Assessment, Accountability, and all that jazz...

I’ve been reading a couple of blogs from the states and there are quite a few issues that either I just don’t get or have no knowledge base to begin to understand. From the vast complaints I read about, it seems that education in the states is in the crapper - to put it bluntly.

On the subject of accountability, for instance, there seems to be a lot of contention... which got me thinking: What are my beliefs on accountability?

I am fully in favour of assessment - specifically assessment FOR learning. It is only through assessment informed instruction that we can have any hope of truly moving our students along. In grade 3, this translates to having my students master certain sets of skills, but more importantly (read: MOST), they are to UNDERSTAND these skills. Too often I read and hear from fellow colleagues that the only way to close the achievement gap is through basic skill instruction. This doesn’t wash with me. I liken it to building projects. If one child is lagging behind the others, and the house is not getting finished - then what they DON’T need is lots of instruction on how to hammer, to use a drill and techniques to screw (in screws!). They need rich and deep instruction, they need a person who can work with them as they build the house. This person is giving precise, practical advice on what EXACTLY is needed next.

I think about writing instruction. I cringe when I see fellow teachers photocopying grammar sheets for the whole class to complete. Why does the whole class need this? What a good teacher needs to do is pull out from the assessment what needs to be taught. Is this a global problem throughout the room? If so, then the whole needs that instruction. If not, then perhaps a small group or even an individual. I think we get hung up on time - and in terms of time, a lesson is seen as a 25 minute tirade, complete with photocopied sheets, elaborate tricks and gimmicks. THIS IS WRONG. A good as anything lesson could be a short 1 minute intervention. "Try doing this," or "Have you thought about this?" Then give them a chance to give it a go!

So in terms of accountability, how does this relate? I believe that through examining what my kids are learning, and specifically what they need, then I am truly accountable to what is happening in the room. I have a firm underpinning to my instruction, clearly outlining the reasons why I am instructing. I am teaching this because of this need. Time is precious, and it is too often wasted with filler. To teach effectively, to fill in the achievement gap, we need to teach precisely.