3d: Using Assessment in Instruction

Assessment of student learning plays an important new role in teaching: no longer signaling the end of instruction, it is now recognized to be an integral part of instruction. While assessment of learning has always been and will continue to be an important aspect of teaching (it’s important for teachers to know whether students have learned what teachers intend), assessment for learning has increasingly come to play an important role in classroom practice. And in order to assess student learning for the purposes of instruction, teachers must have a “finger on the pulse” of a lesson, monitoring student understanding and, where feedback is appropriate, offering it to students. 

A teacher’s actions in monitoring student learning, while they may superficially look the same as those used in monitoring student behavior, have a fundamentally different purpose. When monitoring behavior, teachers are alert to students who may be passing notes or bothering their neighbors; when monitoring student learning, teachers look carefully at what students are writing, or listen carefully to the questions students ask, in order to gauge whether they require additional activity or explanation to grasp the content. In each case, the teacher may be circulating in the room, but his or her purpose in doing so is quite different in the two situations. 

Similarly, on the surface, questions asked of students for the purpose of monitoring learning are fundamentally different from those used to build understanding; in the former, the questions seek to reveal students’ misconceptions, whereas in the latter, the questions are designed to explore relationships or deepen understanding. Indeed, for the purpose of monitoring, many teachers create questions specifically to elicit the extent of student understanding and use additional techniques (such as exit tickets) to determine the degree of understanding of every student in the class. Teachers at high levels of performance in this component, then, demonstrate the ability to encourage students and actually teach them the necessary skills of monitoring their own learning against clear standards. 

But as important as monitoring student learning and providing feedback to students are, however, they are greatly strengthened by a teacher’s skill in making mid-course corrections when needed, seizing on a “teachable moment,” or enlisting students’ particular interests to enrich an explanation. 

Danielson, C. 2013

Artifact 3d-1

By using my unit plan and adhering to the expectations outlined in Danielson Framework 3d (Using Assessment in Instruction), I am preparing myself for student teaching in several key ways. Firstly, regularly assessing student understanding allows me to adapt my teaching strategies in real-time, ensuring that I can effectively address any gaps or misconceptions as they arise. This proactive approach will be invaluable during student teaching, where I will encounter diverse learners with varying levels of proficiency and learning styles. Secondly, the feedback I gather from assessments will guide me in providing targeted support and differentiated instruction, fostering a classroom environment that supports all students in achieving their learning goals. Lastly, incorporating assessment practices aligned with the Danielson Framework will help me demonstrate my commitment to continuous improvement and reflective teaching practices, essential qualities for a successful student teaching experience.