Rubrics+and+Assessment

== The connection between one's teaching and what the students are learning is a vital one. In this day and age of benchmark testing, high-stakes testing, NCLB, and accountability many pundits have begun to look at and talk about the important link between what is taught and what is tested. Some, like [|Marzano and Associates] and [|Heidi Hayes Jacobs], refer to this as a "viable curriculum." This link between what is taught and what is tested, if properly understood, can lead to an increase in instructional effectiveness as well as an increase in student achievement. Assessments of all shapes and sizes are meant to be measures of what students currently know (diagnostic assessments), a student's current level of understanding (formative assessments) and what sudents have learned as a direct result of classroom instruction (summative assessments). ==

== However, as a result of accountability initiatives, some people fear that teachers then begin "teaching to the test." There is much debate out there on whether this is good or bad practice. Just look at these two articles from the Washington Post: ==

== There certainly is lots of talk about this subject. If you don't believe me, just google the phrase and you'll be amazed by how many hits you get. But, enough about the controversy. Below are some links and resources to help you create some holistic assessments using rubrics. ==

[|Assessment and Rubric Informatio]n by Kathy Schrock [|Rubrics and Assessmen] t [|Creating Rubrics] [|Rubrics for Assessment] [|Authentic Assessment Toolbox] [|Rubistar] [|Standards-based Rubrics] courtesy of the Greece Central School District in Greece, NY (an awesome site, btw)