Final Assessments

Creating a final assessment for a unit plan is crucial to guide the progression of learning through a unit. Creating a unit plan before creating the unit helps the teacher have a focused lesson and according to Smagorinsky, it eliminates the disjunctures between what your students learn and what the teacher grades.  Backwards planning helps the teachers create more focused units. It also helps teachers scaffold learning. Creating an assessment first helps me understand exactly where my students need to be by the end of the unit. Understanding where they need to be by the end of the unit helps break the learning target into bite size building blocks or learning objectives that will ensure my students master the concept. Furthermore, having smaller learning objectives that are outlined will help create exit slips and quizzes. These exit tickets and quizzes will help me understand if my students are on track to mastering the larger goal of the unit before they take the assessment. If students are not mastering smaller objectives along the way it can help me figure out where the breakdown in learning may exist before they take the final unit assessment. This process can also guide differentiated instruction and reteaching when necessary. This very intentional process will improve student learning.

The final assessment approach that best fits my classroom and my teaching style is the portfolio.  My students seldom take pride in the work they are submitting.  They turn in things that are incomplete, rushed, and often times incorrect. Currently they do not see a clear connection between assignments, and units.  The purpose of the portfolio is to allow students to reflect on the learning process, giving them the opportunity to go through a year’s work and select items that demonstrate key learning. What I appreciate most about the portfolio assessment is it does not have to showcase their best work.  According to Smagorinsky, the portfolio may include something that did not receive a good grade, a rough draft, an abandoned effort, or a text produced by someone else. These items can be included if they aided in the learning progression of a student, and if a student can use this assignment to reflect on their educational journey. The students must trace and reflect on their most significant learning through exhibiting key learning experiences.

I think my students will appreciate the idea that the portfolio does not have to be a perfect representation of their work. It will help them understand learning does not always occur immediately and it is a progression. Additionally, if my students know they are submitting a portfolio at the end of the year it will hold them accountable. They will submit assignments with more pride, assuring that assignments are done correctly and neatly. Lastly, at the end of the year allowing students to reflect on their work will instill pride, allowing them to see how far they have come. Alternatively, I think it will also motivate students that know they can do a better job in subsequent years.