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Why Consider Assessment?

 My education journey began in a non-conventional way, 5 years ago, with a move from Alberta to British Columbia and a half-completed Education degree. Because I missed the second year of my after-degree before jumping into a teaching position, I didn't have the opportunity to take a course that dove into the details of assessment. My hope for this semester, and this blog, is that it can be a place of exploration and consolidation as I read through and study ways to authentically assess mathematics in my practice.

Questions, Comments, Concerns?

Before we jump into a new activity or task in my classroom, I often ask my students "Questions, comments, or concerns from the audience?" They spout off the things they need assurance or clarification on, and then we jump into our work. Before launching into research, here are my "Stop Thoughts":

  • Being in BC, how can the BC Proficiency Scale (or descriptive feedback in general) effectively translate to the percentage and letter grade the Ministry requires for High School students?
  • How can I fit all of the feedback I want to give into a day, when I teach 4 different groups of students?
  • To what extent do we differentiate assessment based on the student in front of us, while not bending over backwards to please?
  • What is the best way for students to show they know math? 
  • What are ways to authentically assess students in a time-sensitive manner?

Just over a year ago, I made the switch to the Thinking Classroom model, developed by Dr. Peter Liljedahl. This has dramatically changed my view on assessment, as I uncovered the idea of moving away from points-based grading to holistic, understanding-based assessment. My students now receive timely, descriptive feedback, and are pointed in the direction to continue learning and growing. I'm looking forward to researching and discussing more ways to effectively assess mathematics, and I'm hopeful that they will integrate well with the model already present in my classroom!

Comments

  1. How to Best Assess Student's Mathematical Understanding and CompetenciesSeptember 30, 2022 at 12:25 PM

    My curiosities parallel yours. How to funnel anecdotal, descriptive feedback into a percentage continues to be a headscratcher to me—the high school level for yourself is especially tricky.

    Finding time to offer meaningful feedback with large numbers of students always feels overwhelming. I believe your model of Thinking Classrooms where students work together and are giving each other meaningful feedback is an important part of their math journeys. Purposeful delegation! Jo Boaler, on page 207, of Mathematical Mindsets has a heading of Teaching Students to Be Responsible for Each Other's Learning. She speaks of taking intentional time at the beginning of the year to establish group work expectations. I know that when I am learning something new, I often find feedback from a parallel peer, or colleague, easier to accept than from the facilitator, boss, or, coach.

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