The purpose of the “Assessment” standard is to highlight the importance of different types of assessment tools to monitor student learning.  While some students do well on summative assessments, such as formal tests at the end of a unit, others have a more difficult time with tests and prove mastery of content through completing their formative assessments, including  creative assignments. It is the teacher’s obligation to introduce a variety of assessment tools to assess students on the regular basis to make sure they are retaining information and also to work on pacing and modifications during teaching the unit.

Summative assessments are administered at the end of a unit. To best reflect content mastery through summative assessments, it is imperative that the teacher has a general sense of where student stand before the start of a unit. Administering a pretest is a good way to have a glimpse into what they might know already. It is also a helpful for teachers if they reflect on the results of a pretest and examine some of the specifically problematic areas while also taking into consideration what prior knowledge students already have. Teachers can utilize  the reflection on the record of pupil learning, before, during and after teaching a unit, so they can then tailor instruction to the needs of the students by addressing individual areas of improvement. Teachers will also use summative test results to make modifications on the unit for future use.

Formative assessments are an integral part of the teaching/learning process. The teacher can utilize graphic organizers, such as a KWL Charts or can include creative assignments, such as journal entries or reflective writing assignments  to evaluate student work on an ongoing basis. Exit tickets and review exercises are also a good way to assess student learning and make adjustments on the lessons taking into consideration the results of formative assessments.

Individual formative assessments can all be included in a Portfolio type assessment such as the “Study Bundle.” The teacher can keep track of overall student work by examining student work that is included in a comprehensive “Study Bundle.”

To examine different aspects of formal and informal assessments, please read my reflections on a Cold War lesson in my paper entitled “Assessments of and for Learning.”