Objective Observation: A Socially Just Approach to Student Assessment

The authors describe an activity they developed for teacher candidates that: (1) demonstrated the natural tendency of the brain to engage in subjective analysis of human behavior; (2) instructed them on the difference between subjective and objective processing and the basic neurology underlying these cognitive functions; (3) engaged them in a repetition of the original activity to illustrate their ability to process information in an objective fashion; and (4) reflected on the consequences that these subjective perceptions may have on their interactions with students. In short, the purpose of this activity is to help teachers develop the ability to engage in objective assessment of student behavior, and to differentiate that from subjective assessment. A list of references and suggested readings is included.