Running Head: ASSESSMENT PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT 1

Assessment Philosophy Statement

EDUC 5913E Measurement and Evaluation

William Buggie

Allison Curran

March 1st, 2018

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Introduction

As a teacher, one of my many jobs is to assess students’ work effectively.

Assessing students can come in many different forms, as I have learned in my

Measurement and Evaluation class this semester. The types of assessment that I want to

focus on, and that I will conduct in my own classroom are formative and summative. As

an Elementary teacher, my focus in my classroom will be formative assessment;

therefore, in this philosophy statement I touch on how I would like to incorporate

conferencing into my classroom. In this personal philosophy statement I also touch on

my stance on allowing redo’s and giving zeros.

Formative Assessment

After looking through the research on formative assessment, as well as

experiencing it in practicum, I believe that it is the most important of the assessments and

the one that I vow to conduct most in a classroom of my own. Formative assessment is

assessment that takes place in many forms (exit slips, discussions) and that can take place

anytime during lesson. This type of assessment allows for teachers to get an idea as to

where the students are standing and which direction the instruction will be going to next,

which is the main reason behind why I would like incorporate into my classroom.

“Although formative assessment can be designed in many different ways to

accommodate different aims, the main function is to generate feedback on students’

performance in order to improve learning” (Weurlander, Soderberg, Scheja, Hult, &

Wernerson, 2012, p 748). Therefore I will make sure to incorporate positive and

constructive feedback as much as I can so that students are “able to act on the feedback

they receive in order to improve their learning” (Weurlander, Soderberg, Scheja, Hult, &
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Wernerson, 2012, p. 748).

Conferencing

Conferencing with students is a form of assessment that I will definitely be

bringing into a classroom of my own in the future. I believe conferencing is one of the

best assessments that can be used because it allows you the opportunity to get to know

the students, their interest, their strengths and weaknesses, as well as where they are

academically (Spencer, 2017). Conferences allow you as a teacher to obtain knowledge

on the students, such as: what they would like from you as a teacher and their assessment

preferences/strengths. By knowing the students’ assessment preferences/strengths you

can work with them to make sure that they excel, which is really what I believe teaching

is all about. Just a five-minute conference with students can “guide students in self

reflection [and] help provide needed advice” (Spencer, 2017). I will use this individual

time with students to: get to know them better (appropriate personal conversations), give

them feedback on their work (how they can improve), as well as use it as a time to assess

(discuss what they know) (Spencer, 2017). These conferences will also be beneficial in

the sense that you can make obtainable and individual goals with the students. Then, later

on in the week, for example, you will have your next conference and you are able to see

whether or not those goals have been met.

Summative Assessment

The other form of assessment I will be using in my classroom is that of

summative assessment. Summative assessment usually takes place at the end of a lesson

and/or unit and allows teachers to see students’ understanding and growth, as well as

provide them with an overall grade. Summative can take place in many different forms,
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including tests, presentations, demonstrations, or pieces of writing. As an educator, I

understand that some students need choices in activities in able to present their best work.

It is evident that “more and more teachers are introducing an element of choice into the

form that products may take” (Davies, 2011, p. 49) therefore I will incorporate choices

when it comes time to have to do summative assessment, to the best of my ability.

Redo’s and Giving Zeros

I believe in having the option for the students to complete a redo of an assignment

and/or test. I understand that students have rough days and may have other things going

on at home or in life, and therefore assignments and tests sometimes get put on the back

burner. All students should have the opportunity to re-present their learning, if needed.

The goal of teaching is that “all student learn the content, not just the ones who can learn

on the uniform time line” (Wormeli, 2011, p. 22). Therefore, I understand that it takes

some students longer to understand specific concepts and some need more practice. I

believe it is unfair to have all students complete a test/assignment at a certain time,

without giving them the opportunity to complete a redo and giving them a zero if not

completed on time. As teachers, we do not want students to disengage from school, what

it has to offer, and adults who care for them and their future (Wormeli, 2011, p. 22),

therefore, it is important to give students tools to succeed. Not allowing students to

complete redo assignments/tests and giving zeros when work is not completed does not

teach “students a lesson about life” but instead, disengages them from education in itself,

and that is definitely something you do not want as a teacher.

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Conclusion

Formative, conferencing, and summative assessments are all forms of assessments

that I vow to use in a classroom of my own, one day. As I become more knowledge about

measurement and evaluation, I know I will find different forms of assessment that would

be beneficial for my students. But for now, I want my students to be successful and I

believe that my philosophy of assessment is one that will allow students to succeed.
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References

Davies, Anne. (2011) Making Classroom Assessment Work (Third Edition) Courtenay,

BC: Connections Publishing.

Herbst, Sandra and Davies, Anne. (2016) Grading, Reporting, and Professional

Judgement in the Elementary Classroom Courtenay, BC: Connections

Publishing.

Spencer, J. The Power of Student Conferencing. (2017, December 14). Retrieved March

01, 2018, from http://www.spencerauthor.com/the-power-of-student-

conferencing/

Weurlander, M., Soderberg, M., Scheja, M., Hult, H., & Wernerson, A. (January 01,

2012). Exploring Formative Assessment as a Tool for Learning: Students'

Experiences of Different Methods of Formative Assessment. Assessment &

Evaluation in Higher Education, 37, 6, 747-760.

Wormeli, R. (November 01, 2011). Redos and Retakes Done Right. Educational

Leadership, 69, 3, 22-26.