A Guide to Formative Assessment Astrid Fossum & Sharonda M. Harris, Mathematics Teaching Specialists Milwaukee Public Schools

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 References National 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 Targets

State Assessment Descriptors

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 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 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 Feedback MotivationalEvaluativeDescriptiveEffective 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 MoreSummativeMoreFormative

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 Past Present Future

Resources Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2), 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.