Classroom assessment plays a key role in fostering students' attitudes, skills, knowledge, and thinking, or stifling their development. The document outlines a process for using assessment as a continuous cycle to improve instruction and support student learning. Teachers should assess students before and after instructional units, use data to inform materials and teaching methods, provide additional support as needed, and evaluate their own effectiveness through ongoing assessment.

2. In reality it is through classroom
assessment that attitudes, skills,
knowledge and thinking are
fostered, nurtured and accelerated
– or stifled.
Hynes (1991) cited in Earl, L. 2004. Assessment As Learning: Using classroom achievement to Maximize Student Learning.
Experts in Assessment. Corwin Press Inc. Thousand Oaks, California

3. Assess student knowledge before beginning a new unit.
Scrutinize data to make instructional decisions.
Select materials and method of instruction.
Evaluate student learning with a post-assessment.
Scrutinize data to make instructional decisions.
Supply students with extra learning if needed.

4. Assessment should be authentic:
Observation
Essays
Interviews
Performance tasks
Exhibitions and demonstrations
Portfolios
Journals
Teacher-created tests
Rubrics
Self- and peer-evaluation

5. Assessment should not
be used to label students
and assign grades.
Assessment should
be used to support
and enhance
teacher
effectiveness.

6. Assess
Student
Supply
Remember assessment is a
continuous cycle. Educators must
continually evaluate their teaching
and student learning.
Scrutinize
Select
Evaluate
Scrutinize