Allie Meier-Post 6-Chapter 7-Make Assessment Instruction's Working Partner-Routman

    I have enjoyed learning about miscue analysis during our R2R class once a month. In the past, assessment were used primary for grading purposes so that students could earn grades for their report cards. I have at one point thought the same way. With all of the profession development this year it has really opened my eyes to see assessment in a different light. Instead of assessments being used strickly for grading, why can't they be uses as a beneficial tool for teachers to see into the minds of her students? Assessments are plentiful in today's schools but why can't teacher's mind sets about assessments be shifted? Not every assessment is created equal and not all of them are considered valid, celebrate the student's strengths, enable us to create goals for students or a tool to inform. We have the mindset that our reading conferences are stiff and formal, why can't we move toward more informal conferences and do them more frequently so that students will feel confident and safe during this time.
   The current dilemma for me this year is how do I assess students when we have Daily 5 fully implemented. We have as a first grade level brainstormed possibilities, running records and miscues as our primary assessment and instruction tool. But how do we transfer this data into grades for our students report cards? How can we make a rubric that is valid while focuses on strengths and weaknesses while allowing us to set goals and what does a rubric in their nature look like?
    My conversation with Mrs. Wells during our meeting in October (which was our November meeting) was helpful. She was able to brainstorm with me on ways we could come up with effective assessment tool and support Daily 5.
    I did enjoy reading the checklist on pp.104, the framework for an informal reading conference. I like how the child is allowed to select a book she can read and understand. It also asks them why they chose it and allows them to retell and openly and comfortably allows you to discuss and include students when talking about their strengths and weaknesses. A lot of times the thought of teaching intentionally slips from our minds and we need to remind ourselves about what the most important thing at the moment is to teach this particular child to keep him moving forward. Goals can always be changed and adjusted but I do feel that when the student is present in helping the teacher create his or her goals they are more inclined to meet them.