What We’ve Learned About Assessment, Part 4: A Guide to Formative Assessment

1. What We’ve Learned About Assessment, Part 4: A Guide to Formative Assessment Astrid Fossum, Mathematics Teaching Specialist, MPS, fossumag@milwaukee.k12.wi.us Sharonda M. Harris, Curriculum and Instruction Math Supervisor, MPS, harrissm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us www.mmp.uwm.edu

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Comprehensive Mathematics Framework

5. CABS Identifier: Natalie and her sister Natalie has 25¢ and her sister has 13¢. How much money should Natalie give to her sister so that they both have the same amount? Answer:______________ Show how you know your answer is correct.

6. MPS Learning Target #1: Grade 4, Number Operations and Relationships Use strategies fluently to make estimates, solve, and pose real-world problems (e.g., single and multi-step) for all operations, to compare and rename numbers, and to find factors and multiples. MPS Learning Target #2: Grade 4, Number Operations and Relationships Represent commonly used fractions (e.g., pictures, number lines) and decimals (i.e., money) and use informal reasoning to rename, compare, add and subtract them with and without context. District Learning Targets

7. Wisconsin Assessment Framework for Mathematics • Sub-skill Descriptors: Computation • Use all operations in everyday situations to solve single or multi-step word problems. • Add and subtract decimals in the context of money.

8. CABS Class Summary Report Description of Assessment:

9. CABS Identifier: Natalie and her sister Natalie has 25¢ and her sister has 13¢. How much money should Natalie give to her sister so that they both have the same amount? Answer:______________ Show how you know your answer is correct.

10. Directions: • Complete the prompt in two different ways • 1.) Provide an example of a student with a solid understanding of the mathematics • 2.) Provide an example of a student with a misconception you anticipate or have seen.

11. Description of Assessment: CABS Assessment Overview After working through the assessment, reflect on what you expect students to do. Complete the following table before developing your descriptive feedback.

12. Types of Feedback

13. Student Feedback Summary Description of Assessment:

14. Description of Assessment: CABS Class Summary Report

15. 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.

16. 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 Successes

17. Teacher Buy-In Time commitment Record-keeping Grading Redundancy Student Interpretation of the feedback Looking for a grade Lack of motivation Challenges

18. Next steps… • Continue the practice of looking at student work. • Investigate the use of an effective system to capture student growth in mathematics. • Support classroom teachers to use student work as a resource for differentiation.

19. Research • “Achievement gains are maximized in context where educators increase the accuracy of classroom assessments, provide students with frequent informative feedback, and involve students deeply in the classroom assessment, record keeping, and communication process. In short, these gains are maximized where teachers apply the principles of assessment for learning.” Stiggins, 2005

20. Resources • 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. • Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2), 139-148. The Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership (MMP), an initiative of the Milwaukee Partnership Academy (MPA), is supported with funding from the National Science Foundation under Grant No. EHR-0314898