The True Purpose of Assessment in Math Class

How do we design, cultivate, and facilitate a classroom culture where assessment is power and not punishment?

Maybe you’re like us (Jon & Kyle); you’ve been changing your practice over the last few years, you’ve moved from the standard math class script of homework take-up, new topic, examples, and then homework again.

You may have even started with small things like Estimation 180 or Number Talks, or maybe it was open middle problems, or which one doesn’t belong prompts or maybe even stand & talks, however you started, you decided that there was power in these activities and routines.

You noticed that students talked about their strategies, you noticed that you learned more about what your students knew about the math concepts you were studying. So you regularly embedded these into your daily lessons. 

The problem we had in our journey was: “How do I incorporate this new data, this insight into my students’ thinking into their grades?” or “How do I use this data this insight to adjust my lessons and planning?“

For us the answer started with exploring the True Purpose of Assessment.

This week we invite you to explore the true purpose of assessment with us in this video.

In particular, you'll learn:

What’s the difference between formative and summative assessment and how it’s not just one is quiz and one is a unit test;

How I can use information from class to improve student learning;

The right time for formative assessment and the right time for summative assessment; and,

How you can embed assessment practices into your daily classroom lessons so students can achieve success.

Resources:

Assessment For Growth Course [Module 1 is open]

Learn about the Curiosity Path by reading our 3-Part Framework

Check out the Shot Put [Algebraic Substitution & Solving] Problem Based Math Unit

Visit Make Math Moments Problem Based Math Lessons page for other useful problem based units

Take the pledge to transform your current math curriculum into those lessons that you've been searching the web for by applying the Curiosity Path.

Up your pedagogical and content knowledge game by joining our Make Math Moments Teacher Academy!