Assessment Experiences: Good and Bad

The Good ...Coach Kahn was the dreaded senior comp teacher who was also the wrestling coach and also failed students for misuse of the comma; however, I learned many things by the methods of assessment he used.

He assessed frequently and always gave prompt feedback. So when it came down to our senior thesis he used the same approach to get all students to the final product successfully. He by NO means held our hands but rather BUSTED our gluteus maximums DAILY to get us there.

He used a variety of methods to assess and correct us. He also taught us how to self and peer edit. This project was 50% of our grade. The final grade was composed of a fifteen page proposal on a major issue that required historical background and a relevant resolution, as well as a speech. The speech/our proposal would be presented to a authentic audience and slaughtered or accepted. The entire process was a through assessment of where we had been.

Expectations were clear and excellence was taught.

The bad... this dates back to Coach Peter's Political Science class Spring Semester 1995. I don’t know if you can call it bad it was more unethical. He would rarely come to class or stay in class. This greatly limited our instruction and knowledge of the standards the state deemed essential.

The straw that broke the camels back was one random day in the middle of the week he threw down a test of epic proportions complete with essay. We all looked at each other like… ahhh what do we do with this. I felt abandoned left out to dry. I think the policy was if he did not instruct and we received good grades the world would stay in balance. This idea was not right either but I was sixteen and as peers we stuck together.

When I, the ritualistically engaged student, received my F I politely excused myself to the restroom and while I did go to the restroom I also set an appointment with Principal Dickerson. I guess you could say someone’s performance was assessed in this class and it was not pretty. Sad thing is I may still lack mastery of political science standards.

Time heals all wounds and experience closes the gap of the standards … in many cases.