Once upon a time, in a place long forgotten, the first teacher helped a willing and enthusiastic student learn something new. As they proceeded on their educational journey, the student eventually demonstrated a deep and thorough understanding of the task, content, and concepts. They paused along the road, and the teacher turned to the student.
“You are ready,” the teacher said, in a language no one remembers anymore. “Let’s see whatcha got.”*
Thus, assessment was born.
*Yes, I know that sentence is grammatically flawed. It’s dialog, so it’s allowed. 🙂