Philosophy of Assessment
Physical education teachers can do one of two things: resist educational reform and the new forms of assessment, or embrace them. I have chosen to embrace them.
Assessment is important because of two reasons. First, effective assessment demonstrates accountability. Student assessment is a key part of my role as a teacher because I must determine, through assessment, whether students have met the learning goals set for them. Second, effective teaching and effective assessment go together. Evaluation should inform instruction and determine what pathway a teacher should follow to make learning most effective.
The goals for assessment in physical education are to show students’ current progress, to plan future instruction, to provide feedback to students, to document program effectiveness and inform student learning for parents and administrators.
I believe the best assessment approach in physical education is based on performance assessments such as teacher observations, peer observations, game play and modified game play, journal writing and student logs. Performance assessments should be meaningful, embedded in the curriculum and emphasize higher-level thinking. Rubrics should be created to clearly explain the expectations so students understand how they will be evaluated. Performance assessments should ideally emphasize the process of learning as much as the product of learning.
Standard based assessments provide an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues by aligning teaching practices. The standards establish the learning goal for teachers because it states what the student should know and be able to do. The teacher is left to create daily and unit lesson plans to avoid activities that do not contribute to student learning.
I am committed to improving student learning and achievement in physical education by using standards-based instruction and performance-based assessment.
Assessment is important because of two reasons. First, effective assessment demonstrates accountability. Student assessment is a key part of my role as a teacher because I must determine, through assessment, whether students have met the learning goals set for them. Second, effective teaching and effective assessment go together. Evaluation should inform instruction and determine what pathway a teacher should follow to make learning most effective.
The goals for assessment in physical education are to show students’ current progress, to plan future instruction, to provide feedback to students, to document program effectiveness and inform student learning for parents and administrators.
I believe the best assessment approach in physical education is based on performance assessments such as teacher observations, peer observations, game play and modified game play, journal writing and student logs. Performance assessments should be meaningful, embedded in the curriculum and emphasize higher-level thinking. Rubrics should be created to clearly explain the expectations so students understand how they will be evaluated. Performance assessments should ideally emphasize the process of learning as much as the product of learning.
Standard based assessments provide an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues by aligning teaching practices. The standards establish the learning goal for teachers because it states what the student should know and be able to do. The teacher is left to create daily and unit lesson plans to avoid activities that do not contribute to student learning.
I am committed to improving student learning and achievement in physical education by using standards-based instruction and performance-based assessment.