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<\/a><\/div>\nMath Content Assessment<\/h3>\n
We all know that we need to measure how well students are learning the content we are teaching.\u00a0 If our standards dictate that students need to be able to “round numbers through hundred thousands to a given place”, then we have to have the tools by which we check for that math understanding.<\/p>\n
Often math series, if used, have this type of assessment–in varying degrees of quality.\u00a0 Here are some points to ponder!<\/p>\n
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- Do your content assessments ask students to showcase their understanding in more than one way, with more than one or two problems, and in multiple attempts?\u00a0 (So often series only provide end-of-unit assessments and many standards are measured with maybe one or two questions)<\/li>\n
- Are many of the questions multiple choice or matching?\u00a0 Do students have to actually DO the math to get questions right or could your data be inaccurate because students can guess or narrow down the answers because of how they are written?<\/li>\n
- Do the assessments really tackle the content at the level or depth of understanding needed to really show they have learned it?<\/li>\n
- Are there opportunities to measure understanding throughout the unit or just at the end?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nAfter you have studied what you have available to you to help you measure student learning, then you can begin to craft a plan to fill in the missing parts.\u00a0 For me, I am not provided enough assessment to help me feel confident that I know where my students are with their learning, so I am always needing to supplement.<\/div>\n
Math Practice Standards and Student Self-Assessment<\/h3>\n
Whether or not you GRADE the standards for mathematical practice (more on that later!), I do think it’s important for us to be not only tuned in to our students’ math content understanding, but the math practices as well–and that we are making that public to them!\u00a0 Students can only hit a target that they can see, so we need to make these math practices visible and meaningful.<\/p>\n
I have found a few things to be true.<\/b><\/h4>\n
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- Students often don’t realize how important math “behaviors” and practice are to their learning.<\/li>\n
- They often feel that speed and accuracy are the most important components of math work.<\/li>\n
- Students often overgeneralize–they don’t realize how complex math is and we need to help them realize their strengths and goal area.<\/li>\n
- Students need help finding ways to measure their own progress and successes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThere are so many ways to help with these things…from full class discussions to 1:1 conferences with students, to anchor charts and checklists.\u00a0 I spend a great deal of time at the beginning of the year to help students understand the standards for mathematical practice…to break them into student-friendly terms, and to work on math that allows them to practice them and reflect on them.\u00a0 We make anchor charts, look at student work, and more!\u00a0 I use these assessment checklists as well to help students understand how complicated the practices are–and to realize that they may, indeed, be doing PART of the standard and that they can they identify smaller areas to set goals and make improvements.\u00a0 Just click HERE<\/a> or the image below for more details.<\/div>\n
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<\/a><\/div>\nFormative Assessment<\/h3>\n
As I alluded to earlier, I am huge believer in formative assessment.\u00a0 I don’t EVER want to get to an end-of-unit assessment and be shocked at how a student performs.\u00a0 A few nuggets to think about as you plan for your formative assessment:<\/p>\n
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- Formative assessment doesn’t have to be all paper and pencil (see “Observation”)<\/li>\n
- You do not need to only assess what you taught that day.\u00a0 Bring back concepts from weeks earlier to check for understanding.<\/li>\n
- Try doing an “entrance” slip when students walk in the door and use that information to group students.<\/li>\n
- No need to grade and score all assessments…as students turn them in, sort them into “Got it!”, “Maybe” and “Oh my!” to help you know who to work with later.<\/li>\n
- Thumbs up\/thumbs down can give you a quick “check”–as long as you have built the culture where students are comfortable admitting that they are stumped<\/li>\n
- Student self-assessment can be formative as well!<\/li>\n
- One way to informally assess students is to make an optional “coaching session” for students wanting help…students can self-select (or be placed by you!) into this review group.<\/li>\n
- Be mindful that you don’t simply mimic the questions on the end-of-unit assessment.\u00a0 Present things in as many different ways as you can and make students really show they understand!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Exit and Entrance Slips<\/h3>\n
I use lots of different “tools” to help with formative assessment, but I seriously couldn’t do my job without print exit and entrance slips.\u00a0 I’ve use many from this bundle which has slips for 6 key math areas.\u00a0 I try to print them before I teach the unit and use throughout the unit and then even AFTER the unit to make sure students are retaining the concepts taught.\u00a0 Click the image below if you are interested.\u00a0 Like I said above, I sometimes record scores on these to track progress.\u00a0 More often, I just sort the slips into “ready to move on” and “needs coaching” piles.\u00a0 The score doesn’t matter to me as much as knowing who needs more help.<\/div>\n
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