Assessment
Assessments are in the form of interviews. Interviews are between the student and the teacher, where the teacher asks the students what they believe to be their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the subject matter. Interviews usually last around 15-20 minutes and the teacher then writes a “report card”. This report card provides the students with feedback regarding ways in which they can improve in various areas. In this school, there are no numerical or letter grades, but instead a pass or fail mark at the end of the year. I believe that numerical grades put unnecessary pressure on the student and do not permit students to achieve their full potential. Projects are very flexible and children often have the freedom to choose their topic. I recognize that children do not all have the same interests and so, it is unfair to demand they do a project on a subject the does not interest them.
Furthermore, I realize that all children learn in different manners and therefore, they should not all be assessed the same. At the beginning of each year, my students are asked to complete a questionnaire that provides me with information on how the student learns best, whether they are a visual learners, kinesthetic learners, logical/mathematical learners, etc. Given this information, I am better able to design lesson plans and asses students accordingly.
Furthermore, I realize that all children learn in different manners and therefore, they should not all be assessed the same. At the beginning of each year, my students are asked to complete a questionnaire that provides me with information on how the student learns best, whether they are a visual learners, kinesthetic learners, logical/mathematical learners, etc. Given this information, I am better able to design lesson plans and asses students accordingly.