Assessment Measures

The assessment measures we use in our health class are: 1. asking questions to check for understanding- formative 2. quizzes and tests- summative 3. cornell note taking- formative In the class I'm student teaching, my teacher asks questions to check for student comprehension. He first asks for volunteers to answer, and if there aren't any, then he assigns answers to random people. We cover a unit of study and then it's followed up with either a quiz or test. During the unit, cornell notes are assigned twice a week. These notes form the basis of understanding and provide the student with something that's gradeable other than the summative assessments. Most of my teacher's strategy involves direct instruction on a day to day basis. There are rarely group assignments or interactive work. As a result, morale is poor, and students aren't motivated and don't challenge themselves. There is a definite lack of organization within the structure of the class and with the lessons. They aren't inclined to raise their hands to answer the questions, and if they are chosen, will respond with an "I don't know". I find a general lack of motivation in all classes, and I think a more proactive approach would wake them up and get them more interested. Since there is so much reliance on the teacher as the leader, perhaps switching it around so that the students direct their learning instead, and the teacher becomes the facilitator changes the dynamic so that the students are in charge of their learning process. It may prove to generate more interest. Lesson plans need a good overhaul as well. I like the cornell notes. I would use them in my class, but I would rely heavily on solid, well-written lessons that include a lot of group work that inspires higher order thinking skills, and projects. Tomlinson suggests a good approach to assessment is by giving two grades. "A struggling learner might receive a B on progress toward reaching personal learner goals and a D when compared to the class....it is important to help parents and students clearly understand the utility of each piece of information in educational planning" (Tomlinson, pg. 94). Tomlinson, Carol Ann, (2001). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms.

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