Assessment is a partnership between educator and learner. Teachers are the ones presenting the assessment, but students need to understand what it is they are being assessed on and how it can further their learning.

I will admit before I began my education journey with the faculty of education, I just assumed assessment was a tedious task that students and another mark to add to your report card, (yes, I was rather cynical in my younger years). However, with age and education, it became very clear that assessment is much more than just right answers and marks. In short, there is always is or rather should have a purpose. It is our job as educators to make sure students understand the purpose of the assessment. Otherwise, it is rather difficult to fulfill the needs of students.

From my own experience sometimes it feels like you are trying to convince students there is a purpose to the task; not just something for them to do to waste time. Looking back I wish I would have collaborated more with students rather than just presenting them with a task that is supposed to assess their understanding. When I say group collaboration I don’t mean allowing students to call the shots but instead giving input into their strengths!

Goal setting is another area I find very critical to assessment. My main educational interest lies in the area of inclusive education and goal setting is a huge part of student assessment. Students will almost always have an IPP had is goals they intend to complete by a certain point. For example: by June 2022, Student A will be able to initiate a conversation with another student 50% of the time (this is pretty basic). I feel goal setting is not a bad idea for students in any classroom not just in intensive support settings. If possible have students set goals and continue to revisit these goals.

Below you will find a document exploring my own feelings and score in relation to the shared responsibility of assessment.