Why Formative Assessments Matter. Summative assessments, or high stakes tests and projects, are what the eagle eye of our profession is fixated on right now, so teachers often find themselves in the tough position of racing, racing, racing through curriculum. But what about informal or formative assessments? Are we putting enough effort into these? What Are They? Informal, or formative assessments are about checking for understanding in an effective way in order to guide instruction. They are used during instruction rather than at the end of a unit or course of study.
And if we use them correctly, and often, yes, there is a chance instruction will slow when we discover we need to re-teach or review material the students wholly "did not get" -- and that's okay. What this means is that if we are about getting to the end, we may lose our audience, the students. We are all guilty of this one -- the ultimate teacher copout: "Are there any questions, students? " To Inform, Not Punish When and How?
Exit Slips Student Checklist. Justification. Citation. Defining Portfolio Assessment. Justification. Citation. New Page 1. Justification. Citation. Assessment in the Early Childhood Classroom. Curriculum standards define what children should know and be able to do in a particular content area. Standards provide guidance to teachers and informs their instruction. Teachers can use these curriculum standards to assess what concepts need strengthening or reteaching, or to identify when a new strategy is needed. Standards are organized by grade level to better define what children should know and be able to do at each grade level, and to facilitate developmentally appropriate teaching. When faced with high-stakes testing, teachers often feel pressured to teach material to students before they are ready to learn it, or in ways that are not age appropriate. Teacher training, discussions with colleagues, and networking can enable teachers to carefully reflect about each step along the way to mastery.
Standards should provide enough information to help with assessment of student mastery. Functions of Assessment Components of Assessment Documentation Evaluation Family Communication. Justification. Citation. NAEYC Offers Guidance on Early Childhood Assessment « April 5, 2012 by Irene Sege Photo: Alessandra Hartkopf for Strategies for Children Kindergarten entry assessment is a key – and sometimes controversial – component of the federal Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge (ELC) initiative.
The central question is how to conduct systemic, developmentally appropriate assessment of young children and use the results to inform instruction. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offers some guidance in a recent report, “Developing Kindergarten Readiness and Other Large-Scale Assessment Systems: Necessary Considerations in the Assessment of Young Children.” Massachusetts, one of nine states to win an ELC grant, is developing a kindergarten entry assessment as part of its Massachusetts Early Learning Plan.
“Assessment with young children compared with older children requires very different considerations in terms of how it is conducted and used,” NAEYC Executive Director Jerlean E. Pyschometric characteristics. Justification. Citation.