Assessment - Seminar 2

In today’s seminar, classmates shared their biggest takeaways from Field 1 so far. It was interesting to hear what others found valuable. I particularly liked how one classmate noted that morning routines are important. In my experience, having something ready and waiting for the students to do as they enter the classroom is

essential for setting the tone for the rest of the day.

Another classmate remarked on the cohesiveness of the staff at the school she was placed at. It was great to hear that teachers were so supportive of one another. I think teaching can sometimes feel lonely, as each teacher has their own unique classroom, students, and challenges. In the future, I would like to make having good relationships with other staff members a priority.

I also enjoyed the presentation on assessment. It highlighted the importance of starting with assessment in mind. What is the goal of our learning, and in what ways can students demonstrate they’ve met that goal?

After class, I looked up Dr. Shelley Moore to explore the seminar topic further. I watched a video called Reassessing the Rubric: Shifting to Strength Based Assessment Practices (2025). In the video, she discusses how rubrics have shifted from being windows of achievement to representing a single standard or deficiency-based scale. She used the example of a sandwich, explaining that there are many ways to make one, and while some are more complex than others, they’re still a sandwich.

She then applied the same concept to teaching multiplication, with the simplest form being repeated addition. This re-framing gives more students access to the goal of learning multiplication and provides teachers with a roadmap for lesson planning. If repeated addition is the entry-level skill, that becomes the first lesson. From there, complexity can be added gradually until the curricular goal is reached. Daily formative assessments help determine whether to slow down and spend more time on a concept or to keep moving forward.

As a non-certified teacher, I sometimes struggle with where to begin when teaching a new unit. I can see how planning units beginning with this type of rubric can make lesson planning easier while also allowing me to teach more inclusively.

References:

Moore, S. (Mar. 2025) Reassessing the Rubric: Shifting to Strength Based Assessment Practices. [Video] YouTube. https://youtu.be/VtG9lWK5ufo?si=I-z-14u-7XcaLPQ4