The Value of Assessment in the Classroom

Assessment is the process and procedures used to gather data, utilizing a variety of factors, about student performance.

Assessment is a very important factor in education. An educational professional must be able to effectively evaluate and assess the students progress and knowledge of the subjects being taught. A teacher must also be able to assess how a student learns and if the methods the teacher is using is effective.

In order to assess a student’s classroom success many processes and procedures must be used to gather data (Lemlech, 2006). This data can be used to evaluate the performance of the student and determine the students grade in the classroom. There are many ways to assess a student’s progress in the classroom, and there are many factors that reflect a student’s progress in the classroom.

Assessment is a necessary tool in a classroom that all teachers must master. Performance assessment and grading rubrics are both means of assessing a students performance, and they are effective for use in a classroom.

Performance assessment is a very common and effective method of evaluating the progress of a student. This method of evaluating a student’s performance does not rely only on tests grades so that students who are not always good at tests can reflect their understanding of the material. “The use of performance assessment helps teachers gain insight that informs curricular and pedagogical decisions” (Lemlech, 2006, p.166).

There are many strategies that are used in performance assessment, and the performance of a student can be assessed during many classroom activities. Group work, oral presentations, tests, artwork, and student made projects are all tools that can be used to to assess the performance of students. An important part of performance assessment is that students have the means of showing the teacher how well they have retained the knowledge in the classroom.

Grading rubrics are also important means of assessing the retention of a child’s knowledge of the classroom work. Grading rubrics are not only useful for the teacher, but they can be useful for the student as well. With grading rubrics a child is aware of exactly what a teacher is looking for in an assignment, and a teacher can easily judge an assignment by comparing it to the standards set in the grading rubrics.

As a teacher it is important to be aware of a student’s performance in the classroom for many reasons. If a teacher is accurately able to assess a students progress the teacher will know if the teaching methods are working, and if and where the students need help. Assessment is a necessary factor in the educational system, and all teachers should be aware of the many means and methods of assessing.

Reference:
Lemlech, J.K. (2006). Curriculum and instructional methods for the elementary and middle school. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. , : Prentice-Hall/Merrill. Retrieved November 4, 2007, from University of Phoenix, rEsource, Classroom Instruction Web site.