PME 811- Blog Post #7

A quick google search of "student-centered classroom assessments," I realized that I wasn't the only one feeling defeated by the way we are assessing students these days.

"Unfortunately this term (as well as other terms like data-driven instruction) has been hijacked to mean more testing and knowing students only in terms of their test scores. We know this is unacceptable and does not meet the needs of all students" (Miller, 2015). John Ralston Saul says a very eye opening comment in his video, "Where is the Standardized Testing Trend Taking Us?" He says that our testing culture is all about making sure students are "on track," meaning at a certain age they are supposed to do certain things. Doesn't this seem wrong and very stressful?

We all know students strive in an environment where they can be creative. Where they learn through their own learning styles and can express their voice. If we know this, why hasn't our system changed to allow students to show their skills and understanding in ways that excite them? Why are we forcing students to fit inside a certain mold?

In a student-centered classroom, we allow students to be creative and innovative. We ask them to show us their understanding of a concept, not take a test. I decided to give this a try and see my results.

1. I decided what I was assessing my students on. What concept or standard was I looking for them to show me they understood? In this case, we had studied the many different versions of Cinderella and noticed how each version kept the same theme. I asked them to create their own version of the story, but to keep the same theme as the Cinderella story.

2. Since allowing students to pick their own form of assessment was new, I decided to give them options of how they could express their understanding. Below, you will see the assessment project.

This is the assignment

What I noticed:

1. This assessment has had the most participation and completion rate compared to any other project, exit ticket, or test I have asked the students to do this year. 47/54 students turned in this assignment!

2. In other content classes, students were asking questions about this project or telling me what they were doing, even though we weren't in reading class. Students were engaged!

3. The outcome and what students turned in was the best work I have seen from many of these students this year! Students understood the concept and were excited to show their understanding in a way that they wanted!

4. Students excel when they are given the ability to express their creativity!

Here are a few examples of my 4th grader's work:

I still question; Since this was a reading class, it allowed more flexibility for students to be creative. In a subject like math, where there is an exact right and wrong answer, how do we offer students to show their understanding in differentiated ways? How do we create a rubric that fits multiple different ways of showing understanding?

Sources:

John Ralston Saul: Where is the Standardized Testing Trend Taking Us?

http://vimeo.com/28412154

Miller, Andrew. (2015). Using Assessment to Create Student-Centered Learning. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/assessment-create-student-centered-learning-andrew-miller