jessicaturco_journal2

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February 6, 2009

Assessment Journal # 2 During my time spent in the first grade classroom, I find that the best time to assess the students is during reading, which takes place from 10:30 to 12. Observing since September, it is amazing to see the transition the students have made from the beginning of the year to now. At the beginning of the year, I noticed the students learning the structure of my cooperating teacher’s reading time. When reading began, the students knew to get into their assigned group’s tables and take out their newest book they were working on and read until the teacher begins.

As the students improve their reading skills, they are assigned newer and harder books to read. When the students are able to read a book flawlessly to the teacher, she assigns them a new challenging book. This continues throughout the entire school year. On this particular day, the teacher had me assess her students’ performance by allowing them to read to me individually. I had each student sit next to me, so that their book was clearly visible. If a student stumbled across a word that was difficult or if they pronounced it wrong, I would correct them and have the student read the sentence again with the “new” word. Having the students re-start the sentences helped them pronounce the words correctly as well as remember it throughout the book.

I did have a few students who read their new books to me without a mistake or trouble. They either were working on the book for a while or just received the book. No matter how long the child was spending on the book they read to me, I applauded them for their great efforts in reading as well as congratulated them for being excellent readers. The students who read their books flawlessly would beg me to move them to a new book but with each sad puppy dog eyes I looked into, I had to remind them that their teacher was in charge such a privilege. At the end of the reading period, I informed the teacher of what students to look closely at the next time, so that if they are ready to move up to a harder book, she can do that herself.

The use of a performance assessment I feel is very important, especially when it comes to a subject like reading. In my first grade classroom, I believe my teacher is successfully using this assessment during reading as well as other subjects. When the students work one on one with the teacher, the teacher is able to see improvements as well as see where each child needs to improve. This type of assessment I feel is a great way to evaluate a student because the teacher is able to see each of her students’ performance in reading. A teacher should be aware of their students reading levels as well as know where each student has their strength and weaknesses. A performance assessment would probably take a long time if a teacher assessed an entire class one student at a time, but I feel it is necessary to use this type of assessment when it comes to individual reading.