Informative Assessment Essay

Assignment #3

Based in Tomlinson’s article, select two of the ‘understandings’ she describes in the article and explain how you either agree or disagree with each of them. Cite specific examples from your own experience which confirms or disconfirms what she is stating in those understandings.

Understanding 1: Informative assessments isn’t just about test. (Agree)

I chose to agree with this statement because Tomlinson presents an ongoing conflict when discussing the concept of informative assessments. While most teacher struggle with this understanding, I feel that more and more teachers are coming around to the idea that students have the ability to show their knowledge in a number of different ways. “I began to realize that when I

As educators, we need to know the skills and concepts our students know and have mastered. Their strengths gives the base of their knowledge and where we can take them from there. We would not be able to know their strengths as long as we are constantly testing for weaknesses. Creating assessments that test what they do know helps us develop lessons and activities to help them with their weaknesses. Tomlinson (2007) states, “I had most often been on the hunt for what students didn’t know, couldn’t dom or didn’t understand. Using assessment to focus on student interest and learning preferences illustrated for me the power of emphasizing what works for students” (p. 4). Identifying and understanding student interests and learning styles or preferences allows you develop meaningful and engaging lessons, activities, and projects that will enhance a student 's strengths and work on

The implementation of these chromebooks and the use of Google Documents and Google Classroom have really worked well in engaging the students in various lessons, activities and assessments. Through their chromebooks they are able to complete assignments and create projects to submit for review. My students enjoy the maturity of the chromebooks, and it has been an excellent assessment tool in my classroom. For example, I was able to create a Classroom Blog. Through this Blog the students able to answer my daily questions about a skill, topic, or concept we covered in class that week. It is the only homework assignment I give on Fridays. The student have the entire weekend to craft an answer and well as respond to their peers, much like we do through our Canvas Discussion assignments. I found that the students were able to express what they learned, enjoyed and and any remaining questions they may have about what we learned that week. They are asked to provide examples and proof of what they learned, so I am able to view their work and reflect on my teaching of the skills, topic or