ASSESS

When I ASSESS, I...

Check for student understanding
Collect and analyze evidence of student learning
Use assessment data to support personalized learning
Provide descriptive feedback to students in response to their formative and summative assessments

VBCPS Resources for Assessing

Teaching and Learning Video Series

Performance-Based Assessments/Elementary (video) -- Guiding Questions
Performance-Based Assessments /Middle School (video) -- Guiding Questions
Performance-Based Assessments/High School (video) -- Guiding Questions
A Balanced Approach to Assessment (video) -- Guiding Questions
Descriptive Feedback (video) -- Guiding Questions

Virginia Department of Education Resources for Assessing

Formative and Summative Assessment

Summative Assessment vs. Formative Assessment (PPT) – provides information about the differences between summative and formative assessment and the instructional benefits of formative assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions: Performance Assessment (Word) – provides information related to the use of performance tasks and performance assessments that are not used to verify credit (updated February 2019) Secondary School
Performance Assessment Communication from VDOE (Word) – includes communication issued by the Virginia Department of Education related to performance assessment and local alternative assessments
Assessment Literacy Glossary (Word) – a list of terms and definitions related to Local Alternative Assessments. (updated February 2019)

Additional Resources for Assessing

Checking for Understanding

A Rationale for Checking for Understanding
Smarter, Better, Easier Ways to Check Student Understanding If you've ever thought, "there must be a better way to confirm what students are learning," you'll want to listen. **PODCAST**
Gaining Understanding on What Your Students Know - Quick, ungraded assessments help teachers know what their students understand from the day’s lesson.

Descriptive Feedback

Reflection Prompts

Whether you are reading an article or listening to a podcast, a worthwhile reflective task is to capture significant quotes and ideas that deeply connect to your beliefs about effective teaching and learning. Reflection and note taking are two ways to process what you learn and connect new ideas that emerge to future actions.

There is no requirement to take notes or record new ideas as you read and listen to the resources linked to this page. To do so is optional. The prompts that can be used to help organize your thoughts and make plans for implementing strategies into your practices.

Prompt 1

This set of three questions may be used for any article, podcast, or video linked you intend to use as a learning tool. Select and respond to one, two, or all three questions.

What is the one idea, strategy or statement that most interested you and why?
How does what you read connect to or build on what you know or believe?
What questions came to mind as you read? Why is it important to find the answer to the questions? Who will you ask?

Prompt 2

Identify one, two, or three ideas you would like to implement.

Respond to this question: What positive outcomes do you predict for you, your students and the learning environment?

Prompt 3

When a resource offers several ideas, prioritize the list of ideas that appeal to you. Taking care not to try too many new things at once, make a note of one strategy you can implement in each of the 4 quarters of the school year.

Prompt 4

Select one specific strategy you would like to put into action.

Respond to this question: What are the first three steps you will need to take toward implementing the strategy?

Image Citations:

Blue Blackboard on Old Wall Background Stock Photo ID: 80611417. Shutterstock.com. Shutterstock, Inc. Accessed 02 June 2020.

Hand Writing the text: What’s Your Next Step? Stock Photo ID: 555919168. Shutterstock.com. Shutterstock, Inc. Accessed 03 June 2020.

How do you know? - Phrase from Wooden Blocks with Letters. Stock Photo ID: 1636438207. Shutterstock.com. Shutterstock, Inc. Accessed 03 June 2020.

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