Filling in bubbles is not the only way to assess students' reading knowledge. (Assessment)

Dear Diary,

 Testing, assessment, standardized tests - the concept has many names and is highly debated in the world of education. Most teachers agree that is it necessary, however, it is how we go about assessing students that is the hotly debated issue. How do we properly assess what we are teaching students?

 I have always been terrified of tests. As an outgoing little girl, I would freeze every time I was tested in grade school. I was even terrified of the word test. This fear persisted through middle school and high school. Even though I had straight A's and took every honors class available, my ACT scores lacked in math and science. My test scores did not accurately reflect the grades I made daily. I was so invested in learning how to take and perform well on the test that would determine whether or not I could go to college, that I focused less on the concepts that I had been taught. Ultimately, I focused less on gaining knowledge. Jim Rubin speaks to this in his article Organizing and Evaluating Results From Multiple Reading Assessments. He states that "mandated tests tend to give a snapshot of a child's ability, whereas use of a variety of assessments gives teachers a more comprehensive portrait" (Rubin 606). He further relates that teachers should "consider the reliability of various forms of assessment" (Rubin 606). This statement is extremely significant and underscores that assessment of students' reading comprehension does not always have to be conducted with a scantron, number two pencil, and eraser. If allowed, teachers should consider many types of assessment.

 Relying solely on standardized tests is a trap I feel that our educational system has fallen into. When teaching, I absolutely desire that my students be successful in their assessments, not only in reading, but science, math, and social studies. I believe I will accomplish this as long as I keep my children's focus on the concepts, strategies, and knowledge that I am teaching them. Knowledge is the greatest gift which I will give my students, not answers to a test. I want to teach them to think and become independent in their studies. Most importantly, I must remember that assessments should only distinguish where it is that my students are struggling, and where it is that I need to apply more effort in instructing them to help them fully understand concepts which are illusive to them.

 I have included a link with some ideas that you might use to informally assess students or assess students' learning during class. While some of these ideas might be a little advanced, the skeleton is still relevant to the elementary classroom. 
http://tep.uoregon.edu/pdf/assessment/Ways_to_Assess_Student_Learning_During_Class.pdf

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/340092209330690614/

 A question to think about:
1. Do you see the value in assessing children both informally and formally?

'Readingly' yours,
Juliet