A daily routine is essential to an orderly classroom and the assessments that accompany that are just as important. Within this structure are several forms of informal assessments. Among them are the do-nows the class completes each day. These are typically a worksheet or set of questions from the text that are gone over as a class after completion. Likewise, the homework comes from the textbook and occasionally a handout. When I questioned the teacher about the importance of homework in the grading school he attempted to deflect the question. I do know that he checks and records who has their homework and how complete it is. From what I can determine, homework forms the smallest portion of their grading scale but is emphasized by the teachers so they can continually check the students’ understanding of the lessons they are learning each day.
I have seen three examples of summative assessments during my observation period. Within classes I saw both quizzes and tests. Each of these were done after a review of the material and the students were given ample time to complete the exam. In the case of a test, the class is given nearly the whole eighty minute block to complete it, including a few bonus questions given verbally at the end. Another day I was with my assigned teach as he proctored a HSPA exam for those with special modifications such as time extensions and use of a computer to complete the exam. Aside from the HSPA exam I saw, there were little other adjustments made to assessments I have seen. However, I was told that the reason for such a long time or each classroom exam was to ensure the students that needed additional time could have it.