Standard #8

Teachers know how to test for student progress.

Back to Homepage

Key
First Assessment was 2nd quarter report cards
Red = Second Assessment
Green = Third Assessment

Experience/Artifact Reflection for
Wisconsin Standard for Teacher Development and Licensure #8

Title of Experience/Artifact: Kindergarten Assessment on Money
Date Experience Completed: March 2007

Describe your educational experience/artifact:
     My artifact is a nine week assessment that I did during my student teaching experience in Kindergarten. During the third quarter I made it my responsibility to teach 21 students on how to identify money. In teaching the children on how to identify money, I incorporated it into the weekly math centers and also into a two-week unit on the United States of America. The first assessment that was done of the children was their second quarter report cards. This assessment showed me that most students could only identify two coins.

ALIGNMENT:
Wisconsin Teacher Standard Alignment
     This experience best aligns with the Wisconsin Teacher Licensure Standard #8: Teachers know how to test for student progress. This experience best aligns with teacher standard #8 because I used formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual development of the students. I did this during the course of nine weeks, when I worked with students individually, in groups, and as a whole class.
     I planned individual math lessons for center time and worked with students who were put into leveled groups. During the math centers, I was able to informally evaluate the students on what they knew about money. I then moved to formally assessing the children individually after one week of having them work with money. After the formal assessment, I made it a class goal and encouraged all the children to learn to identify all the coins. Thus, during my two-week unit on the United States, the children learned about U.S. presidents and symbols in order to identify who and what are on each coin. I also had the children sing songs about money every day during circle time and picked the student of the week to point to the coins on the front board as the children sang the songs.
     Throughout the rest of the quarter the students took it upon themselves to learn about money. Many of them would show me and tell me about coins they brought from home. Furthermore, many of the children would choose to work with coins during their free time. I would encourage the students to do this. At the end of the 3rd quarter I formally assessed the children individually to check for their progress.

Also aligns with Wisconsin Standard for Teacher Development and Licensure
WSTDL #1 Teachers know the subject they are teaching.
WSTDL #2 Teachers know how children grow.
WSTDL #3 Teachers understand that children learn differently.
WSTDL #4 Teachers know how to teach.
WSTDL #7 Teachers are able to plan different kinds of lessons.

UW-Platteville School of Education Knowledge, Skill, & Disposition Statement Alignment
     This experience best aligns with KSD1.F. Assesses Student Learning. This artifact meets KSD1.F. because it shows my commitment to develop assessments that were congruent with my instructional goals. The students where made aware of these goals and were able to identify each coin and the value of each coin by the end of the third quarter. These students were so aware in fact that they spent much of their time exploring the coins on their own. Many of them brought coins from home to show the class. Furthermore, this artifact aligns with KSD1.F. because the students were made aware that they would be assessed again; thus, they made it a goal of their own to identify the presidents on each coin as well as the value of each coin.

Also aligns with Knowledge, Skill, & Disposition Standards
KSD1.c. Selects Instructional Goals
KS3.c. Engages Students in Learning
KSD3.d. Provides Feedback to Students
KS4.a. Reflects on Teaching
KSD4.b. Maintains Accurate Records

REFLECTION
     This experience has shown me that it is important to appropriately use a variety of formal and informal assessment techniques to enhance my knowledge about my students and to assess my students� progress and performance appropriately. I also learned that assessment of students should be continuous and not a one time thing.
     As an educator I will use assessment strategies that involve the learner in order to make them aware of their strengths and needs, and to encourage them to set personal goals. Furthermore, I will evaluate the effect of my class lessons on both individual students and the class as a whole in order to modify my plans and instructional approaches accordingly.