand the content. When Tomlinson spoke about doing preassessments to determine which students are already familiar
with the content and would benefit from extended learning opportunities. This will help prevent boredom during the lesson and
allow for differentiation across the classroom.

3. How does your mentor view assessment?

My mentor views assessments are necessary if there is a plan for the data collected. We do not need to test the students after
every module or unit. It is important to have a variety of assessment styles that demonstrate retention of knowledge. Spot
checking for understanding throughout the unit is more beneficial than only one at the end. We focus on scaffold learning and
 all subjects build upon previous lessons or prior knowledge. Beginning, middle and end of the year assessments in the same
format are necessary to measure growth.

4. Ask your mentor teacher to compare the role of classroom assessments vs. school wide within your school/district. What is the purpose
of each and how is the data used?
School wide assessments give baseline data since the same formats are used across grade levels. Higher grade level students
that are not new to the school or to the district know exactly what to expect with these assessments, since they’ve used the
same testing format in previous grade levels. These generalized tests and results are then used in the formation of small
intervention groups. Classroom assessments are easier to differentiate for students. It is more valuable to assess students with
a smaller amount of information more frequently. This allows us to find gaps faster and be able to reteach as needed.

5. If appropriate for your residency placement, ask your students their views on assessment and its role in their education.

Most of my students do not like assessments. They have accepted that it is part of their education, but as third graders they do
not see the reasons behind it. The few that like or are neutral to tests are the ones that generally perform higher. I can see my
younger self in these students, as they grasp the information with ease and do not show signs of test anxiety. In the first week
of school, I have been talking about state testing, since this is the first year for them to take it. I remind them that CMAS is
nothing to stress about, but it’s important for them to try their best. I also told them that it is a way for us teachers to learn how
we can better teach subjects. After I redirected the focus off them and onto the teachers, it helped relieve some of the pressure
they were feeling.

6. Investigate the types of assessment that are used throughout the year within your residency school placement and fill in the chart
below. You will need to include all mandated district and state testing as well as classroom assessments that your mentor uses.

Name of assessment School/district/state mandated Purpose of the assessment? How is the data used within your
or classroom based? school or classroom?

CMAS State Test all students per grade level Better understanding for what
across the state. Able to compare our students learned and
students individually, as well as retained throughout a school
across each school and district. year.

DIBLES District Benchmark, beginning, middle Determine placement for

 end of year, and progress intervention groups, continue or
monitoring. Determines reading develop read plans.
accuracy, fluency, decoding, and
comprehension.

I-Ready Math and Reading District Beginning, middle and end of Helps determine placement for
year. Determines if student is math and reading intervention
testing higher, below or at grade groups. Students use to make
level. goals and have baseline to see
growth.

DnA for CKLA (ELA curriculum) District Assessments at the end of each Measurement for
unit. Learning objectives applied comprehension and applying
to a new passage. Follows CMAS learned concepts.
format.

Great Minds for Eureka Squared District Assessment after each topic. Short quizzes check for
(math curriculum) Many topics within one understanding before a new
unit/module. topic is introduced. Easy to see
any gaps and what needs
reteaching.

Daily Oral Language (ELA) classroom Daily spot check after each Numerical grades are not given.
lesson. Can easily help students Completion credit is given. It is
one on one and reteach as important that they are trying
necessary. and are putting in the effort.

Exit Ticket (Math) classroom Daily spot check after each Numerical grades are not given.
lesson. Can easily help students Completion credit is given. It is
one on one and reteach as important that they are trying
necessary. and are putting in the effort.