Teacher's Guide to Classroom Assessment: Understanding and Using Assessment to Improve Student Learning

A Teacher's Guide to Classroom Assessment is a comprehensive guide that shows step-by-step how to effectively integrate assessment into the classroom. Written for both new and seasoned teachers, this important book offers a practical aid for developing assessment skills and strategies, building assessment literacy, and ultimately improving student learning.

Based on extensive research, this book is filled with illustrative, down-to-earth examples of how classroom assessment works in classrooms where assessment drives the instruction. The authors present the Classroom Assessment Cycle—clarifying learning targets, collecting assessment evidence, analyzing assessment data, and modifying instruction based upon assessment data—that demonstrates how one assessment action must flow into the next to be effective. Each chapter details the kinds of assessment evidence that are the most useful for determining student achievement and provides instruction in the analysis of assessment data.

While the major focus in this book is on how to design quality performance tasks and scoring guides, the book also provides guidance on setting standards-based learning targets, analyzing assessment data, and using instructional strategies to provide effective feedback to students. In addition, A Teacher's Guide to Classroom Assessment also covers portfolios, rubrics, checklists, grading practices, and issues of high-stakes testing.

"A Teacher's Guide to Classroom Assessment translates research into proven classroom strategies that will help any classroom teacher improve student learning. It is a must-read for educators facing state and/or federal accountability."
—Patricia Schenck, district office administrator, Bay District, Panama City, Florida

"At a time when educational reform on a global scale calls for understanding of assessment practices that enhance student learning, this guide should be in every teacher's hands, in every administrator's mind. Some books merely provide information for educators; this book changes behaviors."
—Helen M. Parke, manager, research and development,Cisco Learning Institute

"This book is an excellent tool for any educator or school system whose mission is the success of each of their students. Status quo will no longer do, and educators will find useful information, suggestions, and motivation in a very usable, easily understood manner. The authors have addressed problems of assessment and evaluations and different learning styles superbly."
—Eva C. Martens, president,Fairview, Oklahoma Board of Education

"What a powerful book to bring an understanding of assessment to the classroom teacher. This book is a must-read for any educator ready to 'bump up' their practices in the classroom."
—Hope Reagan, educational consultant and former teacher, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

A Teacher’s Guide to Classroom Assessment is a comprehensive guide that shows step-by-step how to effectively integrate assessment into the classroom. Written for both new and seasoned teachers, this important book offers a practical aid for developing assessment skills and strategies, building assessment literacy, and ultimately improving student learning.

Based on extensive research, this book is filled with illustrative, down-to-earth examples of how classroom assessment works in classrooms where assessment drives the instruction. The authors present the Classroom Assessment Cycle—Clarifying learning targets, Collecting assessment evidence, Analyzing assessment data, and Modifying instruction based upon assessment data—that demonstrates how one assessment action must flow into the next to be effective. Each chapter details the kinds of assessment evidence that are the most useful for determining student achievement and provides instruction in the analysis of assessment data.

While the major focus in this book is on how to design quality performance tasks and scoring guides, the book also provides guidance on setting standards-based learning targets, analyzing assessment data, and using instructional strategies to provide effective feedback to students. In addition, A Teacher’s Guide to Classroom Assessment also covers portfolios, rubrics, checklists, grading practices, and issues of high-stakes testing.

Susan M. Butler, PH.D. is a faculty member in teacher education at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Florida. Formerly, she was senior program specialist in classroom assessment for the Assessment, Accountability, and Standards program of the Regional Educational Laboratory housed at the SERVE Center, University of North Carolina, Greensboro.

Nancy D. McMunn is project director for classroom assessment for the Assessment, Accountability, and Standards program for the Regional Educational Laboratory housed at the SERVE Center, University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Both authors are former classroom teachers.