The Assessment Tree

Think back to your days as a student and all the tests & quizzes you took in grades K-12.  How many were there, hundreds?  Whatever became of them?  Most likely, as with much of the rest of the "paper trail"  woven together by teachers and administrators over the years to fashion your scholastic cloak, they ultimately ended up as fertilizer in a landfill.     

Now imagine, instead, taking all of that paper and creating an image, an art form, or some other tangible representation of your journey and growth as a student.  What would you create? And how would your creation tell of your journey to others, without one word of explanation?

Today in our classroom we were treated to one student's creation - - a majestic, mature tree formed from a seemingly endless array of tests & quizzes braided, knotted, and otherwise fastened together.  The trunk, wide and hearty, was comprised of tightly braided and knotted test & quizzes.  As I studied the trunk, I immediately forged an analogy to what I know I felt as a student just beginning my academic career: tangled confusion about how everything I was being taught fit together, stress and apprehension about what I was supposed to know for exams, and concern about whether or not my work would really be seen in a class of so many students.  Would the teacher really see me?

As I continued my study of the tree in our classroom today I couldn't help but notice the tree's many, many branches.  The branches extended in many different directions and were quite long, signifying (to me) the depth and breadth of knowledge acquired by the student in many subject areas over the entire educational period.  And I noticed something else, too.  The branches, as they extended out, were braided / fastened together in a more relaxed manner the further out (away from the trunk) they got.  I interpreted this as a means of expressing that, over time and with much attention and care, the student grew not just in knowledge but also in ability to link that knowledge to something relevant that would sustain the student's growth.

Finally, as I studied the tree I noticed leaves dangling here and there from the branches.  I thought of that as a means of expressing new growth spurred by the student as a result of various academic experiences.  As I looked at the tree in its entirety, I could see what had apparently started as a vulnerable, immature tree had blossomed over many years and many, many lessons into a confident, mature tree that would withstand many a storm.  And, as a future teacher, I smiled to myself because that's exactly what I want for all my students.