Assessment

Okay, I assess all of the time.  Sometimes, I test, too.  There is a difference.  I read a post on Social Media asking whether tests and quizzes are necessary for Apologia Biology.  Could the student just read and take notes?  You already know where I stand on experiments and hands-on activities.  But, I am a huge proponent of assessment.  When the kids make models, I check to see of the model has all of the components. Lab reports are corrected and revised until the student has completed the report.  Many assignments and activities are graded on completion.  However, frequently, I want to know if the kids understand the topic and can demonstrate their understanding.  For example, today’s quiz requires kids to show they can transcribe and translate DNA into amino acids.  The test Thursday requires them to explain replication, transcription, and translation in short essays.  The kids need to show me they can name the parts of a microscope or bones of a skeleton.  I use a huge variety of assessments: questions, oral answers, data analysis, lab reports, and test and quizzes.  I think reading and notes are important; assessment is a tool to determine whether a teen understands the material.