Reflection: Assessments in Math

I think it is really easy to say assessing math is done through critiquing a student's work. An outsider of the teaching major/career would probably assume this is the only way to assess where a student is. To be honest, a few years ago as a Health Science graduate I would have assumed that's mainly what teachers use to assess students. I just never thought about the variety needed to assess students because it was not what I was expecting for my teacher. Even though I taught preschool students it became apparent how multiple options/opportunities to assess the students. First I assessed the students one-on-one multiple times during the school year. This was to see initially where the students were with previous knowledge, how far they have come, and how they finished the school year. I quickly critiqued this process by adding in class activities and observation. The power of observation and conversation. I truly love that through conversation we can see where one student is, or the whole class! I also was working on a portfolio for my class if I were to have stayed an additional year. I just loved the idea and wanted to material all there to analyze and assess. Formative and summative assessments are two names we hear a lot in the major. Formative assessments are on-going, constantly happening. This is through observation, conversations, asking questions, activities. Next summative assessments are at the end of lessons/units and give an opportunity for overall learning. We have worked with rubrics a lot. I have made several for classes and have had them used for my work in a lot, if not all, of my classes. I have a love/hate relationship with them. I do like having all the details in front of me for what I need to give to the teacher. I think in the beginning I struggled making my own so I have rubric anxiety. :) They are growing on me though.

It's definitely crazy how one year of teaching and then a year of being an education major have made me see so much more. I definitely appreciate it all a lot more and always am fascinated to hear the ways we come up with to assess and work with students.