rt the progress of students writing. Observations are another one of the more informal assessments. The teacher may choose a handful of students who she will listen to read in a given week. This reading takes place usually when she asks a student to read in front of the class. The evaluation comes in the form of notes and anecdotal records. One of the goals of the IRA/NCTE Standards is to place the interests of the reader in the forefront of the assessment. With such a personalized setting as a one on one reading session, teachers might be able to choose books that appeal to the reader. Teachers could also use what they have learned in this session to change the manner in which they teach that particular child. In an interview there may not be as much room to place the interests of the reader at the head of the conversation. One may talk about what books that student likes to read, but I think that generally the conversation would stay in the area of reading strengths and weaknesses. Observations might not fully take advantage of the readers interests, simply because this takes place in the context of the normal class day. I feel that portfolios may be the evaluation that places the most emphasis on student interest. The students favorite writing pieces can be included from start to finish. Portfolios and other collections can be placed in the hands of the students. A teacher may tell his/her class that it is their job to fill their portfolios with writing that they feel best represents them. Also the teacher could contribute what he/she feels is best in the portfolio.The second and third standards deal with the teachers ability to reflect on the evaluation with regards to the curriculum. I think that these two standards are a given when it comes to evaluations. The point of most forms of testing is to see how well the students know what it is they have been taught and so that teachers can evaluate their methods of teaching. No one meth...
