What's an Assessment?

In my opinion, one of the biggest challenges teachers face is how to assess students. Most teachers use an assessment to end a unit and to give the students a grade. But how does that help our students? An assessment should be a tool we use to determine if students are learning. And, if they aren't learning, we can decide what to do about it.

After reading Chapter 10: Assessment in the Partnering Pedagogy from Marc Prensky's Teaching Digital Natives, I started to re-think the assessment tactics I use in my classroom. Sure, I give my students many opportunities to show me what they know through homework, quizzes, exit cards, and tests, but what about the student who is not motivated by these evaluations? What about the students who aren't good at taking exams, but who ARE learning? I have a feeling these students have a lot more to show me than I give them credit for.

After my last unit on Geometry, I decided to experiment. Instead of giving the students a unit test, I gave them a project to complete over the weekend. I called it their "Culminating Unit Project" and I explained that this was their opportunity to display their knowledge of Geometry without actually having to take a test. Some students were excited. They said things like, "I can FINALLY get a good grade" and "This is going to be fun!" Other students, however, the students that have no problem doing well on unit tests complained. "Can't you just give the kids that want to take the test a test?" I refused. I explained that I wanted them to use their creativity and that being able to memorize formulas and plug in numbers just wasn't enough - they needed to THINK.

I gave the students tons of FREEDOM. I was nervous, but willing to take the risk. Here is the document I gave the students: Culminating Unit Project. I wanted to give the students a list of suggestions because we've never done anything like this before. I didn't want anyone to make excuses that they "couldn't think of anything to do." 

I was very happy with the results. I did get good products and bad products, but when I give tests I would expect the same. It was well worth the smiles on the students' faces that ENJOYED doing this project and APPRECIATED the opportunity to display their knowledge in a different way. I think the fact that this was the first time I've done something like this also had an affect on the products I received. I won't give up! I plan on trying this again!

Dan Meyer on Math Teaching

1)  Lack of initiative

2)  Lack of perseverance

3)  Lack of retention

4)  Aversion to word problems

5)  Eagerness for a formula

How do we fix this problem? Are math teachers preparing students to pass the test or are they preparing them for the real world? Students require good problem solving skills. Below is a 4th grade math assessment question. It seems we're moving in a new direction. We need to teach students differently.