Empowering Assessments

I have used formative, summative, standardized and authentic forms of assessment to inform both my teaching and learning and those of the students and parents that I have been fortunate enough to be with. We have used both innovative practices, such as portfolio's and student exhibitions as well as self-evaluations to measure student outcomes. I have used data analysis, analyzing student errors in ACT scores to teach and plan school wide curriculum. In both instances, students not only became more insightful and honest thinkers about what, why, and how they learn, but also increased student outcomes on standardized tests in the areas of reading and English. Additionally, I used pre-and post-ACT test scores to identify content areas that needed additional support. These specific areas were then integrated into student learning plans, studied and re-enforced with mini-lessons throughout the semester, and then used to identify specific gains.