Assessing without really trying

There are those rare teachers who seem to handle their classroom instruction effortlessly, moving from topic to topic with the ease of a ballroom dancer. And when something unexpected arises, it doesn't throw them. They roll with the changes, without losing sight of the objectives of their lessons. Then, there are the rest, the ones who have to work at classroom management and get flummoxed when things go wrong. They can still rally to create educational opportunities that successfully meet learning targets, but it's a struggle. I'm guessing I'll be in that category, the one where nothing comes easy.

Of course, experience can help, but occasionally, the really talented teachers are just naturals. Learning how to conduct informal assessment techniques, though, can help those of us who are somewhat more clumsy or inexperienced in front of a class at least carry out assessments without kids becoming aware that they are being evaluated. Well, "evaluated" is not the right word, actually. Evaluations usually involve tests, according to John Lee, author of the textbook "Visualizing Elementary Social Studies Methods." Although both assessments and evaluations involve gathering information about student learning, assessment can be used as an aid to instruction, because it is conducted at the start of, during and after instruction, whereas evaluation only occurs at the end. Lee offers three informal assessment techniques that should be easy for all of potential teachers to employ.

Questioning is one means of informal assessment that provides teachers with a means of gaining an immediate understanding of where students are at in the educational process. Queries should be open-ended and non-confrontational. They should open doors, not slam them shut on students. We want to encourage their curiosity, and in the end, we want them to give good answers. So we wait .. we wait for them and help guide them to come up with a well-formulated answers, and we need to call on both the enthusiastic and the shy. That way, we get everyone involved, helping elevate all students in the class and not just reinforce the knowledge of a few elite students.

A second way to assess students without them being aware it's being done is to poll them. When a teacher needs to check for understanding regarding certain subject matter in a way that is less intrusive, a quick way of doing it is to find out how many students agree with points being made or certain concepts being taught. Lastly, there is the seat check technique. By circulating about the room and checking on students' work at their seats, teachers can get a good idea where they're at with regard to the rest of the class. Coming up with criteria that can be used to determine how well they are carrying out their assignments is a key component of this technique. Teachers who do this can correct and redirect students who are off track. All of these three techniques appear easy to implement without being obvious about it.