Research Paper on:
1st and 2nd Grade Self Assessments

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
in any given subject area. Tests may be the worst way to measure a students degree of learning. Tests cause anxiety. In fact, there is a psychological condition known as  test anxiety, which can be so debilitating that the individual is incapable of doing well on a test even when the he or she knows the subject matter. Adams (1998)  commented that alternative assessment techniques offer a more comprehensive evaluation of what the learner knows and understands. Traditional testing, i.e., paper and pencil tests, do not provide the teacher with  the information needed to evaluate the students understanding of the subject matter (Adams, 1998). Alternative assessment models include: * Portfolios, which are a collection of the students work. Portfolios can  be designed to represent and reflect any number of relationships relative to the students ability and understanding of any subject area (Adams, 1998; p. 220). * Journals  assess childrens communication skills and offer a way to assess a students own reflections on their attitudes and evolution of their learning (Adams, 1998; p. 220). * Rubrics, through which  students assess their own work and their ability (Adams, 1998; p. 220). Portfolios and rubrics are especially useful for first- and second-graders. Journals can be used also but depend on  the childs command of written language. A rubric is an authentic assessment tool that is widely used at all grade levels (ETC, 1999). Rubrics have some sort of scale  that is used to assess the completeness and quality of the students work. It is based on "a vision of what student work will look like in its final form"  (ETC, 1999). The scoring guide is composed of descriptors that are used to determine the level of excellence (ETC, 1999). Rubrics generally resemble a table with the scoring along the