Assessment and Pre-internship

The article by Claypool & Preston (2011) discusses what we can do as educators to ensure that the Indigenous students in our class are getting everything that they need to be successful. In the beginning of the article, it is mentioned that Indigenous ways of knowing need to be infused into curricula, in all subject areas. This is something that educators throughout Canada are currently working to achieve. However, there are many struggles that come along with this. When looking at assessment, Preston (2011) states that “Westernized standards for student assessment are often presented through processes that are subject-specific, time-bound, competitive, and based on written documentation depicting quantifiable results.” Assessment is very westernized in the fact that students are always encouraged to get high grades, mainly to better their opportunity to get into a post-secondary institution. This can easily be related to the video that my classmates and I created on equitable assessment. The standardized testing of students is basically comparing them to other schools, provinces and even countries to see who ends up “on top.” Shouldn’t our students be tested on their actual ability to learn, rather than what they can regurgitate on an exam?

Claypool & Preston (2011) also discuss how the Indigenous students in our classrooms need to feel a sense of connection; this is something that is complicated to understand when looking through a Western Worldview lens. When Claypool & Preston (2011) talk about the cycle of learning and assessing, they mention this idea of “self-family-community.” This is an aspect that many educators may not take into consideration. By having this constant cycle, it is allowing students to see the purpose behind the learning that they are doing, and it also allows the students to reflect personally on the ways in which the learning can benefit them. With such a focus on cognitive learning, students are missing out on the other dimensions of wellness that also lead to learning.  Claypool & Preston (2011) mention that “without traditional and cultural knowledge of self (which is intricately connected to self-confidence), a person is susceptible to social, psychological, and learning problems.” This brings everything back to the cycle of learning that was mentioned above. Learning needs to be more of a cycle rather than something that is seen as a linear progression.

Some concerns I have about assessment are related to effectiveness. I fear that my assessments will not be practical or effective. Being in a gymnasium, I think it may be more difficult to assess students and keep track of their learning.

For my cooperating teacher, I would mainly like to know some of the ways in which they assess in a gymnasium setting. Through the video project we did, we discussed standardized testing. This is something that I have not heard of in a physical education setting, so I would like to know how teachers can ensure that students are receiving the proper education. There is also a  lot of controversy around fitness testing for students. This is something that I would like to ask my coop about, and whether or not they see a need for it in physical education.