This reflection focuses on my construction, grading and feedback of an in-class formative assessment. This reflection relates to element three of the NSW Institute of Teachers’ Professional Teaching Elements:
Element 3: “Teachers plan, assess and report for effective learning.”
It relates specifically to the Aspect: “Providing feedback to students” and the Key Stage: 3.1.7 “Give helpful and timely oral and written feedback to students.”
I am currently teaching two Year 9 classes which are both are focusing on William Shakespeare’s text “Twelfth Night”, and in particular his use of soliloquies to convey meaning. Below is the cover of the film version that we also studied in class, this secondary text proved very helpful in conveying soliloquies to the students.
melissagromaneng8.glogster.com
Throughout the term, the students are required to complete assessments to gauge their level of understanding of the text and the concepts being taught. As I was teaching the class, I was asked by my colleague teacher to create an assessment that linked-in and assessed the students understanding of soliloquies. I created a task that asked students to write a series of diary entries. I scaffolded what was expected in a diary entry in earlier lessons, so when I assigned the assessment, the students had a sound knowledge of diary entries, soliloquies and how they relate to one another.
The creation of this assessment explains how I, as a teacher, have assessed students for effective learning. I created a task to see how I could further assist their knowledge of the key concept of soliloquies, which will be the focus of their assignment this term. Yet, I didn’t just create an assessment, but spent time grading and giving feedback to the students, which relates to the Key Stage 3.1.7 “Give helpful and timely oral and written feedback to students”. I gave each student individual feedback, I feel that a grade only counts for so much, and as this is a formative test, I gave feedback to students as to where they could improve for next time. Below is the actual feeback I gave to two of my students.
Great Job ****,
You only had one mistake in all three entries, and it was a very difficult word you misspelled. You read the question properly and you showed a high knowledge of the text. To have gained the few extra marks you lost, you could have expanded on your ideas a little and revealed a little more about the actual text. Again great job,
Mr. Dowers
******,
A fine effort, though a little too short. You had some spelling and grammar problems, though you did show a sound knowledge of the text. Unfortunately your first and second entries occurred before you met the Duke, this is not what the question asked, this why you received a 2 instead of a 3. Overall though a good job,
Mr. Dowers
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Jake Dowers' Education Blog 