Strategies for Reflective Assessment

 
     ·         It is important to differentiate the purpose of assessments during
            different parts of the lesson cycle (Pre-teaching, Feedback, Application).

     ·         It is important for teachers and students to document their assessments.
            This enables reflective thinking for both students and teachers.

 
    Strategies for Pre-Teaching Assessment - The purpose is to assess
    students' prior experiences/knowledge. These strategies help determine
    “where students are” relative to the concept being introduced by asking
    for responses to a number of question stems. Some examples are:

                 “What does _______  mean to you?”

                 "What examples can you think of for _________?”

                 “If you were going to explain _________ to someone, what would
                   you say?”

                 “Thinking about the reading/play/visit to .........., what do you
                   remember about _________?”

                 “Draw a picture or diagram of _____________.”

                 Do a clustering activity or mind dump activity

                “Write down all the words that come to mind when you hear the
                  word ___________."

                Create a KWWL Chart (Know, Want to Know, Where you are
                going to find it, Learned)

    Strategies for Feedback Assessment - To assess how students are growing
    in their understanding about a concept during a lesson.  After the students have
    had some experience with a concept:

                 “List three new ideas you now have about ______________.”

                 “Tell how your thinking about ___________ has changed.”

                 “Act out what __________ means to you now.”

                 “Draw a picture or create a timeline or diagram of _____________.”

                 “Think of examples in your life of  _______________.”

                “Think of non-examples of ____________.”

                 “What is still the ‘muddiest point’ about ____________?”

                 Answer:

                                “What have I learned about _________?”

                                “Why is ___________ important?”

                                “How does _________ fit in with what I already know?”

                                “What questions do I still have?”

                Do a PMQ:  “Chart the pluses and minuses regarding your knowledge
                about ____________ and what questions you still have.”

                “Think of one observation / one feeling / one idea or one criticism /
                  one elaboration of _____________.”

                  Answer:

                                “What have I been expected to do with _____________?”

                                “Did I do it well?”

                                “What questions do I still have?”

                                “How can I get the answers?  Who can help?

                 Ask students to answer various feedback and response stems:

                                I appreciated  ..........

                                I learned .............

                                I wanted to know more about ............

                                I struggled with .............

                                I would have been helped by ..............

                                My project/interest connects with this topic in the following ways ...........

                                I disagreed with ............

                                I think the teacher should consider .............

    Strategies for Application Assessment - To determine the extent to which
    students have begun to internalize the concept(s).  Students are asked to apply
    the concept in some meaningful way to asses their ability to reflectively apply
    a concept:

                 “Fill in the final column of the KWL chart (what you learned).”

                 “Demonstrate your understanding of _______________ by acting
                   out its meaning.”

                 “Create a picture, flow chart, diagram expressing _______________.
                   Explain how or why this expresses the concept.”

                 “Produce a model or video representing _____________.”

                 “Answer:

                                “What did learn about _________?”

                                “How can I use it?”

                                “What questions do I still have?”

                 “Create a poster or webpage demonstrating an important aspect
                   of _______________.”

                 “Answer:

                                “What was I asked to do to develop my understanding
                                  of _______________?”

                                “How well did I do it?”

                                “What might I do differently next time?  Why?”

                 Generate:  One observation / one feeling / one idea / one application
                                  of ______________.

                 “Perform a song, a poem, or a skit incorporating the main ideas
                  present in _____________.”

                 “Think of at least two ways you could use what you have learned
                   about _____________ in your daily life.”

                 “Describe at least one place or time where it would NOT be
                  appropriate to use _____________ but where you have
                  noticed people doing it.”

                 “Think of the important attributes of _____________.  What
                   other idea, situation, or physical structure do you fell is similar
                   to _______________.   Explain.”

                 “If you were trying to determine if someone understands
                   ____________, what questions would you ask them?