The assessment of and for learning standard is necessary because assessments serve as a major component in making sure students are being taught and supported as effectively as possible. One way teachers can implement the standard is to collect pre-assessment data to guide instruction and monitor their students’ progress. By using pre-assessment data, teachers can discern what their students already know or what skills they have related to the topic. They can also gauge what their students have learned at the end of the lesson. During my Language Acquisition class, I used this DSA pre-assessment with a first grader and determined he was a Letter Name stage speller.

Another way teachers can effectively implement the assessment standard is by using tools that match the content and objectives for students. While working with first graders, I used the Roanoke County Benchmark as a guideline for the mid-point assessment I made for the students. This way I could make sure students were able to perform the way they were expected. 

The last important way educators can implement the assessment standard is by providing students purposeful and frequent feedback throughout the class. During math small groups, I gave students different subtraction problems that required regrouping. I used white boards so I could progressively make the problems harder and see which elements of subtraction were most difficult for the students. By giving students formative assessments during small groups, I could prepare them for the summative assessments they would have to take later in the school year.

My paper on this standard can be found here: PPS Assessment of and for Student Learning.