Assessment for Learning will be always be a focus for me in my life long learning journey. During my practicum, I experimented with many kinds of formative assessment. One method that I had the most success with was the exit slip. I learned the technique from my coaching teacher. We asked the student
“Like, Learn, Wonder”
Sometimes the response was verbal and would prompt class discussions about a video we watched or something we had read. Sometimes the response was written and was used for a more personal reflection I did not often ask for a response for all three of the questions but I would often ask for students to answer two of the three. Because the questions were open ended and because the students had choice, I always found that I would get very insightful responses. I was also always surprised by the responses and pleased that learning did not always centre around what I intended them to learn. I think that sometimes that kind of learning is more valuable and memorable for the students than what I am trying to teach. It also tells me where they are at and what they would like to or what they need to learn at that time…FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT!
The end of the language arts unit I taught had the students composing a poem using personification. The process had the students creating several drafts that were then edited by
a peer and myself. I found this process to be so valuable for me and the students. It gave me a chance to work one on one with the students and really see where their writing and thinking was at with the figurative language concepts we had learned earlier in the unit. Those that had a chance to finish their poems before spring break really felt a sense of pride in their compositions. They knew they had worked hard and improved their writing. Almost all of the students were eager to make a copy of their poems to take home and show their parents.