Formative+Assessment

Formative Assessment  Formative assessment is known as Assessment for Learning, or simply put, are assessments that guide our teaching and inform us about our students' progress. These assessments are not the "end all, be all", but rather are tools used to gather data about our students achievement. We do not care if formative assessments are graded or not graded - we will leave that to the theorists to decide. We only care that formative assessments are guiding the instruction in our classrooms and that we are offering support to those students who do not prove mastery on concepts. When we think of formative assessment, we need to think "action" - what action am I going to take? If we maintain the integrity of this philosophy, our students will achieve more than ever.

Article by Guskey on formative assessment Rick Stiggins Video on Assessment .................................................Assessment for Learning media type="youtube" key="3BFGwg9vGJc" height="285" width="340" media type="youtube" key="BZ3USs16J3Y" height="285" width="340"

Classroom Application of Formative Assessment


 * Limit formative assessment to only one or two indicators.
 * Each indicator on summative is formatively assessed formally (data collection).
 * Before formally using formative, use the strategies currently used to informally assess if students are ready for formal formative.
 * If you are grading formatives, give much lower weight than summative.
 * Keep it simple and short (do not want to create grading dilemma).
 * Green Pen It - have students grade their own with a class-set of green pens (instant feedback for both parties)
 * Remember "ACTION": the teacher will move-on, continue teaching concept, or provide intervention for a few.
 * __**There is no point in giving the assessments if the data are not used to get all students to learn - otherwise we are simply sorting students by achievement.**__
 * Think of our own learning. Some departments and teachers are advanced in using these strategies, while others are still not engaged in the standards-based classroom practices (that we each learn and apply at different rates does not mean we stop trying to learn or be taught).
 * Standards-based, indicator-driven instruction depends upon ALL classrooms getting students to master concepts. Otherwise, there will be curricular gaps in the classes that follow.