http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/08/21/high-school-graduates-still-struggle-with-college-readiness
As an elementary school student, I always showed up to class, raised my hand to participate, handed homework in on time, and fell nicely in between my peers when it came to grading and assessment. I was considered an average student. When tests and assignments were introduced, I looked to my parents for guidance and support. I can remember siting at the kitchen table with my mom while I memorized facts that would be needed for tomorrow's test. It wasn't until high school that frequent A's and B's became B's and C's. My mom was no longer able to help me as often with homework and I was left thinking: "Am I no longer as smart as I once was?" This mentality was detrimental to my outlook on school, since everything I thought I knew was turned upside down.
In his TEDTalk, Mark Barnes, an internationally recognized educator, stipulates that: "grades are subjective crutches, used by teachers because they either do not know any better, or because they are forced to give them an archaic system". Instead of assessment through grades and percentages, Barnes strongly believe that grades should be replaced with meaningful narrative feedback as it better illustrates what learning outcomes have or have not been mastered by the student.
To answer my previous question, I was just as smart as before, however, I found myself struggling with rubrics, and standardized testing, because things could not be memorized like they once were. I discovered that the rubrics that were presented in front of me were so rigid in their grading, that I only focused on the guidelines, and not on the work that was required to meet those guidelines.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-NykI2jOZw
In this week's chapter, Drake, Reid, & Kolohon (2014) suggest creating a Rich Performance Assessment Task (RPAT) instead of evaluating students by tests or quizzes because they better demonstrate the performance and offer a thorough qualitative description (p. 69). Within these RPATs, student learning can be redirected and categorized into the KDB frameworks, so that teachers can view the growth of each individual student.
Drake, Reid, & Kolohon (2014) p. 71
In a placement class a couple years ago, I met a teacher whose views on grades and assessment were drastically different from ones that I was taught about. For example, many of her assessments on her students were not graded at all, however, her students were assessed through an informal conversation of their learning. She understood that some students did not test well, and believed that a majority of her students did not perform well under the pressures of a typical test. Although she recognized that some assessments needed to be formal, she had a way of explaining to the students that they did not need to worry as much as they thought they should have.
Being a current university student, I can recognize the importance to some grading and standardized assessment, however, I have once again evolved my teaching philosophy to account for the fact that all tasks do not need to be assessed using rubrics. Understanding that some students may benefit from more informal assessment techniques such as dialogue or oral presentations, will be of significant importance as I continue to learn my role as a teacher.
References
Drake, S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment:
Egnaging the 21st century learner.
TedxTalks. (2014, November 18). How four simple words can solve education's biggest problem.
[Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-Nyk12jOZw
Like I mentioned before, I really like how your post is more personal, but still informative! When we discussed our assessment stories in class earlier in the year it was interesting how no body had a traditional example. However, we will continue to be assessed in these ways as teachers are stuck on old methods.
ReplyDeleteI always look forward to hearing your blog because it is always so well written!
One thing that really struck me from your post was the rich personal experiences you interweaved throughout the entire blog entry! It's so amazing when we can take a topic or issue were learning about in class and apply it to our own lives using reflection. That's a sign of a great teacher! Also, this is a very contemporary concern for not only us as teacher candidates but also school faculty, policy makers and students. It effects us all on a societal level: how we perceive and label our students. Lastly, I like how at the end you state how this discussion has influenced your teaching philosophy! I think there's a lot more to this argument that can't be completely captured in one blog post but this is a great way to get students and teachers to think through these issues!
ReplyDeleteYour blog post really amazes me because of how much information you incorporate in such a seamless manner. Your use of personal examples helps me to view the topic through the lens of real life experiences, which makes it very relatable! And another very beneficial aspect of your post is that you provide a brief description of the videos which you add. Sometimes when I don’t get a chance to watch a video, it is nice to be able to what the attachment consisted of.
ReplyDeleteAs we discussed in our group, all our favourite teachers were the ones who did not follow such a rigid rubric, and that allowed us to thrive. Yet the practices used in most present day classrooms are the complete opposite, which is very frustrating. I really do hope that our generation of educators can be part of the group which transforms the educational system. As mentioned above, this is a very broad topic- but this was a great post to get our minds thinking !