UbD/DI- Chapter 5

This chapter helped me to understand the evidence of learning in diverse classrooms. There are three main factors or principles that inform and guide classroom assessment. These principles are: consider photo albums versus snapshots, meaning think long term and as a whole rather than one at a time; match the measures with the goals, meaning make sure that what you are doing is going to lead to the predicted and anticipated goals set; and form follows function meaning that the way in which we design a classroom should come second to how we want the classroom to run or function. A teacher should be fluent in understanding assessment. A teacher also needs to know the GRASPS frame or goal, role, audience, situation, products, and standards. This can help when planning a unit, in order to obtain a valuable outcome. In order to promote learning in a diverse classroom, teachers need to realize that it is crucial to assess before teaching, to offer appropriate choices, provide feedback early on and often, and to encourage self-assessment and reflection. All of these factors are what contribute to a better understanding of the material as well as the classroom environment.
I can now recognize why it is so important to have differentiated instruction as well as assessments. In order to understand, from a teacher perspective, how your students see you, you need to understand them. It is often hard to see both sides of a situation therefore assessments can help teachers to see all sides of their students and where they are at in their learning. This can in trying to push your students in achieving a higher level of not only intelligence but understanding. When students see their teachers taking a more active role in their learning it makes them feel enthused to come to class and excited to learn from a teacher who truly cares not who is simply there to make a living. This kind of teaching and evaluating models good behavior and learning for students and promotes taking education into their own hands.