Wormeli
brings up a great point in the introduction of Chapter Three, he states that our
students arrive in our classrooms not has “blank slates” but rather as biased
and pre-informed individuals. The starting point for each of our students will
be different, in respect to both skill level and content familiarity, and they
will proceed at varying speeds. It is crucial that we as teachers are aware of
each students standing in order to properly support and challenge them. It is
with the tool of assessments that one can capture tangible evidence of
individual ability. When creating an assessment it is crucial that we first ask
ourselves what it is that we are trying to evaluate and what does the evidence
we are looking for consist of? To better navigate the process after these
questions have been answered Wormeli offers three categories of separation. First pre-assessments, these are ungraded evaluations that allow teachers to
gain an idea of a student’s initial standing on the subject matter and what strength
or weaknesses they might possess. Summative, these are formal assessments that
test for a cumulative knowledge of a topic and carry weighted grades. Lastly
formative, these assessments can be both formal and informal which allows them
to be numerous in nature and occur throughout the unit; they do not carry
grades.
I
found this chapter to be really beneficial in its ability to take the negative
connotation away from the topic of assessment. Wormeli states on page 22, “Too
often, educational tests, grades, and report cards are treated by teachers as
autopsies when they should be viewed as physicals.” An assessment that proves
an inadequate level of comprehension should not be used to discipline or
humiliate a student into success but should be treated as a lifeline, an
opportunity to redirect and proceed on the path of success. It is important
that we use assessments as the tools that they are and not as a defining
factor; learning is the goal, not an A.
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