How do I know when my students get there? (Student work sample)

This is the assessment and recording phase of the teaching and learning cycle. In this phase the teacher begins to look at how effectively the students have achieved the outcomes selected in the second phase of the cycle. (How do I know when my students get there?).
Consider:

the role of consistent teacher judgement
the value of the teacher's knowledge of the student as a learner that has been built up over time
continuum of assessment from informal/formative ... to formal/summative

Note that authentic assessment may include conventional tests, but may also incorporate alternative and innovative evaluation techniques.
These assessments may include:

journals or learning logs
oral presentations
concept maps
poster presentations
practical experiences
teacher quizzes
3D models
oral quizzes
analogies
open-ended essays

It is important that assessment is streamed through the learning cycle to measure students' progress as learning occurs.