Advancing Formative Assessment in Every Classroom: A Guide for Instructional Leaders - Softcover

Moss, Connie M.; Brookhart, Susan M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1416609113 ISBN 13: 9781416609117

Publisher: ASCD, 2009

Synopsis

Formative assessment is one of the best ways to increase student learning and enhance teacher quality. But effective formative assessment is not part of most classrooms, largely because teachers misunderstand what it is and don't have the necessary skills to implement it.

In this practical guide for school leaders, authors Connie M. Moss and Susan M. Brookhart define formative assessment as an active, continual process in which teachers and students work together—every day, every minute—to gather evidence of learning, always keeping in mind three guiding questions: Where am I going? Where am I now? What strategy or strategies can help me get to where I need to go? Chapters focus on the six elements of formative assessment: (1) sharing learning targets and criteria for success, (2) feedback that feeds forward, (3) student goal setting, (4) student self-assessment, (5) strategic teacher questioning, and (6) engaging students in asking effective questions.

Using specific examples based on their extensive work with teachers, the authors provide

* "Strategic talking points" and "conversation starters" to address common misconceptions about formative assessment;

* Practical classroom strategies to share with teachers;

* Ways to model the elements of formative assessment in conversations with teachers about their professional learning;

* "What if" scenarios and advice for how to deal with them; and

* Questions for reflection to gauge understanding and progress.

As Moss and Brookhart emphasize, the goal is not to "do" formative assessment, but to embrace a major cultural change that moves away from teacher-led instruction to a "partnership of intentional inquiry" between student and teacher, with better teaching and learning as the outcome.

About this title

Book Description

Making formative assessment the norm in every classroom throughout your school is much easier when you have this book’s clear guidelines and simple steps. Using examples from their extensive work with teachers, the authors give you the strategic talking points, conversation starters, and ready-made tools you need to address common misconceptions about the process, connect formative assessment to improving student motivation, and share formative assessment strategies that teachers can easily incorporate into everyday lessons.

About the Author

Susan M. Brookhart, Ph.D., is an independent educational consultant and author based in Helena, Montana. Dr. Brookhart's interests include the role of both formative and summative classroom assessment in student motivation and achievement, the connection between classroom assessment and large-scale assessment, and grading. She was the 2007-2009 editor of Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, a journal of the National Council on Measurement in Education. She is author or co-author of 16 books and more than 60 articles and book chapters on classroom assessment,teacher professional development, and evaluation. She serves on the editorial boards of several journals.

Edition details

• Publisher: ASCD
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1416609113
• ISBN 13: 9781416609117
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 167