1. Leadership Session
Leadership of self linked with a system of formative assessment
Cynthia Cuellar
Astrid Fossum
Janis Freckmann
Connie Laughlin

2. To understand the system of formative assessment practices.
Goal of the session
To understand the system of formative assessment practices.

3. Brainstorming Brainstorm various systems you know about.
Choose one system to depict on a 8 by 11 paper.

4. Understanding Systems
A SYSTEM is a collection of parts that interact to function purposefully as a whole.
A collection of auto parts is NOT a system.
A working car IS a system.

5. We learned in previous sessions….
Stiggins said: We can build assessment systems. It is not what we grew up in. It is not the one we see in place. But it is the assessment system we can create.
PRIME Leadership Framework: 
Stage 1 is a self awareness stage of leadership, a passion for acting upon, modeling; the leaders is respected for his or her own teaching and learning skills.

6. Silent Writing Think about Assessment Practices in your classroom.
Do you have an assessment system?
What are the parts?
How are the parts linked?

7. Witness movie clip
During WITNESS, think about how the barn raising scene reflects a working system.

8. Witness table discussion
In what ways did the barn raising scene reflect a working system?
What were the parts?
In what ways did the parts interact to function purposefully as a whole?

9. Think about the barn-raising scene.
Imagine what would happen if any of the following were true …
There was no agreement about the units of measurement.
There was no opportunity for the children to learn.
Half the “lifters” decided not to lift.
The whole community decided barns were useless.

10. Linking the Idea of a System to Formative Assessment
3 Minutes: On your own, think about a formative assessment system. Write down the goal and the parts of the learning team continuum that make up a formative assessment system.
10 minutes: In groups of 4, decide on the parts, draw a graphic, and show relationships to reveal a system.

11. Alignment of the Principles of Formative Assessments
to the Learning Team Continuum of Work for Mathematics
Principles of Assessment for Learning
Principles of Assessment for Learning
Prior to teaching, teachers study and can articulate the math concepts students will be4 learning.
Teachers use student-friendly language to inform students about the math objective they are expected to learn during the lesson.
(3) Students can describe what mathematical ideas they are learning in the lesson.
(4) Teachers can articulate how the math lesson is aligned to district learning targets, state standards and classroom assessments (CABS), and fits within the progression of student learning.
(5) Teachers use classroom assessments that yield accurate information about student learning of math concepts and skills and use of math processes.
(6) Teachers use assessment information to focus and guide teaching and motivate student learning.
(7) Feedback given to a student is descriptive, frequent, and timely. It provides insight on a current strength and focuses on one facet of learning for revision linked directly to the intended math objective.
(8) Students actively and regularly use descriptive feedback to improve the quality of their work.
(9) Students study the criteria by which their work will be evaluated by analyzing samples of strong and weak work.
(10) Students keep track of their own learning over time (e.g., journals, portfolios) and communicate with others about what they understand and what areas need improvement.
Learning Team Continuum
Stage 1
Learning Targets
Stage 2
Align State Framework
and Math Program
Stage 3
Common CABS
Stage 4
Student Work on CABS
Stage 5
Descriptive Feedback on CABS
Understand importance of identifying and articulating big ideas in mathematics to bring consistency to a school’s math program.
Develop meaning for the math embedded in the targets and alignment to state standards and descriptors and to the school’s math program.
Provide a measure of consistency of student learning based on standards/descriptors and targets.
Examine student work to monitor achievement and progress toward the targets and descriptors.
Use student work to inform instructional decisions, and to provide students with appropriate descriptive feedback.
Take a few minutes to look at the handout. Do you recognize anything? So we have the learning team continuum has been aligned with 9 principles that Stiggins identifies as formative assessment practices. We have focused heavily on feedback in the last few years and would like to spend time this year studing and reaching a better understanding of all the principles.
Some time spent on discussing the 9 principles. Highlight placement on continuum and the essence of meaning in comparison to the Black Box and DVD.
It is continuous. As you move back and forth on the continuum you continue to use the principles that were utilized at an earlier stage.
This is a draft.
We’ve been given lots of tools to use…how can this one be used in your work? How can this one be seen by your learning team as an important guide to the work that needs to be done in mathematics?
Notes for next two slides.

12. Stage 3: Advocate & Systematize Stage 2: Collaborate & Implement
NCSM (2008). Principles and Indicators for Mathematics Education Leaders (PRIME).
Stages of Leadership Action
Stage 1: Know & Model
Leadership of Self
Stage 3: Advocate & Systematize
Leadership in the
Extended Community
Stage 2: Collaborate & Implement
Leadership of Others

13. Assessment Principle #2
I use formative assessment practices to inform teacher practices and student learning

14. Adding to your Graphic
Take a different color marker. Add any components or links that were missing from your first version of your graphic.
Hang the charts.

15. What would happen if….
Students cannot articulate what they are learning during the lesson or the unit. They see the lesson as an activity, missing the mathematics they are learning.

16. What would happen if ….
Teachers do not make connections between the mathematics embedded in the CABS, the lessons in the math book, and the mathematics students need to learn.

17. What would happen if ….
Teachers give CABS, write feedback, and don’t make connections to planning and teaching.

18. What would happen if ….
The only feedback given is in the form of grades on homework or tests. The feedback is not integral to the mathematics taught during the lessons.

19. What would happen if ….
an assessment system was in place in each classroom?

20. What would happen if ….
Teachers thoroughly plan a lesson and can articulate to the students the objectives they will be learning.

21. What would happen if ….
Teachers think about the mathematics they want the students to learn and align the CABS with the lessons as part of planning for instruction.

22. What would happen if ….
Students use the assessment information given to them by their teachers to think about their own progress.

23. The Challenge: Think about Leadership of Self
Reflect back on your first notes on assessment practices. What could you add now?
Implement a Formative Assessment System in your classroom, thus becoming a model for other teachers in your building.