Testing and Assessment
Our primary mode of measuring your child’s progress is to use “multiple measures,” certainly not standardized tests. Teachers learn very fast what is going on for a child learner by working with and observing that child everyday. As lessons are taught and activities carried out, the teacher engages in a dialogue with each child over the course of the whole school year. We ask questions, explore reactions, offer the child chances to say and show that they either understand or don’t. Often the most helpful test is an exploratory question. Teachers attend carefully to a child’s response and immediately affirm, correct and redirect the child. They also use standard tests or their own creative formal tests, as well. Which measure they select depends on what they need to keep the child’s progress on course and to double check their own conclusions or mistakes. We elect to offer Smarter Balance standard tests once a year. They help us measure a year’s progress and to see how our children are doing compared to all the rest of Oregon’s public school students.