My Hypothesis on Assessment

TL;DR:

Assessment is a hot topic in all schools.
Before looking at assessments, look at your teaching.
What are you doing that makes learning relevant for all students?

My Hypothesis on Assessment

Well, it certainly has been a while since I last wrote a blog post here at Teach Better. For much of this school year, I’ve been focusing on my podcast, Science360. I have just fallen out of the habit of blogging. I suppose it doesn’t come as a surprise, because I, like most of us, just can’t do it all…even though we like to think we can, right?

You see, I believe that if we teach something without considering that the student isn’t interested, then we shouldn’t be surprised by low scores. Click To Tweet

More recently, however, I’ve been giving some thought to a certain topic of education. Just as the title of my series is called, Reflect Better, I’ve been reflecting on a major theme that has become all the talk in schools around me. Perhaps around your area too. If so, I’d be interested to know what the talk has been like where you’re at.

I’m referring to the topic of assessment. This could also encompass proficiency scales, curricular competencies, and content rubrics. This theme has been the dominant topic of conversation at all staff meetings and all department meetings. And now we discuss it during collaboration meetings which we now call PLCs (Professional Learning Communities).

Reflections With a Side of Bacon and Eggs

Now, I should state that I have the utmost privilege of living in close proximity to Tom Schimmer. He lives just down the road from me. Recently we got together for breakfast to “talk shop” and compare notes on teaching. Tom is a top-notch guy. He’s knowledgeable on seemingly every aspect of education and a great communicator. Of course, he’s a great communicator! That’s why he’s summoned all over the world to talk about these very things that have been at the forefront of my school’s conversations for several years now.

Over eggs and bacon, Tom and I discussed, among other things, the question of how we assess our students’ understanding of what we work so hard to teach them. In my case, I’ve settled on a very inquiry-based teaching strategy. This relies heavily on personalized and project-based outcomes that allow students to focus on aspects of the subject that resonates with them on an individual level.

And Tom is so good at encapsulating teaching strategies. Coming fully from a researched stance, he was able to essentially tell me what kind of teacher I am. This, of course, sounds odd since I’ve been a teacher for 30 years. Why is it, then, that I wouldn’t know what kind of teacher I am? Can I suggest you spend some time with an experienced teacher, perhaps over breakfast? Describe to them what you do and show examples of your lessons and your students’ work. And then ask them to describe back to you what they just heard and saw. The feedback can be so helpful and clarifying, and indeed, edifying.

The Things You Teach

However, I digress! Perhaps I’ll just come out and say the main thing on my mind: maybe before we worry about how we will assess our students, we should think more about what we will teach them!

Tom gave me this example. If he were to say to you that he was going to teach you to be a heavy-duty mechanic, but you had no interest in being a heavy-duty mechanic, you might balk at the idea. He may come back with an admonition to fix your attitude! This will be the lesson. And you’re going to learn it whether you like it or not. So I’m reflecting on whether or not this is actually playing itself out in our classrooms. Are we spending hours and hours discussing the finest of details about rubrics and assessment tools and putting little collaborative thought into what it is we are teaching?

In my situation, I would say yes! And I’m quite concerned about it. I’m quite concerned that around the proverbial water fountain, teachers aren’t talking about content, but about the evaluation of the product. For me, I want to talk about what we are teaching. Because just as Tom alluded, if I were being taught to be that heavy-duty mechanic, I think I may just end up scoring quite low. It simply isn’t my jam!

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You see, I believe that if we teach something without considering that the student isn’t interested, then we shouldn’t be surprised by low scores.

Furthermore, perhaps this may also be the reason for classroom management issues and spotty attendance. I’m all for accurate assessment. But first, I must be sure that the content of my course fits the paradigm of a modern-day student. If that isn’t a consideration, then to me, it’s just being unfair to the student.

This is the greatest challenge of being a teacher: we can take the given curricular standards and shape them into a context that suitably fits the people before us. When we do this, my hypothesis is that whatever assessment tool we use, the scores will be high enough to be displayed on refrigerators across America.

What are your thoughts? Reach out to me and share your perspectives on this issue. I’d love to be enlightened by your scenario.

About Tim Stephenson

Tim has been teaching in Langley, British Columbia for over 25 years. He’s a science teacher, particularly astronomy, which is a course he has developed into a full credit senior science course. In his school, he is known as AstroStephenson. Way back at the beginning of his teaching career, he wrote a book, really to himself, that contained his teaching philosophy. It was a project that would define his career. He is a possibility thinker, a dreamer and a doer, an innovator.

From the very beginning, he knew that he wanted to teach by putting students and relationships ahead of content, and putting experiences and emotions ahead of curriculum. The result has been a long career of rich and rewarding experiences for both himself and his students, the pinnacle being in 2018 when he was the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence.

Now Tim would like to share with you his thoughts and experiences on teaching with the hope that by reflecting better, you will feel empowered to try new things, teach in new ways and see the possibilities that are there for all of us in the teaching profession.