Tuesday, March 27, 2012
The Connection Between Instruction and Assessment
In my field experience log, we were posed the question, "How does your mentor teacher link instruction and assessment? Why is it important to do so?" Upon first reading the question I took it in a way that it wasn't intended, and ran with it. Before I even started writing I became aware that the question was asking us to discuss the importance of never teaching something without assessment, but here is what ended up in my log...
"Upon first reading this prompt, I chuckled because the way that things are now, assessment and instruction are inseparable, but maybe not necessarily in a good way.
The intention of the prompt was clearly to observe and comment on the host teacher's connection of instruction and assessment in the classroom. In this respect, yes, instruction is closely tied to assessment, however, in this context I don't believe it's a good thing. Teachers scramble to prepare students for the ISTEP+ tests all year, and it is my belief that this close link between instruction and assessment can possibly be detrimental to student learning.
When students are given no purpose to learn other than to take a test, how can we expect them to stay motivated to learn? If students aren't taught that lifelong learning serves a greater purpose than filling in the right bubble, where is the world headed?
Yes, it is important to assess based upon instruction in order to gauge student progress, I don't discount that. Students should be able to see beyond assessment though, into authentic applications of learning.
So, my question to myself is - how can I motivate my students to learn beyond the test?"
In response, my field supervisor wrote a lengthy amount. His response - too - ended with a question. He made the point that more upscale schools generally have more motivated learners and higher test scores compared to lower socio-economic schools. He asked where I would like to invest - in the school where learning and motivation comes easily, or the school where motivating can sometimes be like squeezing water out of a rock?
My answer to that question is the rock. With my lifelong learning in mind, making and impact on at least one student would make me a success in my mind. While it may be frustrating to be under the gun of "the test" all the time, I take it as a personal challenge to myself to balance the test and the authentic in a context where the authentic isn't as bright as it could be. Those students need people who are willing to fight for them, because if no one cares, why should they?
As to the question I posed at the end of my log - "How can I motivate my students to learn beyond the test?", I still have no answer.
My only conclusion is that achieving this will be a part of my own continuous authentic learning process.
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