Assessment being helpful

I am happy to report that today I had a really great day. My Algebra classes went pretty well. I did a concise summary on multiplying polynomials then let them review for the test. I am trying something new on Tuesdays for Advisory. I had usually made them do a journal for ten minutes, then gave them the rest of the period to themselves. Now, instead of giving them the rest of the time, I make them read silently for 15 minutes. That, plus the 5 minute intro, takes us to the end of the period. Lastly, MET went well too. I reviewed writing expressions with the 6th graders, then had them do a worksheet. Fun stuff.

For school, class was canceled tonight. I went to the gym instead; 2nd day in a row.

The one thing that is looming on my mind right now is assessment. 9th graders are not in the mindset to learn from their mistakes. Ask someone who majored in Psychology. They will tell you. I am wondering if I give them any sort of constructive assessment, will they take it into consideration? Will they use it for what it is intended for, to improve their learning in the future?

I plan on trying this constructive assessment on the upcoming test. In addition to giving them a grade, I plan on explaining what they did wrong and why. That way, they can fix their errors. I believe teachers often neglect doing this simply because it takes too long. I figure if I start this now, I will be used to it by next year. We shall see.