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Hello everyone! My name is Hannah and I am a pre-service teacher majoring in Biology Secondary Education at Wartburg College in Iowa. Throughout my career, in most of my science classes, I have been given formative assessments as the main way to assess my understanding of the information. I was wondering if other people had some personal favorites in assessing students besides the basic formative assessment. One of my fellow classmates introduced the idea of an exit slip (student writes something they learned in class and one question they have turns it in before they can leave) this is a way I could see how students were understanding the topic and the misconceptions they might have. If you have any other tips or favorites I would love to hear them! Thanks!
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One of my favorite ways to assess with my ESOL students is by observation. Sometimes they can't write the information or speak it, but I will allow them to draw or otherwise demonstrate it.
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Hello! As a teacher in early childhood education, I like to ask these questions: “Did all of our students learn the material? Are all of our students meeting the standards? Are we successful with all of our students?” (Wisconsin DPI-Resources for the Field, 2016, 0:44). My students range from three to six years of age so my assessments vary from physically demonstrating, speaking, drawing or writing. For example, a preschool student may demonstrate an understanding of an object's weight by physically picking up the object that corresponds to the question of heavy or light. A kindergarten student may draw or write a simple response to the question and a prekindergarten student may explain in their own words when answering the question. “The process of turning tests into tasks has transformed both our and our students’ relationship with assessment. We are more effectively able to capture evidence of three-dimensional learning, and our students are excited to demonstrate their expertise in ‘doing science’” (Turning Test into Tasks, n.d.). My students do not feel like they are doing an assessment due to the way I perform the assessment. “’The overall purpose of assessment, regardless of age, is to help teachers make appropriate instructional decisions about how to best teach children (Early Childhood..., 2005)’” (Raise Learning, 2010).
References
Raise Learning. (2010, October 11). Early Childhood Learning Assessment. https://www.raiselearning.com.au/blogs/news/2093022-early-childhood-learning-assessment
Turning Test into Tasks. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.nsta.org/turning-tests-tasks
Wisconsin DPI-Resources for the Field. (2016 Aug 2). Summative assessment (Strategic assessment system, part 3) [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/ySYFrQDRZHQ
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Hi Hannah I love exit slips! I think theyre the best and beneficial to both the student and teacher.Most importantly they help the students reflect on what they've learned. I also love concepts maps, im a visually, organized person i think this is great also to help assess students in the classroom.
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Hi Cindy,
Do your exit slips entitle what they learned from the day or questions, thoughts, and concerns?
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Yes, we call them exit tickets in my building, but same concept.
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I like doing formative and informative assessments. Although I think observation and exit cards are great ways to assess students. I personally like to have students write out what they liked the most, what they found the most interesting, what they liked the least about each assignment, and why in a class journal. I also like using concept maps they make breaking down and connecting different ideas straightforward.
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I am aware there are various modifications or accomadations that an educator must follow should they be state-mandated, but if that is not the case, what would be the best way to adapt assessments for ELL students in the classroom? Are you allowed to do so, or since it is not 'approved' by district, you can not alter it to help them better understand questions and options on how to answer them. Thank you!
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I have a lot of ELL students. Our district allows any and all modifications, except for modifications to state tests (since that's all mandated by the state).
I am NOT an expert, but I have worked hard to try to modify things to help my students. One thing is to be very careful of the phrasing you use for a question. I try to avoid using colloquial words and phrases, slang, or sentences that are too long or have unnecessarily difficult phrasing. I avoid a lot of those questions that are 'designed to trick the student' (those seem so common on state assessments though). I teach vocabulary using very short, simplified definitions. I also try to provide lots of translations so they're seeing the words in their own language and in English. For assessments, I send my ELL students to take the test with the ESOL teacher or a bilingual aide, who helps them understand even better. I know that option isn't available to everyone; I've been very thankful for that opportunity.
I know reaching my ELL students is likely my biggest weakness. My goal is to engage in a lot more professional development to improve in this area.
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I am a current education grad student. I have not had a classroom of my own yet, but I definitely think I will be utilizing exit tickets. A recent lesson plan I created involved exit tickets as the main assessment for the students!
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I personally like ongoing assessments conducted during the learning process to determine students' understanding and progress. This include quizzes, question-answer sessions, exit tickets, class discussions, and group work. I think that these type of ssessments allow teachers to modify their teaching strategies to better meet the needs of their students.
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I am glad for the dialogue. I too will be entering the classroom as a new teacher. The information that has been given so far has been insightful. I understand that the information gathered from exit slips can be used by the teacher to adjust their instruction or plan for future lessons. I'm a fan of a good class discussion as well, but learning about exit slips has been a great tool. Exit slips are a useful tool for both teachers and students as they can help to reinforce learning and identify areas that need further development.
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Hi! One creative way to format assessments is by using a technology application called GimKit! It is a live learning game show where children get to work through problems as they play a live 'video game' as a class. It is interactive, and fun, and you as a teacher can get data from the assessment questions they answer as they play the game. I would love to hear about more creative assessment ideas as well.
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