Various Assessment Types: A Reflection

Blog Reflection on Various Assessments:

                When it comes to grading, I am firmly in the mindset that it is a teacher’s responsibility that comes with the job. Grading comes with the field trips, the extra help, the parent emails, and the super sweet vacation time. While it is included in the job description, I am also of the mindset that it can sometimes be harsh to deliver grades that may not truly depict the effort provided. Reading about these four “newer” types of grading and assessing was enlightening, but I do not think that all are relevant or helpful in my classroom.

                Peer assessment is a type of grading that I am fairly comfortable with just so long as I have the opportunity to check over the papers afterwards. While I would like to think that my students are trustworthy and all have the ability to perform flawless math calculations, I know that is not the case. Mistakes happen. When I grade, I always double check my math and assure that I am doing the calculations correctly. Peer assessment is fine by me as long as I can have final say or checking authority before the students’ papers are returned.  Students aiding in the weighting of importance of assessments is not something that I am comfortable with because I am too worried that personal strengths and weaknesses could come into play. I am all for students suggesting assignments and assessments that are helpful to them and are interesting, but determining the grading scale is not kosher in my opinion.

                The one in four grading scale is a new idea to me. I have never heard of it, and frankly, the process still confuses me. While I understand the process of grading only one out of four assignments and counting it, I find it a little superfluous to give assignments, assess them, and then only score one when you have “graded” four. I DO like the surprise for the students though of never knowing which assessment will be chosen. It keeps them on their toes and always prepared to showcase their best work!

                Stamping, in a weird way, feels a little bit better to me for use in class without having to worry about numbers. Instead I feel like stamping focuses on effort and the work that was put forward. I feel like with subjective and opinionated subjects stamping is a very viable option because measuring the “grade” on an opinion is difficult. Obviously we want our students to have their personal voices and choices, and as far as grading goes, that can be hard to judge, and I think stamping is a way to get around that challenge.

                Student journals are a good idea for classes where they can be warranted and useful; however, for foreign language, they aren’t really feasible. Though I cannot really use student journals, I do see the benefit from utilizing them in the classroom. For one reason, just like the one in four, students are kept on their best academic behavior and given the responsibility to keeping up with their most impressive works. I also like the idea of student journals because it allows for creativity to blossom where it might not otherwise in the classroom setting.

                When it comes to giving student feedback, I prefer to either write directly on the assignment that they either did well or need work. If work needs to be done, I ask if they will do the job of coming to see me so that we can start a conversation about what needs to get accomplished. I do not give feedback via stickers or smiley faces or giant red X’s. I’d prefer to write my comments on the back page of the assessment and let the student either come to me or enjoy their appraisal solo.