What We’ve Learned About Assessment, Part 4: A Guide to Formative Assessment Astrid Fossum, Mathematics Teaching Specialist, MPS, Sharonda M. Harris, Curriculum and Instruction Math Supervisor, MPS,

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),

Comprehensive Mathematics Framework

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.

District Learning Targets 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

School: Teacher: Date: Grade Level: ______Sp.Ed _______Reg.Ed 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. 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: Description of Assessment:

Types of Feedback Motivational EvaluativeDescriptiveEffective Feedback is primarily motivational Feedback is primarily evaluative Descriptive feedback primarily tells the student how to correct their reasoning. Descriptive 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 MoreSummativeMoreFormative

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?) Student Feedback Summary 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:

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. School: Teacher: Date: Grade Level: ______Sp.Ed _______Reg.Ed Description of Assessment: 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:

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

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.

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

 Brookhart, S.M., (2007). Feedback That Fits. Educational Leadership, 65(4),  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), 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 Resources