Assessment... Where, When and Why?

As our society progresses and diversifies, it is important that our institutions follow suit. Education is, in my opinion of course, the backbone of any society, and it should be our job then to engage in new ways of thinking, experiment with pedagogy, and reach beyond norms. Despite this, I have found education to often times become deadlocked in that regard. We are often the least progressive, in terms of assessment, and this is not solely the fault of the profession. External influences such as parents, politics, and finances play a large role in how our public education system is received and delivered. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, however, there tends to be a clash between 'traditional' notions of assessment, and those that, through my educational journey I've found value in, are deemed more 'progressive'.

It is a shift of norms that is slowly occurring, but one that does so with great debate and opinion. As I studied UDL concepts and practices this year, I found myself pulled towards Dr. Jennifer Katz's book time and time again. "Teaching to Diversity" is a text that I highly encourage everyone to read, as it has not only given me a greater insight into UDL practices and theory, but it also put into words the thoughts and pedagogical beliefs that I had difficulty expressing succinctly up until my final year in education.

There are many encouraging and positive things that Katz shares in her text, and I'd like to share some of the ones I found powerful in terms of reflecting on assessment. Maybe they'll help you when you go for an interview, or when you're planning for the upcoming school year. Professional development is essential in this regard, so that we can always be evolving and learning as teachers. This is what drew me to the profession - I love learning!

1. "I want the best for my kids, so I strive to make the system work for them" (Katz, 145)

2. "We must give kids a chance to show, through their strengths, what they know." (Katz, 145)

3. "If we continue to give marks at stages, throughout the unit and average them, we have contradicted ourselves - why should a mark from two weeks into the unit count for the same amount as a mark at the end of a unit? We are not marking the student because we haven't taught the full unit yet. We are marking the work of last year's teacher, or of their parents, in other words, we are marking their background knowledge and cultural capital. We are punishing the kids who came into the unit with less background knowledge and skills than others did. This is not inclusive education." (Katz, 149)

4. "I believe the purpose of reporting, whether formal or informal, is to involve and empower students and their families in their education. It is not meant to punish students, or weed them out." (Katz, 152)

5. [Negative report card comments] "You will never improve a student's behaviour by causing them conflict at home. That only increases a student's anger, stress, and cortisol levels." (Katz, 152-153)

When I read these, I had an 'Ah Ha!" moment. This demonstrates that not only is UDL a plausible solution, but that our 'norms' and current ways of thinking are potentially disenfranchising students. And for the people who say "Well the real world is hard, and they have to learn!", that's true, being a functioning member of society is hard, but it is even harder if you are not given to knowledge, skills, and values that can help you. This means empowering them, and giving them the tools so that they can become independent people, and can maneuver the difficult times to the best of their ability. School should be a safe space, where children feel they can try new things, and make mistakes. It is OUR job to be there to guide them, and pick them up, or show them a new way of looking at the world. These skills, values, and tools, are what will stay with students throughout their lives.

In a UDL classroom, which should truly be every classroom, it is important that assessment is ongoing. This means striking a balance between assessment for, as, and of learning.

Assessment FOR learning is your opportunity to get to know your students, and this in turn guides your own teaching. Creating class profiles is something that Katz suggests, and is something that I will absolutely be implementing in my classroom. For each student/discipline, there is a checklist with outcomes/etc. and as you go, check off the students who are "exceed" or "fully meets" expectations (Katz, 146.) The blank spaces you will then have tell you who or where you need to focus your instruction, and help you to spot patterns. This is a great tool for report card writing!

Another method I have seen is using a journal and post-it notes. Each page has a student’s name, and as you circulate and observe or meet with students, you can jot down an observation on the post-in and put it on the student’s page. Now you have an authentic place to create report card comments which are constructive and accurate. Even if you assign a group project, or an inquiry-based activity, this is still a time for assessment.

Essentially...

Circulated observations + final product (assessment of) = LOTS OF DATA!

You now have a much better indication of how a child is doing, where they may need more support, and their progress. 

Assessment AS learning is an equally important process, that being because this directly involves your students in the assessment process. This process requires student reflection, and self-assessment, and sets the groundwork for being self-reflective learners in the future. It also gives them a sense of ownership over their learning, and that ownership can engage and empower them.

When I taught fairy tales in ELA, the students were going to create their own fairy tale, and publish them. We had been reading fairy tales, and doing various activities throughout the unit, and this was the final project. When I told my students about this, I asked them what they thought needed to be in a fairy tale. After some great conversations, we created a list, or rubric if you will, of things that their stories needed to have. I of course slid in some of my own guidelines, but I wanted them to be a part of creating their rubrics so that they knew what they would be assessed on. This gave them a goal, and a place to constantly refer back to throughout their writing process. Introducing a rubric at the end doesn't give time to be reflective. If they made a mistake, or missed a step, that was ok, I want them to learn from these mistakes. Having them write a test, and get the answers wrong doesn't help them learn from their mistakes, because that test likely will never be revisited again. But having them meet with me, and self-assess throughout the process allows them that opportunity to grow and expand their knowledge.

Assessment OF learning is the most 'traditional', and "the most controversial part of assessment in UDL" (Katz, 149). Quotes 3-5 above touch on why assessment of learning can be problematic. Essentially, grading students mid-way through is not an accurate representation of their learning. Learning is a process, and your reporting of it needs to be reflective and cognisant of that. Your job is to track this progress, and use it to inform your assessment, and do so in conjunction with graded materials at the end of the unit. These two methods of reporting, TOGETHER, will be a more authentic view of each student, and serve as a better assessment. If you assess a child using final unit outcomes half-way through, then almost every child will fall short.

In terms of the parent-child-teacher relationship and reporting, as referenced in quote 5, you need that relationship to be a strong, supportive, and goal oriented one. These goals can be set and communicated through assessment, if done in a meaningful way. Katz suggested, having the students write comments, alongside the teacher, on report cards. This would look different depending on the age group, but I've seen this type of self-assessment done as early as grade 1. Beside the outcome or subject, have the student write a response to their learning, and afterwards you would write your own. This is also an interesting way to see how that child views themselves and their own learning. You may have nothing but praise for that child, but if they do not see it in themselves, then this type of exercise will make that visible to you, and their parents. Assessment is constant, and it is not only for curriculum content. As teachers we are constantly assessing how students are doing emotionally, mentally, physically, etc. We truly are a full-service job!

Something that I have heard used as assessment of learning, in a UDL classroom, is that during testing, such as in math, science, or social studies, give students the option to orally tell you what they know. This alludes to Katz's second quote about allowing students to show what they know through their strengths. This does not mean that you stop developing the skills they have difficulty with, but in subject where the content is what is being assessed, then why does it matter if it is an audio-recorded conversation/questions between you and the students, or if it is a written test? I personally had test anxiety as a child, and no matter how much I studied, my tests would not reflect what I actually knew. And the type of testing (multiple choice, short/long answer) is another area that can either help a child express their learning, or, hinder and confuse them.

That's an entirely different soap box I could get on, but I'll leave it at this for now....

If I could summarize assessment using only a few words, it would be these: authentic, continuous, meaningful, supportive, reflective, and empowering.

If you try and keep these in mind when reflecting on your own approach to assessment, then you are well on your way to creating a UDL classroom!

Katz, Jennifer. 2012. Teaching to Diversity: The Three-Block Model of Universal Design for Learning. Winnipeg, Manitoba: Portage and Main Press