Assessment Without Tests

Data is such an important component for teachers when planning and implementing lessons for students, and assessments are a great way for teachers to get such data.  Are tests the ONLY way that we, as educators, can collect this data?  My one word answer is NO.

Everything that we do in the classroom can be considered some form of assessment, from watching first graders use scissors to monitoring how a seventh grader generates a sentence.  We need to learn all we can about our students, so we can tailor our teaching to fit their needs.  Tests are NOT the only objective form of assessments, but they one of many ways to get a deeper picture of what our students know, and what they still need to learn.

Using a project-based learning model, teachers can create a rubric, in which all student work will be compared to in the same way.  To me, this is a very objective and fair way to allow students some creative freedom, yet still holding them accountable for their learning.  If the rubric creation is an issue for teachers, Edutopia has one that can be downloaded here and used for any type of project-based learning assignments.

Edutopia also has a great step-by-step guide that walks a teacher through creating effective project-based learning activities for students.  Click here for the link to the informative article.  It is time to limit the use of “tests” and let our students demonstrate what the really know!

Would you like to learn other ways to check for understanding?  Eduptopia also has a great graphic that lists 53 fun and engaging activities that teachers can use to assess students other than using the dreaded test.  To download this graphic as a PDF, click here.