Authentic Assessment
This type of assessment is performed daily by teachers and focuses on the higher-order, complete outcomes of writing, reading, researching and problem solving. It is aimed at understanding a child’s development and making instructional decisions about that child to help “form” further learning. It includes the tools of observation, anecdotal notes, interviews, rubrics, questionnaires, checklists, student artifacts, performances, evaluation conferences and portfolios. Formative/authentic evaluation often involves the students in record keeping and in judging their own work, which again leads to discovery and further learning. These pieces provide a better understanding of students’ learning and more clearly explain their progress to parents and the students themselves.

Aside from providing a better understanding of a students’ learning and giving direction to future curriculum, formative/authentic evaluation allows for better use of instructional time in the classroom. By using authentic assessment tools, evaluation activities become a part of the instruction rather than separate from it, giving students more time to practice new skills and incorporate them into their scaffold of knowledge. Students continue to learn through the evaluation process as they conference with peers and teachers, share their work, and become increasingly reflective and skillful at self-evaluation. “Nothing more conclusively marks the well-educated person than the capacity to run one’s own brain, have clear self-insight, and follow-through on projects.”

Tools of Authentic Assessment

Observations & Anecdotal Records
One of the most useful pieces of evaluative information is a carefully documented transcript recorded by teachers as each day’s significant events unfold. Such notes may include information about persons involved and observed applications of developmental skills. These records are reviewed to interpret possible meanings, patterns and progress (or lack of). They assist the teacher in understanding what students know, in the preparation of student evaluations, in effectively conferencing with parents or students, in determining the effectiveness of teaching practices, and in making instructional decisions and planning the next steps for each student as an individual.

Inventories & Interviews
Checklists, inventories, and interviews allow teachers to identify what students know and what they are most interested in. These tools also reveal information about students’ attitudes and values. Results can be used in curriculum development to help teachers relate what students already know and are interested in to new knowledge and experiences.

Portfolios
A powerful and meaningful tool, samples of students’ actual work are accumulated over time to document and monitor students’ progress throughout the school year(s). Used to invite the students, parents, and school personnel to share in the evaluation process, these authentic work samples provide great insight about children’s learning.

Dialogue Journals & Learning Logs
On-going documentation of reflective evaluations shows older students how their own learning has expanded and what experiences will be most beneficial to them. Teachers assist as students reflect on their own development to gain a greater insight into themselves as learners.

Rubrics
Serving as a map for various assignments, this tool lists clear guidelines and standards for project requirements and evaluations. As students mature, such outlines are incorporated regularly so that individuals or groups can practice independence and responsibility in meeting best-work goals.

Performances
Tests are just one, and often overused, means of performance. More meaningful methods of performance include active participation in the day’s activities and authentic samples of everyday work. They include the many ways students show growth and understanding – from informal means such as problem solving with a friend, participating in group, sharing a new discovery or following through after listening to instruction to more formal means such as written, oral and visual presentations. Developmental programs support performances showing cognitive, social, emotional, moral and physical growth.

Conferences
So that the child’s education becomes a collaborative effort between the school and home, meetings are held to communicate each child’s progress at regular internals during the school year. Conferences may include teachers and students, students with their peers, teachers and parents or all the parties. The evaluation instruments noted above become part of the conference, the results of which become part of a record-keeping system regarding students’ educational needs.