February 16, 2016
School Address
Dear Third Grade Parents,
As we begin a new school year I would like to take a moment to further introduce myself
and my teaching practices as related to academic assessment. I have carefully considered
my assessment methods for your student’s learning and invite you to read the following
description.
I know when most of us think about assessment we think about the CRCT exam or a test
at the end of the unit. However, assessing and evaluating your student will be done much
more frequently than a unit test. In fact, daily evaluations of all kinds will tell me how
your child is progressing in his/her understanding of our third grade academic standards.
Several different methods of assessment will be used this year which include summative
assessments, formative assessments, and standardized tests. I would like to make you
familiar with them so you will know what to expect this year!
Lets start with summative since this is the assessment method most of us know the most
about. These type of assessments will be given periodically to determine at a particular
point in time what your child knows and does not know. They are done after the learning
and include: end-of-unit or chapter tests; state assessments; and scores that are used for
accountability of schools (AYP) and students (report card grades). Because they occur
after instruction every few weeks, months, or once a year, summative assessments are
tools to help determine the effectiveness of curriculums, school improvement goals, or
student placement in specific programs. As it relates directly to learning in our classroom,
they gage student learning as it relates to content standards. The information taken from
these assessments is very important, but are still only a sample of student learning and
don’t provide thorough evidence on a student’s academic performance. Assessments
along the way must guide instruction in the classroom. As the teacher assesses the
learning of her students she is able to make instructional decisions based on the
curriculum as well as the needs of her students.
Formative assessments may be described as evaluations done along the way as a part of
the instructional process. These will be incorporated into classroom practice and will
often determine if I need to adjust my teaching. Formative assessments informs both
teachers and students about student understanding at a point when changes can be made
to lessons. While there are all different kinds of formative assessments, it might be
helpful to think of them as “practice.” I will not hold students accountable “in the
gradebook” for skills they have just been introduced to. Examples of these assessments in
the classroom might include: observations, asking questions, self and peer assessments,
journal writing, student conferences, running records (an evaluation of the student’s
reading), quizzes, and anecdotal records. Throughout a unit, students should know what
the expectations are of them academically so that no student is surprised at what is seen
on a summative assessment. When planning a unit, it is a goal of mine to plan with “the
end in mind” and to continually revisit the teaching methods, resources, accommodations,
and assessments along the way to ensure that all students succeed. At any time during a
lesson, I would hope that each student will be able to state what the essencial question or
objective is for the prepared activity.
Another important factor of formative assessment is student involvement.
Students need to both assess their own learning and the learning of their peers. I hope to
instill in your child a sense of ownership over his or her learning, because I believe this
will then increase your child’s motivation to learn! As a class we will set learning goals,
clear criteria for success, and will work on developing a strong classroom community
which will serve as an encouragement to the students as they develop as learners. To help
engage students in this assessment process, I will provide them with descriptive, helpful
feedback on a regular basis. This will help your child understand what they are doing
well and provides feedback on how they might reach the next level in their learning.
I hope this description of my methods of assessment is of some help. It is my deepest
desire that your third grader thrive in every way possible this academic year. I look
forward to getting to know you and your child better this year. Please feel free to ask any
questions that you might have as you reflect on the information presented in this letter.
Parent Letter
Assessment Letter Criteria
Your letter is written for a parent audience. You explain your assessment practices
including
formative assessment methods, summative assessments, and standardized tests (the
what and
the how). You justify your assessment methods (the why). You establish clear links
between
what you do, why you do it, and the impact of your assessment approach on student
achievement.