Current Assessment Practices

Assessment is critical to the field of education. Without assessment, we do not know where are students currently are, or where we are to take them in the future. In my classroom, as well in our district, are key on assessment.

Standard testing occurs in my classroom at the end of units to see what the students know and what needs to be retaught. In the 5th and 6th six weeks, we work on building background knowledge of WWII and read literature to help with grammar aspects. In the first four six weeks, when my focus in solely on grammar, after we get through parts of speech, there will be a test to see what is known and not known. We then reteach in mini lessons throughout the school year.


Benchmark testing is essential in my district. These are called TEKS checks and are given on a monthly bases. In my content area, the test in one passage long and has six questions. In my personal opinion, there is not enough data that can be drawn on six questions to truly tell a teacher what a student does or does not know. I am hearing that this will be changing next year, and we will go back to having one a six weeks and then having 12 questions on them. Our curriculum is being rewritten, so our benchmarks will have to allign to those as well.

As a writing teacher, I use portfolios for their writing. We call these, their writing folders, and I add all essays to these folders. If we do a creative writing, I will also add these in. I also let the students determine what they would like to add to their portfolios as well. At the end of the year, I conference with students about where they started and where they currently are and what is needed for high school. This is done within the last two weeks of school.

Project based learning is still something that is rather new to me. We do currently do this in our curriculum when we teach WWII in the 4th six weeks. The students complete a research topic on WWII, and then create a multimedia presentation to show to the class while giving an oral presentation, and then create an expository essay for their topic. I also found this cool website that helps make checklist for PBL. http://pblchecklist.4teachers.org/


Technology used for assessment comes in the form of our benchmarks which can be taken on paper or in a digital format. We can also use blackboard to give quizzes or test. The issue with this is more the lack of availability with computers, versus a desire to want to do them. We also have a way to create our own assessments in TEKS Check, but it is currently only available to reading and math.

Technology standards that are currenlty assessed are:

1) how familiar they are with different applications
2) Copyright information (especially in expository research essay)
3) Solving problems in the programs

I know that I do a whole lot more as well, but those are the three big ones.

My three assessment related goals for my classroom and building are how to add more assessments through technology, focus on PBL for cross-curricular, and to make assessment something that students understand.

I think each of these goals will not only benefit me this next year in the classroom, but also for long term goals of a PhD program.