DIVERSITY

The concept of diversity focuses on the ways in which people differ. There are racial, ethnic, cultural, social and economical differences. Students also have differences in interests, abilities and learning styles. Consideration of all of these differences in the classroom ensures inclusion and an appreciation and respect for these differences, as opposed to exclusion, which results in frustration.

In the classroom, one of the ways by which diversity can be catered for and celebrated is to give students the opportunity to be heard, that is, to express their opinions in a non-threatening environment. This certainly strikes a chord for me, since I  believe that there is great intolerance within the Vincentian society for a different opinion and divergent thinking.  If we begin to cultivate in our students the willingness and courage to be different, as well as the ability to accept differences in others, then we can become catalysts of change.  

Prior to completing Activity Three, I had never given serious thought to how diversity and assessment are related.  Students come to us with a variety of interests, abilities and needs.  They have varying learning styles.  Including a wide range of assessment methods ensures that learners are given ample opportunities to show what they are capable of doing.  Hence, the child who is not a good writer, but who is an excellent artist should not be deprived of the opportunity to experience success and a sense of accomplishment.  By tailoring the assessment methods to students' learning styles and interests, the teacher is then able to gather data that accurately represents what each child can or cannot do.  This is crucial, since the goal of assessment should not only be to get a picture of students' weaknesses, but also of their strengths.  

In addressing the diversity of our students, the assessment techniques that we use should be varied, flexible and authentic.

Activity 2: What we Assess

This activity, and indeed the module thus far, have caused me to soberly reflect on my assessment methods, and techniques, and have challenged my beliefs about the role of assessment in my classroom. I have been guilty of adopting a rather traditional approach to assessment, despite having a fairly good head knowledge of what should obtain.  

The activity at hand required that I focused on what I assess in my classroom, and as one who is deeply concerned about the quality of teaching and learning that occurs there, I used the opportunity to carefully evaluate my practice.  One thing that stood out was the fact that much of my assessment data was collected through written tests and exercises, which do have their place, but are insufficient when used alone or when relied on too heavily.  The assessment of my students' analytic and critical thinking skills, their interactions with each other and ability to work in teams are among the areas that I concluded need improving. These I will definitely work on, not out of obligation, but as a result of my conviction that failure to do so is foolhardy and hinders progress within my classroom.  I was reminded of how crucial it is to engage in assessment of and for learning.  

As a literacy instructor, I must also comment on the value of the readings to my area of specialty.  The articles "Process Assessment for Writing" and "Product Assessment for Writing" are valuable resources on which I will draw in the very near future. They demonstrate in practical, logical steps how I can assess my learners' thinking processes, provide scaffolding for them as they work through the various stages of the writing process, and how I can assess their final product through the use of rubrics.  Excellent resources for teachers of the Language Arts!

My assessing future certainly looks bright and I do look forward to applying much of what I am learning when I return to the classroom in a few weeks' time.