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How do the new Assessments change instruction?
With the adoption of the Standards and the development of the new Assessments " the times they are a changing." Classroom teachers are writing lesson plans focusing on critical thinking skills and grading with scoring rubrics. Teachers are expecting students to write an explanation of a mathematical process rather than simply supply a sum or a product. The use of application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation levels as opposed to knowledge and comprehension exercises, is the rule rather than the exception.
More real world application is the teacher's responsibility. Schools are engaging authentic practices to help students learn and apply more thoroughly than ever before.
What are Assessments?
Teachers spend their days dealing with various forms of assessments. They observe student behavior, compare a project to a rubric, mini-conference, listen to an answer given orally and examine it for the elements of a correct response, and much more.
There are many different ways to construct assessments. Projects, speeches, term papers, homework assignments, and exams are just a few possibilities. In the past few years a push towards more authentic assessment has become more evident.
Authentic assessment deals directly with real world application. It is a concentrated effort to put an end to skills in isolation. Through authentic assessment students begin to see the connection and understand they will use this concept or skill out of a school setting. Authentic assignments mimic skills that adults need to function in a literate society.
Click through the menu for sample NYS Assessments (tests)
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