2012 Mathematics SOL Institutes General Session October 2012 Michael Bolling, Acting Director, Office of Mathematics and Governor’s Schools Deborah Wickham, Ph.D., Mathematics Specialist, K-5 Christa Southall, Mathematics Specialist

SOL Institutes – FOCUS 2009 Specific SOL changes (content) 2010 Vertical articulation of the SOL and areas of greatest challenge (content and pedagogy) 2011 Process goals (standards) in mathematics 2012 Using formative assessments (performance tasks) to inform instruction 2

“The content of the mathematics standards is intended to support the five goals for students” Mathematics Standards of Learning 3

Five goals…for students to become mathematical problem solvers that communicate mathematically; reason mathematically; make mathematical connections; and use mathematical representations to model and interpret practical situations 4

Virginia’s Process Goals for Students Mathematical Problem Solving Mathematical Communication Mathematical Reasoning Mathematical Connections Mathematical Representations 5

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Vertical Articulation Documents

2012 Mathematics SOL Institutes - Purpose The purpose of the 2012 Mathematics SOL Institutes is to provide teachers with online professional development focused on using formative assessment resources to inform instruction. 8

Performance Task - Definition An assessment that requires students to synthesize SOL content in a problem-solving setting that encourages communication, reasoning, critical thinking, connections, and use of varied representations.

Assessment Types Formal –Formative (prior to or during instruction) –Summative (following instruction) Informal –Listening –Questioning –Observing 10

Formative Assessment ‘Assessment FOR learning’ Checking in on understanding and on the formation of learning Diagnostic in nature – should lead to changes in instruction Class tasks, homework, quizzes, benchmark tests Includes a lot of student feedback

Summative Assessment ‘Assessment OF learning’ Typically provides a level of student performance (grade) Tests, projects, simulation tests Less student feedback

Format of Assessment Items Multiple choice Open response –Short response Fill in the blank Solve, simplify Explain why/justify –Open-ended doesn’t have a predefined answer synthesizes multiple concepts

Instruction, Assessment, and Backwards Design 1.What are the content objectives that students should master? 2.How will we assess the content? 3.What instructional experiences will we provide that will assist ALL students to access and master the content? 14

Purposes of assessment Improve student learning Checking for student understanding, growth, and progress Determining common misunderstandings Determining common errors Informing instructional and assessment decisions (currently and in the future) 15

Online Professional Development Products Available in November Organized into modules within a grade band Your role –Assist the school division with the rollout of professional development focused on formative assessments and performance tasks in mathematics –Provide professional development that helps learning communities get started in the online modules 16

We, as teachers, should be… Engaging students in the learning, providing relevant and rigorous activities and tasks Asking high-leverage questions – make students work harder than you Requiring students to communicate their thinking and listen carefully to them Making students justify their thinking Using multiple models 17 Process Goals!

We, as teachers, should be… Using formative assessments to learn about the level of student understanding to reflect on and change your own teaching Collaborating to develop a deeper understanding of what needs to be taught and how it should and could be assessed 18