Blog #2- Assessment- How It Should Be

In my opinion, the most important principle of assessment should benefit the child and improve learning.  I think that most assessments are done so that schools get funding.   Some teachers are only teaching to the test and the students are left behind.   If the assessment is truly to benefit the child, then assessments are crucial.  Assessments are beneficial to preschoolers getting into the program.   Another strength of assessments are if the child has a learning or speaking delay, assessments can help them diagnose what is wrong and help them move in the right direction with the student for their success.

I think the ongoing assessment is the most important because it is continuous throughout the year. Formative assessments are ongoing and they access where a student is and where they need to go next.  This to me is very important in helping our student succeed in becoming a successful student.  I also agree with the summative assessment where it monitors how the student is at the end of the year and where they need to go next year.  All these assessments I just mentioned will only strengthen my task on being the most successful teacher I can be and reach the needs of all my diverse learners.  If I know what the students’ strengths and weaknesses are then I will be able to support my student successfully.

One of the questions I had when reading this chapter was:  If we see a problem that a student is having like on the Margie Phillips case (having trouble copying information from the board), do we refer the student and family to a professional outside the school district like the book suggested or do we handle it within the school district?

Secondly, if we have a special needs student in our classroom and they cannot be assessed like the rest of the class, do we wait until their aid can help since we have to assess them orally?

Lastly, this question does not really pertain to the reading but, I have a friend who is an aid in a school district and she says that there are some students who cannot physically or mentally perform any of the assessments and she has to do them for her.  Is this right?  Should we be filling out the assessment for them?  What would we learn from this? or is this only for our benefit as a district?