This was the most helpful class yet for me personally, as I feel that we covered topics that I have wondered about and have not yet gone over so far in TLP. In every course in this program we discuss how important quality assessment is, but this is the first time I have had someone break down exactly what elements are needed for a strong assessment to this detail. I really appreciated the examples of poorly written questions and poorly formatted worksheets as these are the types of errors that new teachers (including myself) are sure to make unless explicitly instructed on how to do otherwise. In a previous course we discussed how the field of teaching has a high rate of new teachers dropping out of the profession in the first few years, and I feel that simple things such as going over how to write test questions could prevent the types of errors and anxiety that may drive new teachers to jump ship.
My other thought from the night was a connection I made to my current job teaching individuals with Autism. I was wondering to myself why I was so excited about the prospect of writing rubrics and enjoying the topic so much, when I realized that it was because this would be a strength for me after my training at my current school. I am already used to breaking down tasks and behaviors into discrete and objectively defined steps, and this is the same type of thinking process involved with creating a rubric. Every day I am thinking about what nuanced, specific aspect of a skill I am targeting or assessing, so it comes naturally to think about graded assignments in that way. There are many connections between my current teaching duties and those in general education, and it is interesting to see the overlapping skill areas.
Deborah, I am glad the activities in class were helpful! Now that you have an idea how to check for quality assessments I would encourage you to carefully review every assessment before you implement with you students. It is always helpful to do this in a PLC because the discussions can be a powerful professional learning experience for all involved. I am also glad you are able to make connections to the work you do now with autistic students. It is great when you can make authentic connections in your own learning!
Deborah, I am glad the activities in class were helpful! Now that you have an idea how to check for quality assessments I would encourage you to carefully review every assessment before you implement with you students. It is always helpful to do this in a PLC because the discussions can be a powerful professional learning experience for all involved. I am also glad you were able to make good use of the strategies we introduced with your own students. It is great when you can make authentic connections in your own learning!