Teaching students to read and write has been a goal of mine since I was playing school in my parents’ basement with my older sisters. All my life I have considered myself an above average reader and writer, and that confidence has served me well. However, with a more critical lens I am able to see how the assessment of my literacy skills was an external force that did not reflect the same level of expectation that I have for myself. Now that we’re at the end of the course, I can see the shift in how I view literacy and my thoughts on literacy teaching practices. I now understand that how a person experiences the world is based on the multiple messages that are influencing them. Text, images, numbers, sounds, feelings, smells and even tastes affect how a person perceives the world. The greatest influencers on a child’s learning are found at home, and next in line are the caregivers and elementary school teachers. As such, I have learned the importance of assessing the entire learning experience and to use that assessment as a tool that can help students help themselves. We cannot know everything about every student, nor can we follow them through life with encouraging words. I am grateful to see that the Saskatchewan Curriculum and the related resources empower students with the tools and practices they need to find success throughout their lives.
The reading responses that I submitted throughout the semester had a recurring theme, I often asked questions regarding assessment. The challenge with assessing literacy, as I saw it, was the vast array of things that literacy covers. When we consider oral, audio, written, visual, spatial, tactile and gestural modes of meaning, and how we are teaching reading no matter which class we are in, it can be overwhelming to think about. Solutions came to me in Class 6, which was focused on teaching and assessing writing. Gaining a clear understanding of the difference between diagnostic, formative and summative assessment took some time, but recognizing the cyclical nature of assessment practices came quickly. Through assessment of learning, a teacher can observe a student’s progress, as well as the success rate of executed lessons. The practice of self-assessment is the focus of assessment as learning. Teachers can ask for feedback, university professors do it all the time for a reason, or they can practice self-assessment. This is a great way to demonstrate a life-long practice of learning and improving for the students we are trying to motivate to do the same. Teaching students the power of self assessment is a step away from the Westernized philosophy of education and a step toward individual mastery. Assessment of learning is how we determine the student’s level of success with the prescribed curricular outcomes.
I love the teaching tips that were shared throughout the course. Asking students, “Does this make sense? Does this sound right? or Does this look right?” is a non-threatening way to bring students’ attention to areas of concern. I also find myself reflecting on the Writing Wizards Portfolio Wall where evidence of students’ progress is collected and displayed. Removing the shame attached to imperfect work, and instilling a sense of accomplishment by encouraging students to display their writing are important teaching practices.
Assessment tools need to help teachers to balance the demands placed on students, and their own time. We recognized through the course content how important play based learning is. In Brené Brown’s book, The Power of Vulnerability she talks about the relationship between trauma and play, and how they are the exact opposites. Finding the balance between play based learning and assessment will be an experiential learning. However, I am confident that by using focused observation and taking anecdotal notes while students are playing, I can engage students in progressive conversations about their ideas and their performance. Portfolio creation has become a common practice in classrooms because it is a freeing way for students to recognize and record their learning experiences. Having the opportunity to understand the expectations of the curriculum, and then assess their progress along their individualized learning journey, while creating a representation of those learning experiences is another fantastically empowering practice I am excited to take students through. Teaching and assessment practices are evolving, therefore it is important for me to consider the lens I am viewing through before I find myself criticizing. I, too, am still evolving.
When I review the portfolio activity that was completed with Shana, Kristin, Hayley, Nikki, Jessica, Sadie and I, there is a line I would add to it. I would like my philosophy of assessment to be empowering and to incorporate a lot of peer and self assessment practices. One regret that I have for this semester is that I never had the opportunity to build a rubric.