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Amanda Clay
Regent University
Introduction
Planning, preparation, instruction, and assessment are the four foundations of teaching.
However, these basic foundations also serve as the most important fundamentals that every
teacher must be able to do and do well. Without proper planning, thoughtful preparation,
intentional instruction, and analyzing assessment, we as teachers do not do our best to ensure that
students are given the best opportunity to succeed. In this competency, I will show evidence of
using a pre-assessment to inform my planning, preparation, and instruction, as well as the use of
a post-assessment in order to quantify the students’ growth and learning throughout the unit.
The first artifact included in the competency is a picture of pre- and post-assessment
results for a place value, comparing numbers, and rounding two-digit numbers unit. This
pre-assessment was given in a second grade class at B.M. Williams Primary in Chesapeake City.
In Chesapeake City schools, teachers are provided with post-assessments that they may not
change. However, they are not provided with pre-assessments. This means that teachers are free
to either use the post-assessment as a pre-assessment or create their own pre-assessment. In this
case, I chose to use the post-assessment as the pre-assessment. I thought that this would be the
best indicator of real growth and understanding of the subject. Upon completion of the
ten-question assessment, I learned that, while six students scored a 70 or above on the
pre-assessment, the other 13 students did not. Based on this qualitative data, I knew that 68% of
my class did not have an adequate understanding of place value, comparing numbers, and
rounding two-digit numbers before the start of the unit. As a result of this data, I planned for
instruction to be taught as a whole group. However, I did identify some students who needed
PLANNING, PREPARATION, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT
extra help. These students were put into groups of 4 or 5 and given personalized instruction
The second artifact included in this competency is a pair of visual instructional tools that
students used and were able to look back to throughout the unit. Based on their pre-assessment, I
determined that these sort of tools would serve them well as supplemental material to grasp the
skill of rounding, comparing numbers, and determining place values. The first tool is a place
value anchor chart that was gone over as a class when it was first created. It was then posted in
the classroom and constantly referred back to as a reminder of place value components. The
second tool is a rounding chart that was printed out and laminated for each student. This tool can
be used during their work to remind them of the rules of rounding as they complete their
assignments. This helps them students who need to visually see the pattern and concept of
Pre- and post-assessments are key components to the teaching process. This gives
teachers a quantitative understanding of how a student is doing even before starting a lesson.
This sort of knowledge provides for effective and efficient use of classroom time to maximize
the students’ achievement. The question that some educators still ask, however, is if it works. In
his article titled “Does Pre-Assessment Work?” (2018), Thomas R. Guskey defines
pre-assessment as “any means used by teachers to gather information about students prior to
instruction” (p. 53). He explains that this assessment may be a “formal, pencil-and-paper
instrument that asks students questions about certain academic content, much like a typical
pre-test,” or it may simply be “an informal discussion in which teachers ask students about their
PLANNING, PREPARATION, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT
past experiences” (p. 53-54). Guskey explains that, while pre-assessments may have their
valuable information on students’ interests, current involvements, and preferred ways of learning
that could be useful in planning instructional activities,” “provide teachers the basis for
monitoring students’ progress,” and “ help focus students’ attention on specific learning goals”
(p. 57).
Guskey also wrote an article titled “Pre-Assessment: Promises and Caution” (2016) in
which he plainly lists the cautions that are not as well covered in the other article. One of these
cautions is that if a student begins “on a bad note,” or does poorly on the pre-assessment, it may
“negatively affect their disposition toward the upcoming content” (p. 41-42). Another caution is
that pre-assessments may “waste instructional time” because they cover a topic that has not been
taught yet (p. 42). These are legitimate cautions that teachers may want to keep in mind while
In their article “Turning on the Light: What Pre-Assessment Can Do” (2013), authors
Jessica A. Hocket and Kristina J. Doubet admit that pre-assessment has “a bad reputation” for a
multiplicity of reasons (p. 50). However, they believe that “effective pre-assessments can
illuminate where students are now so that teachers can lead them to mastery” (p. 50). The give a
know instead of seeking to confirm what they don’t know,” “are aligned with key lesson or unit
goals,” and “serve as an invitation to the coming learning experience, not a barrier” (p. 51). In
summation, Hocket and Doubet believe that when pre-assessment is used for more than just
PLANNING, PREPARATION, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT
gauging improvement from beginning to end of the unit, these tools can affect the way the lesson
is planned and the way teachers engage the content with the students. Pre-assessments are more
than simply proof of a job well done for the teacher, they should be used throughout the
planning, preparation, and instruction of the unit in order to ensure effective and engaging
instruction.
PLANNING, PREPARATION, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT
References
Hockett, J. A., & Doubet, K. J. (2013). Turning on the Lights What Pre-Assessments Can Do
What Pre-Assessments Can Do. Educational Leadership, 71(4), 50–54. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.regent.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&A
N=92606749&site=ehost-live
Guskey, T. R., & McTighe, J. (2016). PRE-ASSESSMENT Promises and Cautions. Educational
http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.regent.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&A
N=114581299&site=ehost-live
Guskey, T. R. (2018). Does Pre-Assessment Work? Educators must understand the purpose,
http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.regent.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&A
N=128251779&site=ehost-live