In Chapter 6 of our course text Experiencing School Mathematics we are finding out how each of the two schools in the study of reform versus traditional teaching methods measure up. The researcher assessed the students through written tests and applied activities where written output from the students was graded.
I feel that more forms of assessment are necessary to fully view a student’s mathematical understanding. It is interesting that this chapter was the focus during the same time as discussions have come up in my school regarding the new assessment policy that has been implemented by the Eastern School District for NL.
Some points of interest from the document that contradict the assessment and teaching of the Amber Hill and Phoenix Park students are:
Teachers shall differentiate instruction and assessment, where appropriate, to support student learning.
Assessment practices shall provide students with multiple opportunities to demonstrate learning in a variety of ways and contexts.
A listing of recommended forms of assessment is also provided in the document as follows:
Teachers are expected to use a variety of data sources obtained in a variety of contexts to understand and determine student progress. These include, but are not limited to:
a. Internal data sources:
Formal and informal observations with anecdotal records
Learning logs, journals
Performance-based assessments
o Projects
o Research Papers
o Student Presentations
o Labs
Self assessments
Peer assessments
Conferencing
Digital Evidence
Portfolios
Individual and group participation
Work samples
Reading records
Tests and examinations
b. External data sources:
Criterion-Reference Tests
Public Examinations
Teachers are gaining clearer pictures of student ability by employing varying methods, students have many opportunities and means to show what they know.
In my Grade One class I do collect samples of student written work in math but I find that my best assessment comes from observing them carrying out math activities both independently and in groups. When my students are engaged in a math activity I travel around my classroom with a clipboard, jotting notes on students or marking off required outcomes on a checklist. Another valuable assessment practice I use in math is student interviews. I sit with my students individually and ask them to perform certain math tasks, answer math questions and solve problems. I started conducting these interviews with my students two years ago, at this time I had begun inserting marks on report cards based on my observations in class and my collection of written work. When I sat and interviewed I discovered that many of my students knew much more than I had given them credit for. This was an eye opener to the value of differentiated assessment.
Reference
Administrative Regulations Policy IL – Assessment and Evaluation
(October 5, 2011) retrieved http://www.esdnl.ca/about/policies/esd/I_IL.pdffrom
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