Why We Assess

Why We Assess

Olivia Artusa DeKatch

The topic of assessments is a very interesting topic in the education world. There are a lot of differing opinions from leaders, teachers, students, and parents. One side of the argument is that schools are always assessing and never have time to teach. Another side of the discussion says that assessment is necessary to teach. Which side is correct? Why do we assess?

While working in a public school, I repeatedly heard teachers say negative comments about assessments. They would complain about the time of testing, having to collect and use data, and even administering assessments in the classroom. It was discouraging to hear these opinions. Then, while working in a private school, I would still hear teachers share very negative comments about assessments. They would say they are so lucky to not have to give assessments or worry about data. While they thought this was a positive thing, I was very discouraged by these comments. We should WANT to use assessments and data to guide instruction.

Personally, I believe that the topic of assessment includes much more than just “testing.” Assessment is an important part of teaching that should not be thought of as a disturbance in the classroom. Instead, we need to think about assessment as an integral part of instruction. Assessments help us, as teachers and leaders, know if our goals are being met.

After reading this article from Edutopia, I found a few key points on why assessment is so important to the teaching and learning process.

·      Provides diagnostic feedback

·      Helps educators set standards

·      Evaluates progress

·      Relates to student’s progress

·      Motivates performance

As teachers, the assessment process helps us know our students, know where they need to be, and know how they are going to get there. This process is extremely important. I believe that impactful teachers and leaders use data to guide their decisions and actions in the field of education.