Philosophy of Assessment

Sarah Lyons
In the formal education system every student is subjected to a system of grading. The
way that a teacher chooses to assess student work, however, can make the difference between
students feeling motivated or demotivated to keep learning, and to succeed in their
educational careers. I will do everything in my power to make sure that every one of my
students feels confident in their ability to succeed, and comfortable enough to be adventurous
in their learning quest. I aim to inspire them to be lifelong learners, as that is my true goal as an
educator.
People have come to believe that a students grades reflect their level of intelligence, or
their aptitude within a particular subject. By averaging the grades that a student has
accumulated over a term we give the indication that a number written on a page reflects the
students cumulative abilities, or their maximum potential within the school setting. I intend,
however, to separate the spheres of formative and summative assessment so that my students
can be adventurous in their pursuit of knowledge, and use their formative grades and feedback
to inform their own future growth, rather than feel pressured to maintain a certain grade point
in order to prove their value or worth.
Every student learns in their own way, and at their own pace. Formative assessment
provides teachers with the ability to customize every individuals learning experience. I will
continually monitor my students for strengths and weaknesses so that I can help them to use
their skills to overcome their challenges. And although it can be difficult to cover an intensive
curriculum is a set amount of time while also ensuring that every student has absorbed the
information, I intend to use a multi-faceted approach to teaching and assessing that will
accommodate more students. By providing students with a variety of means by which to
process curriculum content, and options for how they will relay their learning back to me, I can
provide each student with the chance to optimize their learning potential and more accurately
demonstrate their progress and growth throughout the school year. As teachers we are not

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simply teaching curriculum - we are teaching students; and only once a student feels that you
have their best interest at heart and that you care about them as an individual can they feel
comfortable growing and expressing themselves in your classroom. My students will hopefully
feel absolutely empowered to learn.
Despite my drive to accommodate my students, and facilitate their ease in learning,
however, I fully intend to create a culture within my classroom that embraces rather than
avoids challenge. My students will not simply be given the easiest route to take, but they will be
given the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones and exceed and expand upon what
they ever believed themselves to be capable of. I will give them the feedback and
encouragement that they need to continue their pursuits, and to take their work and their
learning a step further, towards their own personal vision of excellence. Any student, who
wishes to improve a grade or incorporate constructive feedback into an already submitted
assignment, will be welcome to a second chance or the opportunity to expand upon what they
have already created. In the long run, a good grade means little if not accompanied by positive
growth and the expansion of knowledge.
In order to give every student the best opportunity to meet the districts and my own
learning goals for them, I will be as transparent as possible about performance expectations
and give them feedback on any improvements that are needed to meet those expectations. I
will discuss learning objectives with my students, and work with them to build and establish
criteria for each project, so that we are in agreement about how the quality of their work will
be assessed. Knowing what the learning end goals are for each topic will allow the students to
create short and long term learning goals for themselves, and will inform their priorities as they
work on formative assessment projects. Students will be given opportunities to peer and selfassess. This way they can become more familiar with the kinds of expectations that they and
their peers will be held to a practice that will undoubtedly encourage better quality work and
higher quality standards within the group over time.
Group projects and whole class discussions will provide opportunities for my students to
benefit from multiple points of view and engage in higher order thinking as they explore new

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information and concepts. Students need to be able to do more than memorize facts and
details they need to develop critical thinking skills, and explore and evaluate material beyond
what is given. Collaborative exercises of an exploratory nature will give my students the chance
to dig deeper into material and develop a clearer understanding so that their learning is
memorable and sustainable. Working together on projects will help each member of a team
develop other diverse learning skills from their peers. It is important that my students feel like
they are part of a co-operative learning team, rather than alone in their struggle to keep up
with the status quo because I believe that learning should be collaborative and that people
learn best when they have as many resources as possible available to them. School should not
be a competition for who can achieve the highest grade, but an opportunity for people to learn
and grow together, and to work as a team to achieve their highest potential.
As someone who is genuinely passionate about learning, and a lifelong learner herself, I
intend to inspire my students to learn and grow as much as they can throughout their lives.
Learning should not be a difficult or stressful process, but arise from a genuine curiosity about
the wonders of the world that exist all around us. Tests and grades should not be deterrents,
but helpful guides in our quest for personal growth. School is meant to enrich and equip us with
the tools necessary to survive and thrive when we emerge from the classroom as independent
adults. No student should feel as though school is their enemy, or that they do not have what it
takes to succeed in the classroom, or out in the world. Each person brings their own personal
strengths to a community, and when we share our strengths, the cumulative strength of the
community grows. I intend to make my classroom an environment dedicated to personal
growth, and all learners will be welcome.