The Importance of Rubrics.

This week I have discovered the importance of rubrics. The rubrics paper we were assigned gave me the chance to create my first rubric. I had a little trouble figuring out exactly what I wanted to have in my rubric since I did not have an actual assignment that I would be grading. The Rubistar website was a lot of help. Not only does the site have many example rubrics but it also allows you to create your own unique rubric.It allowed me to make the rubric exactly as I wanted it. Rubistar is something I would definitely use in the future.

Personally, I love rubrics. As a student I have always appreciated when teachers gave us rubrics because we know exactly what they are looking for. They allow student to measure their work before they see what the teacher will say about it. Rubrics not only give a student expectations, but they also make grading easier for teachers. Teachers who use rubrics are able to measure their students' level of preference consistently. As a teacher I would definitely consider using rubrics as much as possible.

Fairness in Assessment & Learning Targets.

After reading Chapter 2 I have discovered the importance of validity and reliability in the classroom. Assessment should be fair to all students in a classroom. Tests should not discriminate against any races, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, disabilities, etc. I feel a great way to avoid unfair testing is a grading rubric. When a teacher gives his or her class grading rubric prior to the test, the class will know what the expectations of the test will be. This way nothing will come as a surprise.

The textbook defines learning targets as an idea that specifies what a teacher would like students to achieve when they have completed an instructional segment. Learning targets should be used in all subjects on all grade levels. It is important for teachers to have a clear idea of what their class will get out of each lesson. If a teacher does not know what the class should understand at the end of the lesson, how should the students know?