Assessment Philosophy Essay

In my opinion, assessment is what teachers do in order to better understand where their students are on the cognitive learning level of a subject matter. Assessment is a continuous process that takes time and understanding. As a teacher I will constantly assess my students by getting feedback from them in class. I feel that it is important for me to do this as a teacher, so I know which students need more attention on certain areas of the subject. By assessing my students, I will gain knowledge on how to use types of differentiated instruction where necessary. I believe assessment is a tool used to evaluate both the teaching and learning of  content of the student. A variety of assessment tools should be utilized to effectively reach students strengths. I realize that children learn differently and at their own pace. The types of assessment I will use to determine if my students have gotten where I want them to go will vary. Samples of my formative assessment tools I would use in the classroom would include informal and formal questioning, oral presentations, peer evaluations, variety of projects, quizzes, test, demonstrations, drawings, and web quest observations. We all have strengths and weaknesses and we all have different means of  demonstrating each. If I use a lot of assessments, and vary the types I use, it gives my students the best opportunity to show me what they have. I will allow students the opportunity to pick from various projects that will enhance their learning ability, so I can see what they are able to accomplish. As a teacher I will need to use assessments in my classroom to determine how to act upon the assessment to improve the students’ learning. I think assessments are an important part of being a successful teacher and I hope to encourage my students and show that I care about each one of them.