Blog #1

            I tend to have a negative attitude associated with the idea of assessments, so the fact that I am taking an assessment class this semester doesn’t have me incredibly excited.  One thing that I have learned throughout my short time in the School Counseling Program at Millersville is that you have to keep an open mind about everything, so here goes. 

The reason why I have had a negative attitude about assessments throughout my life is because I can’t stand being categorized into a group based on some test results that may or may not be accurate based on a number of possible reasons.  Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely understand the purpose and the importance of assessments, and I do realize that they are probably more accurate than not.  I just have a lack of confidence in the process, and a way of thinking that has me doubting the level of effectiveness of assessments.  This type of thinking then leads me to think, should we be making decisions about peoples lives and categorizing them into specific groups based on assessments?  I hope the answer to that question will be “yes” after this semester is over. 

I know that nothing in life is perfect, so my expectation of a perfect assessment process is a little unrealistic.  However, I will say that the first three chapters gave me a much better understanding of how the process works.  I don’t know how excited I am about the statistical pieces associated within the process, but I know how extremely important of a role data collection and measuring results are.  I am just not a huge fan of math.  I was also comforted by the fact that counselors and other professionals are required to use multiple forms of assessments and other methods before they can make any kind of recommendation about the individual being assessed (Drummond & Jones, 2010).  I can also appreciate all of the ethical practices and standards that are thought of before, during, and after the assessment process.

I hate to sound negative throughout part of this blog post, but when all of my experiences with assessments have been mostly negative it makes it hard to have faith in assessments.  A goal for me this semester is to continue to have an open mind about the assessment process and focus on the good things that can come out of it.  Maybe through my research, reading, and experience through practicing with assessments, I will come out of this course with a much more positive way of thinking about the process.

 

Drummond, R. J. and Jones, K. (2010). Assessment Procedures for Counselors and Helping Professionals. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.