Continuous Assessment

What Is Continuous Assessment?

Developmental Theatre requires continuous assessment. Rather than evaluating Players at a fixed endpoint, the Facilitator watches throughout every session — noticing what is working, who is struggling, and what the group needs next.

Questions to Ask

For Theatre Games in particular, continuously ask:

1. How does each individual demonstrate this competency now?

2. If not able to demonstrate the competency, determine:

• Are there physical or other restrictions to take into consideration? For example, is there evidence of lack of sleep, food, dehydration, exhaustion (physical or emotional), or other issues that inhibit demonstration of this competency?
• Does the person seem shy, inhibited, or afraid to try? Conversely, is the person overly vocal, or seeking to be the center of attention?
• Does a majority of the group demonstrate this competency? How can the majority be encouraged to include all in the group’s expertise?

Why Continuous Assessment Matters

A single observation at the end of a session misses what is most important: the arc of engagement, the moments of breakthrough, and the early signs of a Player who needs more support or more challenge. The Facilitator who assesses continuously can pivot — choosing a different game, adjusting groupings, or simply pausing to check in — before a struggle becomes discouragement.

Assessment is not grading. It is the Facilitator’s attentiveness in service of the group’s growth.