Students will take their first unit math assessment today. I'll coach them through the process. I still believe there is room for assessments in school as those assessments give children a chance to quietly work on their own and show what they know. The results serve to inform my instruction as well.
I am fortunate to have a number of support specialists and educators that teach with me so it's likely that some students will take the assessment with a teacher and that teacher will coach the students with regard to language, strategy, and perhaps some teaching too. I'll ask the support teachers to write notes and attach those to the tests so that I know what the child needs.
In many ways, assessments assess my teaching. What did students learn well? Where did most students struggle and need more teaching/learning? How do students approach the task? As I review the assessments, I'll review my teaching too. Honestly, when all students do well, it means that the teachers did their job. If too many struggle, that means we have more work to do. Onward.
