Smorgasbord of Assessment Options

In this article a fifth grade teacher from Virginia explains the importance of student centered assessments which match the "target achievement" or goal. She uses a Virginia Standard of Geometry to focus her example assessments on. Assessment should produce useful information for both the students and the teachers and should influence future teaching. Student centered assessment means that the assessment centers around the concepts which have been learned, instead of what has been taught. Similarly, learning is a process which is scaffolded, and assessment should reflect this by assessing what has already been learned and pointing towards the "next step". Lastly, teachers must carefully choose assessment that provide the most valuable information in the least amount of time invested in assessing.

I most definitely agree with all of the main points of the article. I particularly identified with the point the author made on page 467 that thought the process and products may vary from classroom to classroom or student to student, the content should still remain the same in accordance with the standards. Likewise on page 468 the author outlines how student centered assessment is extremely beneficial in meeting the needs of all students, including those with special needs, those who are bilingual, and those who are gifted. As a special education major, I can see how creating student centered assessment is vital to gaining information which is useful to both the teacher and the student.

Bacon, K. A. (2010). Smorgasbord of Assessment Options. Teaching Children Mathematics.
458-469.