Assessment doesn’t always have to come from the teacher. When students are given opportunities to evaluate their own work or provide constructive feedback to classmates, they build essential skills like reflection, responsibility, and collaboration.

What Is Peer & Self-Assessment?

  • Self-Assessment: Students reflect on their own performance, strengths, and areas for growth.

  • Peer Assessment: Students review each other’s work using clear criteria, offering supportive feedback.

Together, these methods shift assessment from being done to students to being done with students.

Why Use Peer & Self-Assessment?

  • Promotes Reflection: Students learn to recognize quality work.

  • Builds Critical Thinking: Evaluating others sharpens analytical skills.

  • Encourages Responsibility: Learners take ownership of progress.

  • Fosters Collaboration: Creates a classroom culture of support, not competition.

Practical Classroom Applications

  • Checklists & Rubrics: Provide simple, student-friendly rubrics for self-checks.

  • Two Stars and a Wish: Students give peers two positive comments and one suggestion.

  • Reflection Journals: Learners write about what they did well and what to improve.

  • Gallery Walks: Students circulate, reviewing and giving feedback on peer projects.

  • Digital Peer Review: Use tools like Google Docs comments for structured feedback.

Tips for Success

  • Model constructive, respectful feedback.

  • Keep criteria clear and simple.

  • Start small (one short task) before moving to larger projects.

  • Combine with teacher feedback for balance.

✨ Bottom line: Peer and self-assessment help students become active participants in their own learning journey, not just passive receivers of grades.