Standard 11- Formative and Summative Assessment
Standard 11 in Teacher Leadership standards for Seattle Pacific University states one must be able
to “utilize formative and summative assessment in a standards based environment.” As my skills in
other teacher leadership standards have increased, this one naturally did as well. While I used to shy
away from the word “assessment” all together, I have realized that I cannot be a skilled and effective
teacher without it. I also realized how much I used formative assessments throughout my lessons
without explicitly planning it. Throughout my experience in the Teacher Leadership program, my
skills in both implementing specific formative assessment and choosing appropriate summative
assessments have increased.
to “utilize formative and summative assessment in a standards based environment.” As my skills in
other teacher leadership standards have increased, this one naturally did as well. While I used to shy
away from the word “assessment” all together, I have realized that I cannot be a skilled and effective
teacher without it. I also realized how much I used formative assessments throughout my lessons
without explicitly planning it. Throughout my experience in the Teacher Leadership program, my
skills in both implementing specific formative assessment and choosing appropriate summative
assessments have increased.
At the very beginning of our program, we spent some time looking through our districts evaluation
criteria, mine being the Danielson Framework. We identified areas of strength and areas we want to
work on throughout this program. My initial reflection on this can be viewed here. I selected Domain
three (instruction) for my area of focus not because I felt I needed a lot of work improving my
instruction, but because it was such a large domain that all directly affected students. I wanted to
sharpen my skills to be able to effectively implement a strategy within the moment, being able to
broaden my toolbox and confidently choose which strategy would be best to use. While only one
category is labeled “using assessment in instruction” in Domain Three, I quickly realized that almost
all of the categories (communicating with students, using questioning and discussion techniques,
engaging students in learning, and demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness) have something
to do with either formative or summative assessment. With this domain being my area of focus, I was
able to use many courses to improve my skills in this area.
criteria, mine being the Danielson Framework. We identified areas of strength and areas we want to
work on throughout this program. My initial reflection on this can be viewed here. I selected Domain
three (instruction) for my area of focus not because I felt I needed a lot of work improving my
instruction, but because it was such a large domain that all directly affected students. I wanted to
sharpen my skills to be able to effectively implement a strategy within the moment, being able to
broaden my toolbox and confidently choose which strategy would be best to use. While only one
category is labeled “using assessment in instruction” in Domain Three, I quickly realized that almost
all of the categories (communicating with students, using questioning and discussion techniques,
engaging students in learning, and demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness) have something
to do with either formative or summative assessment. With this domain being my area of focus, I was
able to use many courses to improve my skills in this area.
Around the same time that I identified Domain Three as an area of focus, I was taking EDTC 6433
(Teaching with Technology). This gave me some opportunities to demonstrate how I can increase my
assessment strategies through technology use. This reflection demonstrates how I used technology
to improve my assessment skills in reading. Since this, I have been able to continue my knowledge
of digital running records and now have my students do this regularly on their own. This allows me to
do a quick formative assessment to see how they are progressing in their reading skills, drives my
next small group instruction with them, and also helps me know which leading level to assess for a
summative assessment, all while continuing to teach other groups. Some other ways I use
technology for formative assessment in my classroom are with digital portfolios (checking independent
work online, student reflections, etc.), plickers for quick formative assessments, and classkick
(a digital platform to check students work done on iPads).
(Teaching with Technology). This gave me some opportunities to demonstrate how I can increase my
assessment strategies through technology use. This reflection demonstrates how I used technology
to improve my assessment skills in reading. Since this, I have been able to continue my knowledge
of digital running records and now have my students do this regularly on their own. This allows me to
do a quick formative assessment to see how they are progressing in their reading skills, drives my
next small group instruction with them, and also helps me know which leading level to assess for a
summative assessment, all while continuing to teach other groups. Some other ways I use
technology for formative assessment in my classroom are with digital portfolios (checking independent
work online, student reflections, etc.), plickers for quick formative assessments, and classkick
(a digital platform to check students work done on iPads).
Another course that I got some extra opportunities to strengthen my assessment skills was in
EDU 6526 Survey of Instructional l Strategies). While we reviewed and practices various instructional
strategies in this course, many of the lessons that these were practiced also involved some form of
either formative or summative assessment. During this course, I had sticky notes (pictured below)
on my computer desk to remind my about the most important takeaways I had from my learning in
the class.
EDU 6526 Survey of Instructional l Strategies). While we reviewed and practices various instructional
strategies in this course, many of the lessons that these were practiced also involved some form of
either formative or summative assessment. During this course, I had sticky notes (pictured below)
on my computer desk to remind my about the most important takeaways I had from my learning in
the class.
The majority of the sticky notes had something to do with assessment. This class helped my
transform my thinking about formative assessment from the focus being on students to me. While I
had previously used formative assessment to inform my instruction, I was primarily using it for
students/parents rather than just using it for me. This class lead to a journey of evaluating my
teaching on student learning, bringing up more discussions about student learning within team
dynamics, and using assessment as feedback for my own teaching.
transform my thinking about formative assessment from the focus being on students to me. While I
had previously used formative assessment to inform my instruction, I was primarily using it for
students/parents rather than just using it for me. This class lead to a journey of evaluating my
teaching on student learning, bringing up more discussions about student learning within team
dynamics, and using assessment as feedback for my own teaching.
Another important component of expanding my knowledge in this area is finding research based
information and resources. One resource that I have gone back to various times in regards to
formative instruction is from the National Council of Teachers of English. A powerful quote from the
resource that is a good reminder is “Formative assessment is the lived, daily embodiment of a
teacher’s desire to refine practice based on a keener understanding of current levels of student
performance, undergirded by the teacher’s knowledge of possible paths of student development
within the discipline and of pedagogies that support such development” (NCTE, 2013). This resource
has great reminders about what good, research based formative instruction looks like. It also is a
good reminder about how important learning targets are to formative instruction: you can’t have one
without the other (NCTE, 2013). There are also some great formative instruction resources that go
along nicely with the type of formative instruction recommended within this resource from NWEA.
The ones that I use most often in my classroom are opportunity sticks, whiteboards, exit tickets, 4
corners, and think pair share.
information and resources. One resource that I have gone back to various times in regards to
formative instruction is from the National Council of Teachers of English. A powerful quote from the
resource that is a good reminder is “Formative assessment is the lived, daily embodiment of a
teacher’s desire to refine practice based on a keener understanding of current levels of student
performance, undergirded by the teacher’s knowledge of possible paths of student development
within the discipline and of pedagogies that support such development” (NCTE, 2013). This resource
has great reminders about what good, research based formative instruction looks like. It also is a
good reminder about how important learning targets are to formative instruction: you can’t have one
without the other (NCTE, 2013). There are also some great formative instruction resources that go
along nicely with the type of formative instruction recommended within this resource from NWEA.
The ones that I use most often in my classroom are opportunity sticks, whiteboards, exit tickets, 4
corners, and think pair share.
In regards to summative assessment, I am fortunate to be in a district that has a full, rich curriculum
and summative assessment opportunities. Our summative assessments for math, for example, are
research based and aligned with grade level standards. There are times, however, where lessons
need to be taken out or combined which then affects assessments. Also, other content areas such
as literacy has more flexibility about how we design standards based assessments. This resource
from Carnegie Mellon University has been a good resource for aligning learning targets to instructional
strategies and then assessment. Especially with summative assessment, it is not effective or even
valid if these three things aren’t aligned.
and summative assessment opportunities. Our summative assessments for math, for example, are
research based and aligned with grade level standards. There are times, however, where lessons
need to be taken out or combined which then affects assessments. Also, other content areas such
as literacy has more flexibility about how we design standards based assessments. This resource
from Carnegie Mellon University has been a good resource for aligning learning targets to instructional
strategies and then assessment. Especially with summative assessment, it is not effective or even
valid if these three things aren’t aligned.
Overall, I have come along way in my journey of effectively using formative and summative
assessment strategies within my classroom. I am continuing to strengthen my skills in this area by
observing other teachers when I get the chance, researching best practice for instruction, watching
videos of mentor teachers, and seeking out alternative ways to traditional instruction that encourages
authentic learning. Since taking the classes mentioned above, I have continued to expand on how
I use instruction to drive my teaching. I now use my math exit tickets not only to gauge student
learning, but to plan my lesson and student groupings for the next day. I use running record and
observational notes to do similar things in my literacy instruction. These formative assessment
strategies have allowed me to work towards my initial goal for the teacher leadership program of
improving my capabilities in Domain Three, specifically with being able to act flexibly and
responsively using student assessment.
assessment strategies within my classroom. I am continuing to strengthen my skills in this area by
observing other teachers when I get the chance, researching best practice for instruction, watching
videos of mentor teachers, and seeking out alternative ways to traditional instruction that encourages
authentic learning. Since taking the classes mentioned above, I have continued to expand on how
I use instruction to drive my teaching. I now use my math exit tickets not only to gauge student
learning, but to plan my lesson and student groupings for the next day. I use running record and
observational notes to do similar things in my literacy instruction. These formative assessment
strategies have allowed me to work towards my initial goal for the teacher leadership program of
improving my capabilities in Domain Three, specifically with being able to act flexibly and
responsively using student assessment.
References:
27 Easy Formative Assessment Strategies for Gathering Evidence of Student Learning. (2019,
January 17). Retrieved from https://www.nwea.org/blog/2019/27-easy-formative-assessment-strategies-for-gathering-evidence-of-student-learning/
Carnegie Mellon University. (n.d.). Align Assessments, Objectives, Instructional Strategies -
Eberly Center - Carnegie Mellon University. Retrieved from https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/alignment.html
A Vision Of Excellence. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2019, from
Formative Assessment that Truly Informs Instruction. (2013, October 21). Retrieved April 13,
2019, from
Seattle Pacific University, Standards for Teacher Leadership
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