[MOSAIC] Corrections/assessment

[thomas]

Tim  I agree with this wholeheartedly.  I know we need a few assessments
that look at every child but in fact not every child needs something even as
good as the DRA.   Some children are sailing along quite well and need our
ongoingt observations, conferences,  and the work samples that are authentic
interactions with regard to reading and writing that are part of our
teaching/learning/assessment classroom curriculum anyway.  But they don't
need in depth looks apart from that. Instead they could use more valuable
in depth critical conversations. I can remember Brian for example, a 6th
grader from whom I learned a lot discussing the differences between fantasy
and science fiction and why he preferred Bradbury over Tolkien and so on.
Better to spend my time with him on this conversation than on a DRA!

Of course I needed to spend more in depth time using a wide range of
asssessment strategies to meet the learning needs of my struggling readers.
I had the inclusion classroom at my grade levels (a multiage school).

So maybe this is also a point that needs to be made strongly.  Not every
child needs the same assessments! YES!!!!  So again, it makes good practical
sense to provide a short but still good assessment for those "required"
looks at every child.  Then be more flexible and individualize other
assessments.

Sally


On 7/1/07 8:00 AM, "RASINSKI, TIMOTHY" <trasinsk at kent.edu> wrote:

> The approach that my colleague Nancy Padak and I take is that a
> quick assessment such as our Three Minute one or any other that may be
> devised can be given to all children 2-4 times a year very quickly.
> Those children who perform  poorly or for whom we need more information
> are good candidates for the more indepth assessment like the DRA.   We
> feel that not every child needs a full blown DRA or IRI - such
> assessments take time that might otherwise be used for teaching.