Culminating Views on Assessment by Samantha Wolf

What Is Assessment, Really?

In my high school English classroom, I aim to make assessment more than a grade. I believe that effective assessment should be an ongoing conversation between teacher and student. When it works well, assessment helps me understand what students know, where they are growing, and what kind of support they still need. More importantly, it helps students recognize that their voice matters and that they play an active role in their own learning.

I define assessment as the purposeful gathering of evidence about student learning in ways that promote both academic growth and instructional reflection (Brookhart, 2017). Whether students are analyzing a poem, constructing an argument, or revising a personal narrative, assessment is how I connect daily instruction to meaningful objectives. It should never feel like a disconnected event—it should feel like a part of the learning process.

When I plan assessments, I begin with the big picture. I consider the standards, of course, but I also ask myself what I want students to be able to do beyond my classroom. If the objective is to evaluate rhetorical strategies in nonfiction, I may ask students to read a speech, analyze the speaker’s choices, write an op-ed in response, and revise that piece after peer review. At every stage, I incorporate self-reflection, revision, and feedback. I use formative assessments—such as exit tickets, drafts, and group discussions—to guide instruction in real time. Then I use a summative product to measure how far each student has come.

Assessment should help students make connections between academic skills and their own world. It should give them opportunities to think critically, to revise with purpose, and to reflect on their learning process. In this way, assessment becomes not just a tool for grading, but a meaningful part of how students learn and grow.

Choosing the Right Type of Assessment

Selecting the right type of assessment is a critical part of the instructional process. It must align with the learning objectives, the specific skills being taught, and the needs of the students. In my experience teaching high school English, performance-based assessments are often the most effective. I tend to learn far more about my students' abilities, thought processes, and areas for growth through a well-structured essay, presentation, or creative task than I do through selected-response tests.

Although selected-response items can serve a purpose—particularly when assessing vocabulary acquisition or basic comprehension—they are limited in what they reveal. Open-ended and performance tasks allow students to apply what they have learned in more meaningful and flexible ways. These types of assessments require students to synthesize information, defend their ideas, and demonstrate skills in real-world contexts (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011).

For example, after reading Of Mice and Men, I ask my students to take on the role of a character and write a reflective journal entry that explores that character's internal conflict. They then revise their work after receiving peer feedback and submit a final version that is evaluated using a rubric. This assignment blends literary analysis with empathy and creativity, and it provides insights into how well students understand theme, voice, and characterization. It also gives students the opportunity to reflect, revise, and improve before the final grade is assigned.

Formative assessments are part of my regular classroom routines. These include bell ringers, journal responses, exit tickets, peer reviews, and draft writing. I use these tools to monitor progress and make small but meaningful adjustments to instruction. They help create an environment where assessment feels less like judgment and more like an opportunity for growth. Summative assessments, such as formal essays or multimedia presentations, give students a platform to demonstrate what they have learned over time.  I believe in maintaining a balance between formative and summative assessment. Together, they provide a more complete picture of student growth, while also encouraging students to reflect, revise, and take ownership of their learning (Brookhart, 2017).

The Role of Effort in Grading

Grading effort can be complex, but I believe it plays a meaningful role in supporting student growth. In my classroom, I have worked with students who do not consistently achieve the highest academic scores but who show up every day ready to engage, revise, and improve. I have also taught students who seem to glide by on natural ability without pushing themselves to think critically or dig deeper into the content. Recognizing effort gives me a way to acknowledge not only what students know, but how they approach their own learning.

Effort often shows up in my project-based assignments through elements such as creativity, originality, and thoughtfulness. These qualities can be difficult to quantify, but I intentionally include them in my rubrics so that students see they are valued. For example, when my students complete a multi-genre research project, they are encouraged to go beyond surface-level responses. A student who submits a detailed podcast episode complete with interviews and sound editing—despite struggling with traditional writing—demonstrates effort, initiative, and creativity that deserve recognition.

    I also consider effort when differentiating assessments. Not every student comes into my classroom with the same set of academic skills or personal experiences. In one unit, a student who had previously struggled with writing worked diligently to revise a personal narrative over several weeks. Her final piece was not the strongest in the class by academic standards, but the growth she demonstrated from her first draft to the final version was remarkable. In her case, effort was measured by her persistence, openness to feedback, and willingness to try new strategies—all of which were acknowledged in her final evaluation.

    To help students understand how effort is assessed, I use rubrics that include categories such as participation, preparedness, and revision. These components are clearly defined so that students know what is expected and how their daily habits impact their learning outcomes. Transparency in these expectations not only supports accountability, but also builds student confidence as they realize that growth is possible when they are engaged and intentional (Guskey, 2015).

    Ultimately, while effort should not replace content mastery, it should be acknowledged and valued as part of the learning journey. Recognizing effort allows me to encourage a growth mindset, build student motivation, and ensure that assessment remains connected to the whole student—not just the final product.

Self-Assessment and Student Participation

    Student self-assessment is a regular and essential part of my English classroom. I believe that when students are given structured opportunities to evaluate their own progress, they begin to take greater ownership of their learning. Self-assessment helps students identify their strengths, recognize areas that need improvement, and develop the self-awareness necessary for long-term academic growth.

    In my classroom, students engage in self-assessment through multiple formats. After major assignments, they complete checklists that mirror the rubric I will use to evaluate their work. They also respond to guided reflection prompts such as, "What did you learn through this assignment?" or "What would you do differently next time?" These tools prompt students to pause and consider both the content and process of their learning. For example, after completing a persuasive essay, one student wrote that although her evidence was strong, her organization could have been clearer. During revision, she used that insight to restructure her paragraphs and improve the flow of her argument.

    I also embed goal setting into long-term projects. At the beginning of a literature circle unit, for example, students set personal goals related to discussion skills, annotation habits, or participation in group work. Throughout the unit, they reflect on their progress and adjust as needed. These moments are not graded, but they are powerful in helping students track and celebrate their own growth.

    Beyond individual reflection, I believe in inviting students to participate in shaping the assessments themselves. When students help create rubrics for group presentations or project-based tasks, they gain a better understanding of what quality work looks like. It also increases their investment in the learning process. I have seen students hold themselves to a higher standard simply because they helped define what those standards should be. As Andrade (2005) notes, co-creating rubrics can promote clarity, ownership, and deeper engagement.

    Students should be the primary stakeholders in their own learning. When self-assessment and assessment co-creation are used consistently—and with support—they strengthen the relationship between teacher and student, deepen engagement with the material, and make learning more personal and relevant. These practices not only help students grow academically, but also empower them to become thoughtful, independent learners.

Using Portfolios to Track Growth

    In my classroom, students build digital portfolios throughout the year that include writing samples, early drafts, final pieces, and reflections. These portfolios give students a way to look back and see their progress over time. Sometimes the growth is hard to notice from assignment to assignment, but when students revisit their earlier work, they begin to realize how far they have come. It builds confidence and gives them a clearer picture of their development as writers and thinkers.

    For me, portfolios offer something that a single grade does not include. They provide context. I can look at a final piece, but seeing the earlier drafts and the revisions in between helps me understand the student's process. During student-teacher conferences, we often open the portfolio and talk through what went well and what the next steps might be. These conversations are more meaningful because they are based on real evidence the student has collected over time.

    There are also some real benefits beyond skill development. Portfolios encourage students to be more reflective, to set goals, and to revise with purpose. I have noticed that students take more ownership of their work when they know it will be collected, reviewed, and revisited later. Portfolios also allow room for creativity and personal expression, especially when students include visual elements, audio, or choice-based pieces that show who they are as learners.

That said, using portfolios consistently does take time. Keeping them organized, checking in regularly, and giving feedback requires planning and follow-through. Not every student naturally sees the value in tracking their own growth at first, so part of my job is helping them understand why it matters. In a fast-paced classroom, it can be tempting to skip those reflection pieces, but I have learned that they are often the most important part.

Overall, I believe portfolios are worth the effort. They support real learning, not just grading. They help students grow, not just perform. And most of all, they remind students—and me—that learning is a process, and growth happens one step at a time (Popham, 2017).

Making Growth Visible with Data

    In my classroom, I have found that using visual data tools like charts and graphs helps students understand their own progress in a more concrete way. It takes something abstract—like “getting better at reading comprehension”—and turns it into something students can actually see and discuss. This has made a real difference in how they reflect on their work.

        For example, during a recent nonfiction unit, we tracked student quiz scores over four checkpoints. I shared the class average in a simple bar graph after each quiz. Seeing that line go up over time gave students a sense of pride and showed them that their effort was paying off. It also helped me identify students who might need a different kind of support. The conversations that followed were more focused and productive because we had data in front of us to guide us.

Figure: Student Quiz Score Growth Over a Unit

    This kind of visual tool does not replace my formative feedback or day-to-day observations, but it adds another layer. I have found that using visuals in the classroom makes a real difference in how students understand their own learning. When they can actually see their progress—like on a bar graph tracking quiz scores—they start to recognize the results of their effort. It becomes less about just getting a grade and more about watching their growth over time. I also use color-coded rubrics or simple checklists to give feedback, which helps students figure out what they are doing well and what they need to keep working on. These tools make the feedback process feel more clear and manageable.

    Visuals also help with goal setting. When students track their own work with a checklist or reflection chart, they take more ownership of the process. I have seen students become more motivated just by being able to mark their progress and see improvement. Sometimes I will show class averages or trends in quiz scores to spark a conversation about what is working and what we need to revisit. It turns learning into more of a partnership. For students who are more visual learners, this can really make a difference—seeing a comparison diagram or a flow chart often makes a concept click that might not land the same way through a written explanation. And when students collect these visuals in their portfolios, it gives them a way to look back and see just how far they have come.

Figure 1

Student Quiz Score Growth Over a Unit 

Other Thoughts on Assessment

    Assessment should never be reduced to just a final number. I believe the most meaningful assessments happen during the learning, not just at the end. While standardized tests are a reality of our educational system, they offer only a partial view of a student's abilities. They do not capture how a student's thinking deepens over the course of a novel or how their writing improves through multiple drafts. These are things I see during one-on-one writing conferences, through self-assessments, and during class discussions.

    Informal assessments often tell me more than a score ever could. For example, I learn more about a student’s comprehension through a short written reflection than I do from a multiple-choice quiz. Parent-teacher conferences are also a form of assessment. They give me insight into a student’s learning context and help me understand how to support them more fully.  At its best, assessment helps students revise, reflect, and grow—not just academically, but personally. That is what I try to build into every unit, every project, and every conversation.

                                                                    References

Andrade, H. (2005). Teaching with rubrics: The good, the bad, and the ugly. College Teaching, 53(1), 27–30. https://doi.org/10.3200/CTCH.53.1.27-31

Brookhart, S. M. (2017). How to give effective feedback to your students (2nd ed.). ASCD.

Guskey, T. R. (2015). On your mark: Challenging the conventions of grading and reporting. Solution Tree Press.

Popham, W. J. (2017). Classroom assessment: What teachers need to know (8th ed.). Pearson.

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2011). The understanding by design guide to creating high-quality units. ASCD.