Plethora of assessment methods being used in classrooms today

Defined as the “gathering of data about student knowledge and/or skills, either informally or formally” (Small, 598), assessment in today’s mathematics classroom must focuses on understanding; taking into account thinking, processes, and strategies. There are a plethora of assessment methods being used in classrooms today. Below is a list that I have compiled to I urge you to consider using these strategies in your very own classrooms.

Titon, Jennifer. (July 11, 2012). Anecdotal Records.
Retrieved from: http://tinyurl.com/cubb296 

Anecdotal Notes: Write records to keep track of your students’ progress in the classroom, including mathematical conversations, strategies, strengths, and areas of improvement.

Brainstorm: Put a new concept up on the board. Starting in pairs (or small groups), have your students think of different things that remind them of the new concept. Bring the class back together and your students share their ideas.

Checklist: Monitor your students’ mathematical performances and behaviours to see whether or not they are demonstrating success criteria.

Discussion: Participate in a mathematical discussion with your students, allowing them to share their thinking and strategies. Ask thoughtful questions to assess your students understanding of mathematical concepts.

© Dulac, Sandra. (July 31, 2012) 

Exit Tickets: Provide your students with a question at the end of the lesson and have them independently demonstrate what they know. 

Games: Observe your students while they are playing mathematical games to assess their mathematical language and their ability to use mathematical strategies.

Gallery Walk: Post 3 to 5 questions about a particular problem on separate sheets of chart paper taped around the room. In small groups, have your students pause at each sheet of paper, discussing the question and writing comments on the page. Ring a bell after a couple of minutes to advise groups that they are to switch to the next chart. Once the groups have contributed to each chart paper, review what was written.

Graffiti Wall: Lay chart paper on several desks and write a single word or topic on each. Divide your students into groups and have each group use words, numbers, and pictures to connect with the topic on their sheet of chart paper. Ring a bell after a couple of minutes to advise groups that they are to switch to the next chart. Once the groups have contributed to each chart paper, review what was written. Please click here for a great example.

Group Work: Provide a problem for your students to solve in small groups. Observe your students as they work together to solve the problem. Note strategies being used and link the strategies to the grade level expectations.

Interview: Prepare a couple of questions and tasks for your students to complete, assessing their understanding and their thinking.

                       Appel, Ray. (August 2, 2009). Tutorial: Math Journal Part 1 Retrieved from:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNHb9SLF56E

Journals: Have your students use math journals for self-assessment. Your students can reflect on their understanding and learning of mathematical concepts, thinking about their individual performances. Please take a look at the video attached for some great math journal ideas.

KWL: Create a chart with your students on things they know, thing they want to know, and after the lesson, things they have learned.

KWL Snowball Fight: Provide each of your students a piece of white paper and have them write anything they know about a given topic on the paper. Have the students crumpled the paper into a 'snowball'. Give your students the magic words “Snow Ball Fight!” and have them throw their papers around the room. Say “Stop!” and have your students pick up the snowball nearest to them. Choose volunteers to read what is written on their page. Compile a chart of all the ideas shared. Repeat the same process with “what do you want to learn?”. At the end of the unit, have your students repeat the process with what they have learned. 

Bromhead, Ginette. (2011)

Learning Goals and Success Criteria: As a class, develop “I can” statements that describe what successful learning looks like, based on the learning goals from the unit that you are working on. Be sure to provide descriptive feedback for your students, recognising their strengths, areas of improvement, and next steps.

Performance Task: Provide your students with a challenging task, giving limited or little instruction, that allows multiple solutions, relates to prior know, and has personal meaning. Assess this task to determine what your students know and are able to do.

Rubrics: Provide your students with rubrics, clearly articulating how their work will be assessed and the standards required to achieve each level. Be sure to provide descriptive feedback for your students, recognising their strengths, areas of improvement, and next steps.

Stars and Wishes: Provide your students with descriptive feedback in the form of stars and wishes. Stars represent your students’ successes and wishes represent areas of improvement or next steps.

Think Sheet: Have your students share their prior knowledge and understanding of a math concept by using pictures, numbers, and words to explain everything they know.