Beyond the Rubric: Practicing Alternative Assessment In the Elementary Classroom

The successful use of alternative assessment improves a teacher’s ability to evaluate how well students apply knowledge and demonstrate real-world skills. Using alternative assessment as part of an instruction-assessment cycle, teachers are better prepared to be responsive to the diverse learners in today’s classrooms. Alternative assessments are generally considered to be formative and summative, as well as authentic, evaluations of a student’s knowledge and skills. This definition excludes traditional “paper and pencil” tests, curriculum-based, IQ, and achievement tests, including standardized assessments. This project’s goal is to evaluate how and when teachers use alternative assessment in their classrooms and to more closely examine the rationale and strategies of multiple teachers who regularly practice alternative assessment. The conclusions drawn from this data will help determine effective practices for implementing this type of assessment