"Like any other complex skill, self-evaluation is hard work that requires commitment and practice to become automatic" (Earl, 2003, p. 106). In 2007 Andrade and Du found that students attitudes towards self assessment became more positive the more they practiced and gained experience (Davies et.al, 2011, p.11).
Earl (2003) really emphasizes the importance of examples of "What Good Work Looks Like" I also saw this in my classroom.
In my classroom we did our self-assessment at least every Monday. It became a classroom routine and procedure and students started to look forward to it. Students were excited to practice assessing my work before they started their own. They took great pride in pointing out what I might change in the future. This not only helped me model self-assessment but also allowed the students to practice peer assessment in a welcoming environment. Many of my students needed some assistance giving and receiving constructive feedback to their peers. Before students did any assignment we would discuss the expected criteria. When possible I also provided the students with exemplars of mastery, proficient, acceptable, and beginning. Together as a class we would go through each example and the students would justify why they believe each piece deserved that mark. I consistently drew them back to the criteria that we already discussed. This routine allowed me to incorporate all necessary components to implementing effective self-assessment: clear criteria, modeling, practice, and feedback.
Earl (2003) really emphasizes the importance of examples of "What Good Work Looks Like" I also saw this in my classroom.
In my classroom we did our self-assessment at least every Monday. It became a classroom routine and procedure and students started to look forward to it. Students were excited to practice assessing my work before they started their own. They took great pride in pointing out what I might change in the future. This not only helped me model self-assessment but also allowed the students to practice peer assessment in a welcoming environment. Many of my students needed some assistance giving and receiving constructive feedback to their peers. Before students did any assignment we would discuss the expected criteria. When possible I also provided the students with exemplars of mastery, proficient, acceptable, and beginning. Together as a class we would go through each example and the students would justify why they believe each piece deserved that mark. I consistently drew them back to the criteria that we already discussed. This routine allowed me to incorporate all necessary components to implementing effective self-assessment: clear criteria, modeling, practice, and feedback.
During one of our art projects I gave students 5 different examples the first was a mastery example and we talked about the expectations and I pointed out what I wanted to see from them. Then I put a beginning example on the board and asked the students for feedback on what I could do better next time. I then went on to make improvements to work that was about at an acceptable level. Then onto proficient and mastery. Students continued to point out things that I did well and I improved on and things that I could improve on next time. Even when we reached the mastery example students still found areas that I could improve and we able to see my thinking and creating process that changes and grows over time.
Other teachers are also doing similar routines in their classrooms some that I found are linked in the pictures below. The first picture is an example of what one teacher is doing in kindergarten at my school.