1. Shifts in Mathematics Education

2. Read the excerpts from NCTM’s Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics found behind the Formative Assessment tab in your binder. Write down your reactions to this excerpt on blank paper.

3. Shifts in Mathematics Education NCTM’s Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics were published in 1991. Why do you think these shifts have not entirely come to fruition almost 20 years later? Listen to Dylan Wiliam’s theory as to why change is difficult in education. http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/video/a/assessmentforlearnin gdylanwiliam.asp http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/video/a/assessmentforlearnin gdylanwiliam.asp (if video link does not work, see Notes for this slide) How do you feel about his thoughts of why change is difficult? What does Dylan believe will improve student achievement if teachers are willing to change?

4. Formative Assessment

5. Magnetic Quotes Walk around the room and read the statements on the wall. Choose a statement that attracts you and stand near that statement. Why did you select this statement? How does this statement connect to what you currently believe about assessment?

6. Definition of Assessment The process of gathering evidence about a student’s knowledge of, ability to use, and disposition toward mathematics and of making inferences from that evidence for a variety of purposes. NCTM, 1995, pg. 3

7. Four Purposes of Assessment and Their Results (NCTM, 1995) Monitoring Students’ Progress Making Instructional Decisions Evaluating Students’ Achievements Evaluating Programs

8. Formative Assessment Let’s get Dylan Wiliam’s thoughts about what formative assessment can look like. http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/video/f/format iveassessmentdylanwiliam.asphttp://www.ltscotland.org.uk/video/f/format iveassessmentdylanwiliam.asp If the link does not work, play the video file titled “formativeassesssmentdylanwiliam” More thoughts from Dylan Wiliam…Read the NCTM Research Brief entitled Five “Key Strategies” for Effective Formative Assessment

9. Formative Assessment With these thoughts in mind regarding key elements of formative assessment, discuss with your small group the following questions: –What formative assessment strategies have we used throughout the academy? –What formative assessment strategies do you use in your own classroom?

10. Formative Assessment Look at the additional ideas for formative assessment practices on the next handout in your binder. After reading and discussing your assigned strategies with your group, be prepared to share out one or two strategies, its benefits, and how you would use it.

11. Linking to Practice Add any formative assessment strategies to your indexing lesson created during VCMPD Session 6.

12. For Next Session Before the next session, teach the lesson you prepared with your grade-level team. –During the lesson take note of how students are working on the task (strategies, questions, problems, etc.) Next session: Bring back 4–5 student papers.