My thoughts on assessment

I believe that assessments can be a great tool if used properly. I think that self assessing a lesson at the end of the day, is a great way to improve yourself. You can look at what went right and why but more importantly what did not work and why and then how can you fix that. The same can be done with students, they can evalute what they got from a lesson, which could actually work as a self assessment for the student and observer assessment for the teacher. I really like the good reader assessment and the me box, we did the me box in our class and the children absolutely loved it.
I also beleive that portfolio's are one of the best ways of evaluating, I believe that you put the best of your best into a portfolio. You can then reflect on what you've learned and your parents can see your accomplishments. I agree with the book that it is a great tool for the next year's teacher to see where you started and where you are entering the new class.
I do believe that a teacher's experience and knowledge can be great tool in the assesment of their students. It's when the experience and/or knowledge is not there that I have a problem because it becomes a judgement call. One of my first experiences with a teacher's assessment came when my daughter was in 2nd grade with a 1st year teacher and I was told that she may have a reading problem and I might want to consider testing. I was floored because my daughter loved to read and seemed advanced to me. I asked her first grade teacher if she had seen any kind of problem, she told me absolutely not and said she would observe the reading class, her assessment was my daughter was bored with the readings and for me to allow her to read ahead of her class. This worked but had I listened to the first assessment I would have made her go through all unnecessary testing. I also see how college students fill out the evaluations of professors, and all I can do is hope that these do not count for much. A professor who did not show up for half of his classes & gave assignments that no one did but gave easy A's rated higher than the professor who made you work for your grade and made sure you got something out of the class. The book used the assessment tool of pluses and a wish which I again think a teacher would have to take with a grain of salt because there is always going to be someone that is negative.