Running head PHILOSOPHY OF ASSESSING

Bailey James
Philosophy of Assessing and Grading Student Learning
EDU 1010-001
Dec 5, 2015

PHILOSOPHY OF ASSESSING

Assessment and evaluation are essential components of teaching and learning, especially
in my field of physical education and health. Assessment is a goal-oriented process. It involves
comparing educational performance with educational purposes and expectations. Evaluation is
the process of analyzing, reflecting upon, and summarizing assessment information, and making
decisions based on the information collected. Without an effective evaluation program it is
impossible to know whether students have learned, whether teaching has been effective, or how
best to address student learning needs.
Assessing and evaluating students is not the end destination but rather a vehicle for
educational improvement. Which is why I believe assessment of student learning begins with
first defining educational values. As teachers, its the effective practice of our teaching that
portrays a vision of the kinds of learning we most value for students and strive to help them
achieve. Educational values should drive not only what we choose to assess but also how we
assess them (Cambridge (1996). I feel like often the questions about educational mission and
values are skipped over, causing much of the assessment to mark out only whats easy, rather
than a process of improving what we really care about. As a developing teacher, it means
thinking in advance about how the information will be used, such that students will develop life
skills and values that will carry on long passed the realm of school education, but help guide
their desire for continuous improvement.
As a teacher, I can learn a great deal about my students by observing them within my
classroom. Students, whether they realize it or not, often demonstrate who they are, what they
think, know, and can do as they engage in classroom learning activities. Observing the way
individual students present themselves while learning, as well as their interaction with and

PHILOSOPHY OF ASSESSING

around others can be a useful assessment tool when determining the best learning strategies for
my students. For instance, some observing questions could be, How does the child respond to
speaking in front of a large group - enthusiasm and confidence or hesitation and timidness? Is the
student able to engage in a task for a reasonable amount of time? Or to what extent can he/she
work independently? How well does he/she communicate and collaborate with others? By
observing and recording learning behaviors, I can determine the students strengths/limitations
and where I can improve as a teacher to help students improve and engage in classroom
activities.
Another tool that I find useful is to gather important notes about students attitudes,
understandings, and knowledge through questioning students and talking with them individually
and as a class. Questioning is very important as it is the single most effective way that you
have to promote your students involvement (Kauchak & Eggen). By questioning students about
educational (or physical health) goals and their understanding of the information, I can evaluate
what my students have learned; moreover whether they have merely retained the content
information, or actually understand the knowledge significance as a connection to themselves
and society as a whole. As a result of my assessment/evaluation process through observing,
analyzing, and getting to know my students, I can adjust my teaching strategies in order to
promote the best learning environment that is both challenging, and encourages self-growth and
academic success.
Once I know where each student stands in the classroom, I will be able to use these
results to manage how I teach the material in the classroom. I will be able to cater the lessons
more around what students are struggling with, and I will be able to help students individually

PHILOSOPHY OF ASSESSING

with whatever aspects they need help in. The assignments and lessons I create need to be
purposeful and formed as a part of the objectives I plan to assess. I agree with Walvoord and
Anderson on effective grading when they stated, The first step in course planning is to make
sure that the assignments and tests assess the learning you and your students most want to
achieve (Walvood (1998). Assessment of student learning should not be an considered
secondary; it should shape the entire process from the first moment a course is planned.

Grading, of course, is a powerful tool to assess student learning and communicate to each

student whether he/she has mastered the curriculum, and met the values and expectations of my
class. It evaluates the quality of a students work, organizes transitions, brings closure to
curriculum units, and motivates how the students study, what they focus on, and their
involvement in the course.
However, since high performance in education is often expected/demanded throughout a
students life; it is important I always give positive feedback to my students to effectively
promote personal learning success and character development. I plan to provide feedback in
many ways, including uplifting verbal encouragement, writing notes on assignments I grade, and
giving feedback when I question my students in class discussions. I also feel it is highly
beneficial to involve students in the assessment process by requiring some form of selfevaluation. The use of classroom portfolios is great way to provide students the ability to view
their own improvements and accomplishments. A portfolio is a collection of work selected by the
student for assessment and evaluation purposes to reflect his/her best work. The process of
comparing, selecting, and reflecting is a powerful learning experience for students. By reflecting
on what and how they are learning, and their goals for future learning, students learn to take
control of their own learning.

PHILOSOPHY OF ASSESSING

Learning is a complex process that takes time before revealing change, growth, and
increased performance. Therefore, student learning should not be based on a one time
assessment, but a series of tracking the process of individual students as well as the class. By the
end of my class year, I want my students to feel they have accomplished, improved, and acquired
knowledge and skills that will better prepare them for handing important life choices, as well as
spark the desire to continue to learn and grow as an intelligent and healthy individual.

PHILOSOPHY OF ASSESSING

6
References

Cambridge, Barbara (1996). American Association for Higher Education (AAHE). Nine
Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning. Published on ultiBASE with
permission from the AAHE.
http://teaching.uncc.edu/learning-resources/articles-books/best-practice/educationphilosophy/assessing-student-learning
Kauchak, D., & Eggen, P. (2014). Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional (5th ed).
Florida. Pearson Education, Inc.
Walvoord, Barbara E. and Virginia Johnson Anderson (1998). Effective Grading: A Tool for
Learning and Assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.