Using assessment results for planning

Beyond these main reasons, assessments can also be valuable tools for teachers to use when planning learning experiences for the children in their classes.  Assessments tell you which areas children are excelling in, and where they need continued improvement. You can use this information to select and develop activities that allow children to be successful while still working on necessary skills.  

For example, if your assessment results indicate that the majority of your group has really well developed gross motor skills, but they need to work on social skills then you can plan for gross motor games that require the children to work in pairs or small groups.  

In addition to planning for the entire group, teachers can also use assessment results to plan for individual children.  For example, if you notice that one child needs to work on number concepts, you can make sure to incorporate those skills during your interactions with that child.  You might also choose to make activities available that require the use of those skills, but have to do with a topic or activity that child is particularly interested in.  

Using assessments in this way makes your daily experiences more intentional for your group of students, and ensures that your are working smarter instead of just harder.