This, not That: Assessment is a Two-way Mirror

This article is part FIVE of a series on student learning called “This, not That!” Here is the introduction article, the second article (Fostering a Growth, not a Fixed Mindset), the third article (Giving Feedback DURING the Writing Process), and the fourth article (Giving Feedback AFTER Writing).

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I could definitely tell that something was wrong. Shortly before the end of the first semester, my normally energetic class was struggling. Their usually semi-boisterous behavior before class was replaced by sulking in seats. My daily opening class question of “Does anything have anything to share?” was met with a wall of deafening  silence. Even my most participatory students were tight-lipped and staring at the ground.

I called a class timeout, assured them that I could tell something was wrong, and asked them to explain. After some prodding, a few students detailed how they were irked from the previous class period when they received test grades that were far below their expectations. One student lamented his frustration at the teacher’s advice: “Learn what you can do better next time.”

I was forced to bite my tongue.

I love my colleagues, and I work with fantastic educators who I am confident want what’s best for their students. But unfortunately comments like “learn what you can do better next time” relay a message that when students don’t learn, it is entirely their fault. This does not align with any educational research that I’ve read and completely negates an important aspect of assessment: teacher reflection.

This article will outline how to shift your assessment mindset by asking three important questions.

1. How can I use the assessment results to inform and improve my instruction?

The previous two articles in this series highlighted the importance of giving quality feedback. Any assessment that a teacher gives should be used as a treasure trove of instructional feedback. According to Hattie’s findings, feedback has an effect size of .73, and is one of the most powerful strategies for improving learning.

It should make sense that if feedback is this impactful for students, it could be just as (maybe even more) impactful for educators!

For any major summative assessment (where I am confident all students are ready to show what they know and can do), I group results by proficiency categories. The following percentage equivalents are what I use and are loosely based on Robert Marzano’s conversion suggestions. I organize these in a Google sheet and color code for easy viewing.

1. Proficient (90% or above) - green

2. Approaching Proficient (70-89%) - yellow

3. Well Below Proficient (69% and lower) - red

I realize that this does take extra time; however, I have found that is the best way for me to be able to evaluate the connection between the effectiveness of my instruction and student learning.

I should also point out that I use this data a little differently, depending on what the results reveal. Below are some of the ways it informs me:

1. Root issues: Did students struggle because of a simple misconception, a lack of knowledge, or a significant skill deficiency?

2. Targeted interventions: Where is reteaching (and reassessing) needed? Generally misconceptions and lack of knowledge can be addressed in a mini-lesson; whereas, skill deficiencies probably require more intense scaffolding.

3. Pacing issues: Based on the results, where might I need to spend more time in future lessons or subsequent school years?

2. How effective was the instrument I used to assess students?

I wish more teachers would use the term “instrument” when discussing assessments because they should be viewed as “the most effective measuring device.” My dad is a contractor, and I am confident that he would cringe if he saw me using a 12-inch speed square to measure the length of a piece of plywood because it is an ineffective measuring device. Instead, I should be using a measuring tape. The same can be said of many assessments that students complete in school; they are not always the most effective at measuring what matters most. 

After viewing student results, here is a list of ways that different assessments (both self-created and textbook resources) I have used have shown to be ineffective measuring devices:

1. The assessment tasks do not match the learning objectives.

2. Overemphasis on surface-level knowledge and not enough higher-order thinking skills.

3. Poorly designed questions with vague phrasing or multiple plausible answers.

4. Insufficient timing with more than half the class feeling rushed at the end of the class period.

5. Subjectivity and bias in the grading (especially for writing assessments).

Marco Learning published an article that addresses the importance of evaluating both the validity and reliability of all assessments used in schools. I encourage you to read it and contemplate the importance of instrument reflection for student learning. (This will be further addressed later in the post.)

3. What did my students think about the assessment?

For this suggestion, I need to give credit to one of the first AP English Literature classes that I taught. There were only about a dozen students in the class, but most of them were not shy about sharing their thoughts on the assessments I gave.  They would criticize questions that they deemed were unfair and complement questions that appropriately challenged them. I began to enjoy these post-assessment conversations so much that I started incorporating questions that I still ask students today.

1. What questions were most challenging and why?

2. Was there any assessment content that we did not (or at least not thoroughly enough) cover in class?

3. Is there anything we covered in class that was not included on the assessment?

4. How well did you feel prepared for the content and format of the assessment?

5. Did the results of the assessment align with your perceived ability level?

I absolutely have my instructional and assessment blind spots, and you do, too. Who better to help expose those than the students in your classroom! 

Ultimately, assessments serve as a two-way mirror, reflecting both student learning and the effectiveness of our teaching. While it’s easy to focus solely on student outcomes, meaningful growth happens when educators use assessments to look inwardly, as well. By analyzing data, evaluating the instruments we use, and seeking feedback from students, we take responsibility for creating a classroom environment that prioritizes continuous improvement. Assessment is not the end of learning but a pivotal moment for reflection, adaptation, and progress—for both students and teachers. When we embrace this mindset, we can transform assessments into powerful opportunities for growth and learning on both sides of the mirror.

Educator Challenge!

Instead of the usual reflection questions at the end of each article, I’d like to try something different. Below you will find a ChatGPT prompt that you can input to see what you can learn about the validity and reliability of any assessment that you use. Fill in the appropriate information within the brackets.

“Act as a [enter grade level] teacher who is assessing students on how well they can[enter learning goal(s)]. I am going to copy and paste the assessment I will be using. Evaluate it for both validity and reliability, giving suggestions for improvement. Do you understand?”

When prompted, paste the assessment and read the feedback. Share your experience with a fellow educator.

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FIND THIS ARTICLE HELPFUL?

If you found this challenge valuable and insightful, I encourage you to check out the online course I created entitled “ChatGPT for Teachers.” After completing the course, you will have all of the tools you need to harness the power of ChatGPT to create a dynamic curriculum, impactful instruction, valid and reliable assessments, and more.