Teachers spend a significant amount of time assessing student learning. They must develop, adapt, or adopt items and formats of assessment, collect evidence, evaluate the evidence collected, and then take action based on what they learn about students. Of course, artificial intelligence platforms can take some of the load off teachers, as these systems can develop potential assessment items and review responses for correctness. But an even greater reduction in assessment demand occurs when students are taught to self-assess their own performance.
When students learn to self-assess, the role of the teacher changes from being the sole arbiter of learning to becoming a validator who confirms understanding and a challenger who pushes students’ thinking further. Student self-assessments can be used formatively to guide instruction as students identify their own learning needs, and summatively as evidence of learning to inform teacher decisions on report cards and transcripts.
Why Self-Assessment?
Self-assessment is more than students giving themselves a grade. It’s a way for learners to pause, reflect, and ask: What am I doing well? Where do I need to improve? This habit helps students become more aware of their thinking and learning, which is the foundation of self-regulation.
The real purpose of self-assessment is feedback—and specifically feedback that students generate for themselves. When students stop to reflect, they can make changes in the moment instead of waiting for a teacher’s comment days later. That makes self-assessment naturally formative. If it’s only about labeling work after the fact, the opportunity for learning is lost. But when students see self-assessment as a tool for growth, they begin to take ownership of their progress.
A Sample Self-Assessment
There are many tools teachers can use to put more of the assessment process into students’ hands. One that has gained popularity in recent years is the single-point rubric (Gonzalez, 2014). Unlike traditional rubrics that list every possible level of performance, a single-point rubric focuses only on the criteria for success. This keeps the language clear and allows students to identify where they “glow” (areas of strength) and where they can “grow” (areas for improvement).
For example, 4th graders in Sarah Ortega’s ELA class in San Diego, California, were asked to retell content that they had read from the book Henry’s Freedom Box, recording their retellings on video for submission to their teacher. Students were provided a single-point rubric with blank spaces to identify opportunities to grow and note where they glow (see fig. 1).
One of Ortega’s 4th grade students, Madlyn, noted that she did well with main ideas, details, and accuracy, but marked inference as an area to grow. In her notes, she admitted: “I don’t have a theory.” When her teacher met with her, Madlyn explained her thinking further—and that short conference turned into a deeper conversation about inferences and author perspective. Instead of spending time assigning points or marking errors, the teacher was able to spend time exploring Madlyn’s ideas, creating more space for meaningful student-teacher dialogue. For Madlyn, the process shifted her role from passive receiver of a grade to active interpreter of the text. For her teacher, it transformed assessment into a moment of connection and coaching. Encounters like this illustrate how self-assessment does more than lighten a teacher’s workload: It opens the door to higher-level thinking, stronger student voice, and a classroom culture where learning is co-owned by teacher and students.
Older students benefit from self-assessment as well. Imagine the number of assignments that middle and high school teachers have to grade. When students are taught to self-assess, teacher time can be devoted to instruction based on the evidence generated and evaluated by students.
In the video that accompanies this column, 6th grade teacher Kristin Hernandez in Fresno, California, asks her students to self-assess their writing and then work with peers to improve their draft. Using a checklist, students identify their strengths and then areas in which they need to improve. As they interact with partners, they note areas in which their partner can improve their writing. As a result, the students do a significant amount of the work and make decisions about their learning and where to go next.
Empowering Students with Self-Assessment
Self-assessment changes the classroom dynamic. It shifts power toward students, inviting them to monitor their own learning and seek feedback. Research has long recommended its use, but the urgency has grown: In a world where learning must be flexible, responsive, and lifelong, students need the habit of checking in on their own growth (Bourke, 2016).
Imagine if assessments weren’t just about grades, but about students using them to adjust their learning in real time. It’s a life skill. So, if you’ve never tried self-assessment in your classroom, start small. A single-point rubric might be all it takes to spark ownership, reflection, and deeper learning.
Instructional Insights / What Happens When Students Grade Themselves?
19 hours ago
Video Reflection: Teaching Students to Self-Assess
After watching the video, consider the following questions for reflection or discussion with your colleagues.
- Why might the teacher start with strengths?
- How does the checklist help students assess their performance?
- What role does peer feedback play in students’ developing skills?
