Assessment Blog Post 1

If I can be completely honest, I am not really sure how assessment is done in today's elementary classrooms. I have been introduced to so many differing ideas, and multitudes of anecdotes to consider when it comes to assessment that I am sort of befuddled by how exactly a teacher manages to assess his or her class nowadays. However, when it comes to the question of what I believe is a good way of assessing students in elementary school, I currently would have to say that the best way to assess students is through 'listening'. The word 'listening' here is not to be taken literally, rather, it must be taken metaphorically and as vaguely as possible in order to allow it's interpreter to incorporate all aspects of that they feel is a good way of paying attentions and sympathizing with someone. For example, maybe there are students that feel shy and do not want to speak out load, and would prefer to write to you; Listen to what they write. There may be students who find writing to be tedious and would rather speak to you; listen to what they say. There may be some students who think not in words, whether sound or text, but instead they think in pictures; listen to what they draw or sculpt. There may be students that do all three, or maybe even some that do something else entirely, listen to whatever means of communication they chose to engage with you in. I think this open-mindedness is very important, that they all students feel comfortable communicating with you as a teacher, and they feel they are being 'heard'. Also as a teacher you are still able to do your job in assessing because you will have all the information you need to help you gauge the level of understanding of your students.