Chapter 5: Considering Evidence of Learning in Diverse Classrooms

True assessment is evidence of leaning because it fairly assesses whether or not a student has mastered a subject and is able to apply the knowledge gained in real-world situations. Assessment that is reliable needs to see knowledge displayed in multiple ways. Giving multiple vocabulary tests in the same format is not fair assessment as it does not assess all students fairly or show mastery in multiple ways. Declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge, and disposition are three different goals for education; it is necessary to formulate different assessments for each type because they are all different. One cannot measure different types of knowledge with one blanket assessment. All students need to be able to prove their understanding of what is being taught, but how they do so should be up to them. In order to be a productive and effective teacher in a differentiated classroom, I must assess my students before, during, and after a unit, and I must do so in many different ways to insure that all of my students can demonstrate their knowledge in a way that works for them.