Assessment

Working in a Montessori school, we do very few formal assessments. On a weekly basis, the most formal assessments are those in our spelling groups with the words for the week. However, we refer to these as “dictation”, even though the students know we are testing them. Aside from that, assessments are done closer to conference time so we have something to report to the parents and also make sure to assess the children at least twice a year. At the end of the year, we gave assessments on grammar, geometry, math and reading passages with comprehension questions. I guess these assessments would be “standardized” because all of the Lower Elementary classes were doing the same ones. We had all decided on exactly what questions would be included in all of the year-end assessments.

Even though assessments are few and far between, we still use everyday work to assess the children. The way the program works is that students are introduced to a new topic in small group lessons, and then they have a weekly work plan where they practice the things that they were previously taught. So, as they are doing the work individually, we are able to see if they grasp the concept or not. They are able to ask for help, and having the same student as for help on the same task week after week is a sure sign they need more clarification.

As far as portfolios go, we do have those at the school also. Throughout the year, students have the opportunity to put work in them. They know it is something that is “published”, which means it has gone from a rough draft to a final copy. We as teachers, also put in work that they have had trouble with or done exceptionally well on. At the end of the year, they pick their favorite story and write a reflection about why they chose it. They do the same for a journal entry, which we photocopy and include in the portfolio. They do travel with them when they move up to Upper Elementary or when they leave the school. Routman discusses portfolios as being much more interactive. I agree that the students should have a little more contact with them and more input about what is in there. Aside from stories, they don’t really include other work they are proud of. Plus, I had one student who put every single story she published in there. I’m sure she liked them all, but if she really looked back, she probably could have narrowed it down to those that she was extra-proud of.

I really liked the one teacher’s assessment that she gave to the parents with the “three pluses and a wish” idea. I think I would be very nervous to give something like that to the parents; however, she got such positive feedback that it seems like it is definitely worthwhile. The parents might respond with comments about something the teacher didn’t even think twice about. Plus parents who had a problem with something in particular, probably made that clear throughout the year anyway. I know I had one parent who was always calling me about spelling assignments, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she put something about that in the wish section of the assessment. With regard to the children’s self-assessments, prior to conferences, we ask them what they think they are doing well in and what they find difficult. We also ask if there is anything they want us to share with their parents or any of their work they want us to show. This gives us a chance to see if there is anything they are having trouble with and also if they are particularly proud or worried about something.

Having worked in the Montessori school for the past year, I think I have a slightly different outlook on assessment than those that come from a public school. Since we don’t have state testing, we don’t spend time teaching to the test. Since we made up the year-end assessments, the only have stuff that we know we have covered throughout the year.