A Guide to Formative Assessment

Astrid Fossum & Sharonda M. Harris, Mathematics Teaching SpecialistsMilwaukee Public Schools

fossumag@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

harrissm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

In this session participants will: Explore a professional development model

used to inform classroom instruction. Examine how district leaders are working with

teachers to support the use of formative assessments in mathematics.

Engage in writing effective descriptive feedback.

Research

“Improved formative assessment helps low achievers more than other students and reduces the range of achievement while raising achievement overall.”

“Firm evidence shows that formative assessment is an essential component of classroom work and that its development can raise standards of achievement.”

Black, P. & Wiliam, D (1998). Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through classroom assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 808(2), 139-148.

Comprehensive MathematicsFramework

ReferencesNational Research Council. (2001). Adding it up. Mathematics Learning Study Committee, Center for Education, Division of Behavioral

Sciences and Education, National Research Council. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.National Research Council. (2002). Helping Children Learn Mathematics. Mathematics Learning Study Committee, J. Kilpatrick & J. Swafford, Editors. Center for Education, Division of Behavioral Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (1998). Wisconsin’s model academic standards for mathematics. Madison, WI: Author.

District Learning TargetsD. Measurement

Grade 6 MPS Learning Target #5

(Grade 6) MPS Learning Target #6

(Grade 6) Estimate and measure attributes of objects (including angles) and make uni t conversions within and between customary and metric systems.

Estimate and determine perimeter/circumference, area, distance, and elapsed time in real -world contexts and explain strategies.

Descriptors Measurable attributes: 1, 2 Direct measurement: 3, 5

Descriptors Direct measurement: 3, 4 Indirect measurement: 6, 7, 8

State Assessment Descriptors Wisconsin Sub -skill Descriptors (Beginning of Grade 7) Sub-skill D.a: Measurable attributes 1) Select the appropriate unit of measure to estimate the length, liquid capacity, volume,

weight/mass of everyday objects using U.S. customary and metric.

2) Convert units within a system e.g., feet to yards; ounces to pounds; inches to feet; pints to quarts. Approximate conversions of units between metric and U.S. customary systems using a model or in context (quart/liter; yard/meter).

Sub-skill D.b: Direct measurement 3) Apply appropriate tools and techniques to measure down to the nearest 1/4 -, 1/8 -, or 1/16 -

inch or nearest centimeter or millimeter.

4) Determine and compare elapsed ti me in problem -solving situations.

5) Measure and/or draw angles up to 180 degrees.

Sub-skill D.c: Indirect measurement 6) Estimate area given a reference.

7) Determine perimeter/circumference and area of squares, rectangles, triangles, parallelogram s, and circles in real -world context.

8) Determine the distance between points using a scale.

Description of Assessment:

CABS Class Summary Report

School: Teacher:

Date: Grade Level: _______Sp.Ed _______Reg.Ed

MPS Learning Target(s): State Descriptor(s):

Expectations:(What do you expect to see on student’s paper to demonstrate understanding?)

Students’ Successes: Students’ Challenges:

Next Steps:

Description of Assessment:

CABS Assessment OverviewAfter working through the assessment, reflect on what you expect students to do. Complete the following table before developing your descriptive feedback.

School: Teacher:

Date: Grade Level: ______Sp.Ed _______Reg.Ed

Identify appropriate Key Mathematics Features students may develop as a response to this assessment:

Identify misconceptions you anticipate students will demonstrate:

Identify misconceptions you observed in the students’ work:

Types of FeedbackMotivational Evaluative Descriptive Effective

Feedback is primarily motivational

Feedback is primarily evaluative

Descriptive Feedback primarily tells the student how to correct their reasoning.

Feedback asks the student what to do to move their reasoning to the next level.

Purpose: to encourage and support the learner

Purpose: to measure student achievement with a score or a grade

Purpose: to improve learning by indicating to the student what needs to be improved

Purpose: to improve learning, by moving student reasoning to the next level

More Summative More Formative

Student Feedback Summary

School: Teacher:

Date: Grade Level: _______Sp.Ed _______Reg.Ed

Student Name:

Descriptive Feedback to Student(Frame with language to students that challenges them to revise, redo, relearn, or expand.)

Summary of Instructional Decisions(How much re-teaching is needed? What follow-up is needed? Do my lesson plans need to be revised?)

Description of Assessment:

Successes Teacher

Conversations around student work

Identify different student strategies

Increased understanding of formative assessment

Instructional decisions based on identified misconceptions and challenges

Descriptive Feedback can save on re-teaching time

Student Increased achievement Ability to clear up

misconceptions on second attempts, without re-teaching/intervention

Self-reflection on ways to improve their work

Increased involvement in self-assessment

Challenges Teacher

Buy-In Time commitment Record-keeping Grading Redundancy

Student Interpretation of the

feedback Looking for a grade Lack of motivation

The Learning Team Continuum

PastPresentFuture

Resources Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box:

Raising standards through assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2), 139-148.

Brookhart, S.M., (2007). Feedback That Fits. Educational Leadership, 65(4), 54-59.

Stiggins, R.J., Arter, J., Chappuis, J., & Chappuis, S. (2005). Assessment FOR Learning: An Action Guide for School Leaders. Portland, OR: Assessment Training Institute.

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.