Assessment is THE buzzword in education.  Teachers, we hear about assessment and data every day.  It’s like we live and breathe assessments.  And for so many of us it becomes a point of stress and disdain.  More work.  More paperwork.  Waste of time.  BUT assessment doesn’t have to be any of those things.

In fact here’s a statement I hear all too frequently:   “I spend all of my time assessing so I can’t do fun stuff with my class…”   Well, what if I told you there was a tool that alleviate some of that assessment time so you CAN spend more time having fun??

What if I told you that I love assessment and assessing my kids?  And what if I said you could love assessing too?!  What if your kids loved assessment!?   What if I told you assessment could be FAST and EASY?   Who wouldn’t want that, right?!  So what’s this assessment voodoo you speak of, Mr. Greg?!   The answer is ESGI!

ESGI is a computer based one on one assessment tool that is a MUST have for every classroom!   ESGI is designed to be done one on one using a computer or tablet.  When you assess with ESGI your student sits next to you and you complete their assessment with simple clicks of yes or no.  Easy.  Fast.  Done.  And when you finish you get instant data to analyze and support and drive instruction.  And isn’t that what we want?  Meaningful, valuable data that can guide or decision on groups and instruction so that our students get the maximum benefit!?

So let’s talk about why I love assessment with ESGI!

Reason 1:  The Tests

ESGI comes preloaded with hundreds of assessments covering all standards and skills!   You’re in Texas?  There are tests for the TEKS!  Common Core?  Yep, got those too.   And all of my assessments are also available on ESGI for you to use as well!  Including all of our TKS BOOTCAMP and ABC BOOTCAMP assessments!

The great news is that you don’t have to use any of these assessments because you can easily create your own tests and assessments to meet your curriculum and instruction needs.   And if you’re an unorganized mess like Mr. Greg, no worries.  ESGI keeps track of everyone who has and has not been tested so you can stay on top of things!

Reason 2:  The Data!

Instant data.  No grading.  No scoring.  As soon as you finish an assessment, ESGI generates the student’s data!  You can visually see how the student did on the assessment.  And the student can also see this information. I make sure my students see their results and then we have conversations about the results and how we can improve and keep learning!  My class LOVES being assessed and they LOVE seeing their data and results!   In fact, they ask for their turn and they ask to be tested.  That speaks volumes!

This is her reaction to seeing her data.  Do you really need any more convincing?!

I also use ESGI for pre and post assessment.  I’ll assess my class on a skill using one of my assessments prior to teaching the skill and then I assess at the end of the unit or theme or skill so I’m able to see their growth!

You can also look at these reports for the whole class so you can get a quick overview of how your class is doing on letters or sounds or shapes or sight words or any skill!

Speaking of tests and data, ESGI also has a great history tool so you can see students growth over time.  Is anyone else hearing RTI?!?!  This is another tool that my class loves!  The students love seeing that line go UP UP UP!

So you have all of this great data, now what?!

Reason 3:  Driving Instruction

ESGI can help you with that too.  You create a group in ESGI and add students to that group!  BAM!

So how does ESGI help me drive my instruction?  Well I can easily and quickly assess my class on a skill and see who each student is progressing with that skill.  I can see any areas and weakness that we need to focus on or I can see if we’re ready to move on.  And because ESGI is so fast and easy, the assessment can be done on the fly!   I can assess a skill in just a few minutes in the middle of the unit or week and see where we need to next!

ESGI also makes this super easy because they give you a bar graph analysis of the most missed items on each assessment so you can really dig into the data and see what’s happening with your kids!  I  frequently use this particular feature with sight words so I can tailor our sight word center activities to meet my students where they are with sight words.  I can create sight word centers to practice the words we miss the most!   That’s how assessment can easily drive our instruction!

Reason 4:  Personalization

So the assessment is easy.  The data is instant.  But now what?!   ESGI makes that part easy too.  After you assess, you can send home personalized letters expalining to parents about the tests and how their child did.

But, wait, there’s even more!  ESGI also generates a set of personalized flashcards for each student and each test.  This means students are getting targeted practice on skills that they missed and need additional support on.  That’s some pretty powerful stuff!  And all you have to do is click print!

Reason 5:  

It’s really not about data and numbers.   It’s about our kids.  The data is important but it’s not just numbers.  The data helps us to learn about our kids and get to know them.  The numbers help us understand our students.  And the more we know and understand about our kids, the more we can support them!    This allows us to meet their academic needs in a much more powerful way.

So let’s summarize the value of ESGI:

• Fast and easy assessment
• Immediate, authentic, usable data
• Data driven instruction
• easier differentiation
• easier reading and math groups
• easier interventions
• …all of which add up to more learning for our kids.
• family communication
• personlized learning tools

And that’s really what assessment is all about.   Making sure our students are getting the instruction and tools they need to succeed and learn!

So why do I love assessment and how can you?  The answer is simple.  ESGI!

After 8 years of using ESGI, Mr. Greg fully endorses this product and ranks it as his NUMBER ONE MUST HAVE FOR ALL ELEMENTARY,  Special Ed and ELL TEACHERS AND CLASSROOMS!

So you want to try ESGI?  Are you ready to LOVE ASSESSMENT?   SIGN UP FOR A FREE 60 DAY TRIAL USING THE CODE SMORGIE!  (NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED!)