# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:
When using this assessment in the classroom the teacher provides the students with a question or idea to think about. Then the students write down their thoughts/answers, and then they discuss what they wrote with a partner.

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10 Innovative Formative Assessment Examples for Teachers to Know

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Try these innovative formative assessment strategies in your classroom! Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you transform learning.

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-  Students get to reflect on their peers point of view.
- Teachers can walk around and listen to conversation without the pressure of being right or wrong.
- Teacher gets a quick understanding of their students thinking.
- Feedback can be given during discussions.
- Students can ask questions.
-- This assessment can be done at the beginning or end of the lesson

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--  Some students might not feel confident enough to share and engage in meaningful conversation
-- One student may dominate conversation
-- Doesn't accurately represent student understanding.

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:

This is a three step process. First, students write down 3 things that they learned from the lesson. Then they write two things that they found interesting or would like to learn more about. Lastly, they write a question they have about the material they learned.

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For Primary Grades PK-1, this strategy should be used in whole-group rather than as an independent task, with the teacher charting ideas. Of course, since many children will want to participate, there might be more than 3-2-1 ideas/questions in each section.

# data[].attributes.body
--- There can be many variations to this assessment in order to meet the needs of the lesson or activity.
-- Opportunity for students to self assess what they do/don't know
--- Teacher gets immediate understanding of what the students know and what they need to work on more
--- This give the teacher an opportunity to use some of their students interests for their next lesson. which, in turn will help keep them motivated.
--Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction approach.

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-- Students might feel pressure to fill out 3 things they learned. Which could make them less confident or insecure.
--- It doesn't help the teacher get an understanding for what the students might be struggling with. It focuses more on their strengths than weaknesses.

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:

Individualized white boards can be used for assessing the whole class at once. In this assessment students will all be asked the same question. Once they have had time to answer, they write their answer on their own white board and hold it up for the teacher to see.

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Welcome back to our blog series on formative assessment.

We've introduced the Popsicle Stick method and the Exit Ticket, two great ways to involve all students and get the information you need to make adjustments to your teaching. Ideas like these have been proven to increase student learning.
A simple way to hear every voice
Ready for our third idea? It's called the Whiteboard.

The Whiteboard technique can engage your entire class and provide helpful evidence of student learning.

Your students can use their whiteboard to provide an answer or information by simply writing their idea down and raising their board so you can read it.

Every student will need a small whiteboard at their desk. Luckily they're fairly inexpensive and can even be found at your local dollar store.

Your students can use their whiteboard to provide an answer or information by simply writing their idea down and raising their board so you can read it. That makes it easy for you to quickly grasp student understanding and adjust how you move forward.
Learn more
A tablet can act in a similar fashion. But, as Dylan Wiliam said, "The greatest modern invention for learning might well be the personal whiteboard." Whatever you use, just remember: It doesn't have to be fancy. As long as you're able to solicit evidence of student understanding and comprehension of the lesson at hand, the technique has done the trick.

Get more formative assessment tips and tricks in our e-book "Making it work: How formative assessment can supercharge your practice."

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Classroom Techniques: Formative Assessment Idea Number Three

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Formative assessment strategies and ideas that involve all students and provide the teacher with evidence of student learning and understanding improve student learning. Read our blog to learn more.

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-- Teacher can quickly get an understanding of what her students know, and adjust her instruction based on the students answers.
--  It is a quick and easy assessment.
-

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-- Students might be insecure of putting their answer up where their students can see.
-- Students can look at their peers and copy their answer if they are unsure.
-- No room for differentiation

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:

This is an anonymous activity. To begin this assessment students are first, asked an objective question that requires an explanation. On a sheet of paper (without their name) they quickly write down their answer/explanation. Once all the students are done the teacher collects all of them and she quickly redistributes them to the class, making sure each student gets one of their peers paper. The teacher then explains the answer to the class, and the students are required to grade the paper they have received. Once each paper has received a grade the exercise is concluded by taking a poll of all the correct answers.

(#3 from the attached link)

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Make math learning fun and effective with Prodigy Math Game. Free for students, parents and educators. Sign up today!

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-- The teacher is not able to determine what areas students are struggling in the most.
-- Students may have inaccurate grading of their peers work.

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:

In this assessment each student has a card with both a green and red side. As the teacher carries out the lesson the students will hold up green if they are understanding the material being taught, and red if there is something they do not understand or something they to be clarified. When the teacher sees red cards, he/she will take the time to answer questions and further explain to help the student.

(#10 from the attached link)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make math learning fun and effective with Prodigy Math Game. Free for students, parents and educators. Sign up today!

# data[].attributes.body
-- Allows students to give "real-time" feedback to the teacher as the lesson is taking place.
-- The teacher can immediately assess if the students are processing the information as it is being delivered.
-- The teacher can adjust instruction based off the students understanding as the lesson is taking place.
--

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-- There is not always enough time to stop for every student who is having trouble understanding.
-- Not all Students  feel comfortable using the red card, because then all the students will know that they are having trouble.
-- Not all students process information at the same rate so some students might not have enough time to assess if they fully understand the content or not.

# data[].attributes.body
--  Students get to see different variations of the correct answer, as well as using their understanding to determine if the paper they have has answered correctly.
-- The teacher is able to get an overall understanding on the majority understanding of the classroom.
-- This activity can help build topic comprehension through student explanation.
-- This exercise is anonymous so the students are not scared of having the incorrect answer.

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:
There can be many variations to his assessment for example, it can be used as an exit ticket, or self assessment for writing. For this exercise students write down two things they enjoyed learning about/understood well, and one thing they still have questions about. Then the teacher collects and uses the data determine where the class is at.

(#16 from attached link)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make math learning fun and effective with Prodigy Math Game. Free for students, parents and educators. Sign up today!

# data[].attributes.body
-- Teachers can use this information to gauge what needs to re-explored, or further explained.
-- Each response is idividualized to the students needs.
-- Students are able to reflect and assess what they have learned.

# data[].attributes.body
-- Student responses are not always in depth enough to help the teacher.

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:
This assessment can be used in a variety of ways. In this assessments students write a short response/paper answering an open question asked by the teacher.

(#18 in attached link)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make math learning fun and effective with Prodigy Math Game. Free for students, parents and educators. Sign up today!

# data[].attributes.body
--  Immediate feedback for teacher
-- Students are able to use their own words to explain what they do/don't know.
-- Students can self reflect with this exercise.
-- Helps teachers to see students to better understand how their students are thinking.

# data[].attributes.body
-- Not all students are strong writers, and might feel pressured when asked to write a paper. Which results in inaccurate representation of what that student does/doesn't know.
-- This can be an issue for ELL students.
--  Students might feel rushed.

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:
Self Evaluation is used for students to review and grade their own work. For this type of assessment teachers should provide students with rubric or guidelines to evaluate their work based off of.

(#4 from attached link)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make math learning fun and effective with Prodigy Math Game. Free for students, parents and educators. Sign up today!

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:
This is a group exercise consists of dividing one task into subtasks, where each student gets to become an expert on the information within their "subtask". Then each student comes back to the group and shares the new knowledge they have obtained.

(#9 from attached link)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make math learning fun and effective with Prodigy Math Game. Free for students, parents and educators. Sign up today!

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:

In this assessment the entire class is asked a series of multiple choice questions, each provided with four answer choices. Before beginning, you must determine which corner of the room represents which answer (A,B,C,D). After the students have time to think of the answer they go stand in the corner that they believes is the correct answer. Then the teacher reviews the different answers and discusses the correct answer with the class.

(#1 in the attached link)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make math learning fun and effective with Prodigy Math Game. Free for students, parents and educators. Sign up today!

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it's used in the classroom:
This assessment is a series of open questions that students answers in pairs. Together the students discuss and challenge each others ideas in order to determine the correct answers.

(#5 from the attached link)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make math learning fun and effective with Prodigy Math Game. Free for students, parents and educators. Sign up today!

# data[].attributes.body
How/Why it's used in the classroom:
This is an assessment that can be done individually or in groups. This assessment is a chance for students to explain their thinking, based off topics the teacher addresses, or questions she poses. Similar to think pair share and other assessments, this is a chance for students to explore their thinking and write it down/discuss it with the class.

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Teaching Tools | Resources for Teachers from Scholastic

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-- Students explore their own strengths and weaknesses.
-- This gives students the opportunity to reflect and determine where they need to improve.
-- Teacher can identify weaknesses that student was unable to identify

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--  Student may not understand the rubric or content being graded enough to identify weaknesses.
-- Student might get frustrated with areas where he/she may struggle
-- If a student needs to fix a lot, he/she may get discouraged and lose confidence in own work.
-- With self evaluation, there is not always enough positive feedback.

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-- This teaches student accountability.
-- Motivates students to learn and participate, because most students enjoy being able to teach/share information that others may not know.
-- Students show what they know by teaching their peers, and working together.
-- Teacher can walk around and engage in group discussion, and grasp student understanding.

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-- Students might feel pressured to become "experts" if there is not enough time.
-- Students might struggle to grasp information by individual exploration.
-- Students might not understand the information that their peers are explaining.

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-- Helps teacher to gauge general class comprehension.
-- Encourages physical activity to motivate the students.

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-- Not much possibility for diferentiation.
-- Less confident students could follow their peers instead of using their own answer.
--- Does not identify individual needs.

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-- Students develop peer teaching skills
--- Students peers might have knowledge to share that can help them make connections, and form deeper understandings.
-- The teacher is able to get a general idea of what the class understands, and what they need to work on.

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-- This assessment can be dominated by one student. Which impacts the teachers ability to understand where all students are at.
-- The idea of a quiz can make students nervous and feel pressured.

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-- Timed writing can make students nervous.
-- Not all students are strong writers.
-- When done in groups students don't always feel comfortable voicing their own thoughts.

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it is used in the classroom:
Standardized tests are tests required annually in each state. This is to help pinpoint where the student is at.

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Standardized Tests Are Here to Stay

By now, there isn't a U.S. household with school-age children that hasn't experienced a standardized test, be it national assessments like the SAT-9, SAT-10, MAT-8, Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), or TerraNova Assessment Series (CTBS/5 and CA STAR), or state tests like the FCAT (Florida), TAKS (Texas), and MCAS (Massachusetts).

While each state's implementation and use of standardized tests has its critics, most educational experts agree that testing is a measure of how well students comprehend and apply knowledge. They also agree that high standards are a worthy goal. So, until someone comes up with a more effective measure of accountability, it looks as though standardized tests are here to stay.

With Time4Learning, students can improve critical skills through structured lessons and activities that correlate to educational standards that standardized tests are built around. And with a student-paced curriculum, children can move through education grade levels faster and accelerate learning.

How can I help my child succeed on standardized tests?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions by Time4Learning members and for good reason. In response, Time4Learning's staff has assembled this overview on standardized testing, including practical tips and suggestions on how you can improve your child's performance. Read on and or go to a section:

Standardized Tests by State
District of Columbia Information Found Here
Test Preparation Pointers

At Time4Learning, we find that parents and caregivers want to help their children prepare for standardized tests, but are often unsure of what they can do. Here are our top suggestions:

1. Build Test Skills

The best preparation is to steadily build skills. Children who master math and reading fundamentals, such as; phonics, reading comprehension strategies, and facts and formulas, will be prepared for more complex questions and concepts, and will ultimately perform better on tests.

Review of old concepts should be consistent with the learning of new skills, so children are accumulating knowledge while refreshing basics.

A fifteen minute daily review of basic facts and skills can make a world of difference when more difficult concepts are introduced.

Children should be reading daily to themselves and aloud to parents for best results. Reading fluency and comprehension are gained through consistent exposure to literature.

2. Test Preparation at Home

Taking a standardized test differs from taking regular school tests. Standardized tests are strictly timed and have specific instructions to follow. Schools do spend time acquainting students with what to expect, but reinforcement at home will make your child feel more prepared. At a minimum, have your child become familiar with testing procedures.

Prior to the test, exposure to answering a variety of question types ranging from fill-in-the-blank, to multiple choice, to lengthy reading passages, and computation practice will allow students to become acquainted with a mixture of formats.

Having children become adept with test terminology is important. Children should know the difference between synonyms and antonyms, main ideas and details, and greater than and less than, to name a few of the more tested skills. Within the questions, clues can be found, such as in the question; How many blocks are there altogether? Students should understand that the word, "altogether" indicates addition as the operation needed to answer the question sufficiently.

Designating a particular amount of time for an activity or review lesson to be completed can help children get in the mindset of finishing work with time restraints. The use of their own timer or stopwatch can help them be conscious of time, while also providing a fun way to do quick practices of certain skills.

Most states provide copies of tests from the years before. Parents can use these as resources guiding them toward the more tested skills. The majority of review can then be placed on those key concepts of focus. Parents should be sure their children know what to expect and how to best approach the test.

3. Test-Taking Tips

Test Prep isn't a substitute for lack of knowledge, but parents should make sure their children know what to expect and how to best approach a big test. How are other parents coping with their big tests? Visit our Free Parents Forum and begin an online conversation. Here are tried and true strategies that help in the testing clinch!

Children should pay close attention to directions, and should note, highlight or underline any words that may assist them in answering the questions.

In the reading comprehension section of the test, which can be very lengthy, test-takers should start by previewing the questions prior to reading the assigned passage. This helps children know what they are looking for when they read the text.

In multiple-choice questions, if stumped, test-takers should first rule out answers they know are incorrect. It will then be easier to figure out the correct answer. Also, make sure your child understands the test's system for scoring blanks versus incorrect answers.

Pay attention to time. Introduce your child to the concept of time management. Then, throughout the year and just for fun, engage your child in some timed tests or quizzes. Consider rewards to spark enthusiasm.

4. On the Week of the Test - Minimize Anxiety!

Even a well-prepared student can feel pre-test anxiety. Encourage your child to relax and to view the test as a chance to show what they have learned. Reassure them that it's natural to feel a little nervous and that the important thing is to try their best. Finally, some last pieces of advice to make everyone in the family feel fully prepared for the testing experience: The Day Before: A good night's sleep the night before is most important. Test scores can be greatly affected when a child hasn't gotten enough rest. Test Day: A good breakfast the morning of the test is a terrific brain booster. Nutrients help to stimulate the brain. Don't forget last minute supplies, such as No. 2 pencils, a watch, and extra paper for working out problems.

Parting Thoughts: Think Long-Term

If you want to change your child's performance on standardized tests, don't over-focus on short-term test prep, as it only builds pressure which is generally counter-productive. Remember, it takes months and years to build skills. The results are largely determined by the years of previous education. The best solution is to stay involved in your child's education, and to keep in mind that standardized tests, while giving you insight, are not the final say on how much your child is learning or how well they will do in life or even in academics.

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By now, there isn't a U.S. household with school-age children that hasn't experienced a standardized test, be it national assessments like the SAT-9, SAT-10, MAT-8, Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), or TerraNova Assessment Series (CTBS/5 and CA STAR), or state tests like the FCAT (Florida), TAKS (Texas), and MCAS (Massachusetts).

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How/why it is used in the classroom:
Projects as assessments can come in many different forms, to help gauge students comprehension. This is a way that students can use what they know to create a final product of some sort.

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7 Examples of Project-Based Learning Activities

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Spread the loveEven if you have never heard about all the research showing the effectiveness of project-based learning, it's not hard to figure out that it is a far more engaging way to learn than through traditional methods. What's not to love about engaging with a real-life problem or question and applying content knowledge and connections to various disciplines to solve it?

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How/why it is used in the classroom:
Mid-term exams are typically given at the halfway point in the year. This is a written test (typically short answer that determines the students individual progress up until that point in the school year.

# data[].attributes.body
How/why it is used in the classroom:
This particular assessment is a test that is given to student at the end of a particular unit to gauge their overall comprehension. For example, a test at the end of the water cycle unit, or a test on fractions.

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Summative Assessment: Overview & Examples

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How/why it is used in the classroom:
Portfolios are a collection of a students work. When used as a summative assessment the portfolio is focusing on the end result of a students learning.

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Portfolio assessment is a term with many meanings, and it is a process that can serve a variety of purposes. A portfolio is a collection of student work that can exhibit a student's efforts, progress, and achievements in various areas of the curriculum.

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How/why it is used in the classroom:
This form of assessment is a one on one interview with the student and the teacher. During this time the teacher will converse with the student in order to determine overall comprehension.

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Summative Assessment: Overview & Examples

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How/why it is used in the classroom:
Final papers can be a summative assessment used at the end of a unit. For this assessment students write a formal paper using the knowledge they have gained throughout the unit.

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Summative Assessment: Overview & Examples

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How/why it is used in the classroom:
Presentations are similar to projects. A presentation can be done at the end of a unit to display overall comprehensions of a topic.

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Summative Assessment: Overview & Examples

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-- Help teachers pinpoint where the student is academically.
-- Helps to monitor progress in students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Standardized testing has ignited a national debate in the last few years (or decades), and many parents feel understandably concerned about their children being judged on the basis of tests that, in some cases, don't seem to reliably correlate with actual learning or with successful college and career outcomes.

In the United States, both public and private schools use standardized assessments each school year. In public schools, students must undergo many tests to ensure they are meeting state or federal standards. Private schools have more leeway, although at Whitby we do require our students from Grade 2 on to complete the Comprehensive Testing Program from the Educational Records Bureau and the International Schools Assessment from the Australian Council for Educational Research.

At Whitby, we believe that standardized testing can benefit students-as long as it's looked at in the right light. Below we'll discuss some of the benefits of standardized assessments, as well as some of the ways standardised assessments can be negative for students.

The Pros and Cons of Standardized Testing

Pro # 1. Standardized testing is a metric for learning

When Whitby students are assessed through standardized testing, we gain a valuable metric we can use to check the quality of our curriculum. With exams created and given by an independent organization, standardized test scores are useful because they come from a neutral source and give us data that we can compare to other independent schools across the United States and with other international schools across the globe.

Pro # 2. Standardized testing helps pinpoint areas for improvement

When we receive standardized test data at Whitby, we use it to evaluate the effectiveness of our education program. We view standardized testing data as not only another set of data points to assess student performance , but also as a means to help us reflect on our curriculum. When we look at Whitby's assessment data, we can compare our students to their peers at other schools to determine what we're doing well within our educational continuum and where we need to invest more time and resources.

Pro # 3. Standardized tests can help schools evaluate progress

Assessment data is also useful for year-over-year internal comparisons. We compare data over a number of years to find trends-and then trace any changes back to their source. If the math scores of our fourth grade students suddenly jump, we want to identify what change led to the improved performance, and how we can continue to implement this within our curriculum. We're also able to use a student's historical assessment data to monitor their progress and uncover any challenges they may need to overcome (as well as identifying places where they have already improved and excelled.)
Now let's take a look at what we view as the most concerning aspects of standardized assessment:
Con #1. Test scores can impact confidence

A big disadvantage of standardized testing is that it's easy to interpret a student's score as the sole judgement of that student's ability. We're constantly emphasizing at Whitby that the number is only one point of data within an array of internal assessments across many subject areas that provide us with information on a student's learning progress. There are many cases where students have demonstrated clear understanding within a subject or concept through various assessments, but aren't as skilled at taking multiple choice tests. Nevertheless, it can be hard on a student if they feel that they didn't perform as well as they'd like. In worst case scenarios, instead of determining the entire picture of learning through a review of all assessment data with their teachers, a student might determine their success based on a standardized test score that is taken once a year..

Con #2. There's pressure to "teach to the test"

When standardized exams become all important in a school or district, it has a massive impact on teaching and learning. Educators frequently start "teaching to the test" if they feel that their evaluations (and jobs) solely depend on how well students perform. Educators may also stop trying new techniques and teaching methods in the classroom. With every minute counting on the way to their students' next exam, teachers will worry that an untested method will backfire and their students will score worse than before. This comes at the cost of inquiry, engagement, creativity and risk taking in student learning.

Con #3. Scores don't provide a true picture of a student's ability

Far too many people wrongly assume that standardized testing data provides a neutral authoritative assessment of a child's intellectual ability. Cultural factors, unfamiliarity with testing methods, test anxiety, and illness can wreak havoc with how well a student performs. For that reason, it's important to dig deeper when looking at a student's test scores. Does a low score indicate a lack of knowledge about the subject or a problem with taking the standardized test? For example, an excellent writer could struggle with picking out the right answer in a multiple choice grammar and punctuation test. Yet that same student could excel at composing well-thought out, logical essays about the literature they read and enjoyed in class.

It's also easy to assume that students who score high in math are good at processing information and reasoning abstractly, but that's not always the case. In fact, researchers have found that high standardized scores have little correlation with memory, attention and processing speed. High test scores could simply mean a student excels at rote memorization and multiple choice test taking.

Our Final Assessment

Standardized testing is truthfully a very difficult issue, because we do need internal and external assessments to measure student success. Assessments are useful when they're used as data to help schools improve the quality of the teaching and learning. They become harmful, however, when tests are used to judge students' natural abilities and when educators are put under pressure to "teach to the test." Schools and parents should always look at standardized tests not as a value judgement on the student, but as an additional data point that can provide some perspective on student learning.

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The Pros and Cons of Standardized Testing

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Standardized testing has ignited a national debate in the last few years (or decades), and many parents feel understandably concerned about their children being judged on the basis of tests that, in some cases, don't seem to reliably correlate with actual learning or with successful college and career outcomes.

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-- Not all students are strong test takers. Therefore, their scores could inaccurately represent what they know.
-- Tests put pressure on students.
-- Bad test scores can cause students to have low confidence.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Standardized testing has ignited a national debate in the last few years (or decades), and many parents feel understandably concerned about their children being judged on the basis of tests that, in some cases, don't seem to reliably correlate with actual learning or with successful college and career outcomes.

In the United States, both public and private schools use standardized assessments each school year. In public schools, students must undergo many tests to ensure they are meeting state or federal standards. Private schools have more leeway, although at Whitby we do require our students from Grade 2 on to complete the Comprehensive Testing Program from the Educational Records Bureau and the International Schools Assessment from the Australian Council for Educational Research.

At Whitby, we believe that standardized testing can benefit students-as long as it's looked at in the right light. Below we'll discuss some of the benefits of standardized assessments, as well as some of the ways standardised assessments can be negative for students.

The Pros and Cons of Standardized Testing

Pro # 1. Standardized testing is a metric for learning

When Whitby students are assessed through standardized testing, we gain a valuable metric we can use to check the quality of our curriculum. With exams created and given by an independent organization, standardized test scores are useful because they come from a neutral source and give us data that we can compare to other independent schools across the United States and with other international schools across the globe.

Pro # 2. Standardized testing helps pinpoint areas for improvement

When we receive standardized test data at Whitby, we use it to evaluate the effectiveness of our education program. We view standardized testing data as not only another set of data points to assess student performance , but also as a means to help us reflect on our curriculum. When we look at Whitby's assessment data, we can compare our students to their peers at other schools to determine what we're doing well within our educational continuum and where we need to invest more time and resources.

Pro # 3. Standardized tests can help schools evaluate progress

Assessment data is also useful for year-over-year internal comparisons. We compare data over a number of years to find trends-and then trace any changes back to their source. If the math scores of our fourth grade students suddenly jump, we want to identify what change led to the improved performance, and how we can continue to implement this within our curriculum. We're also able to use a student's historical assessment data to monitor their progress and uncover any challenges they may need to overcome (as well as identifying places where they have already improved and excelled.)
Now let's take a look at what we view as the most concerning aspects of standardized assessment:
Con #1. Test scores can impact confidence

A big disadvantage of standardized testing is that it's easy to interpret a student's score as the sole judgement of that student's ability. We're constantly emphasizing at Whitby that the number is only one point of data within an array of internal assessments across many subject areas that provide us with information on a student's learning progress. There are many cases where students have demonstrated clear understanding within a subject or concept through various assessments, but aren't as skilled at taking multiple choice tests. Nevertheless, it can be hard on a student if they feel that they didn't perform as well as they'd like. In worst case scenarios, instead of determining the entire picture of learning through a review of all assessment data with their teachers, a student might determine their success based on a standardized test score that is taken once a year..

Con #2. There's pressure to "teach to the test"

When standardized exams become all important in a school or district, it has a massive impact on teaching and learning. Educators frequently start "teaching to the test" if they feel that their evaluations (and jobs) solely depend on how well students perform. Educators may also stop trying new techniques and teaching methods in the classroom. With every minute counting on the way to their students' next exam, teachers will worry that an untested method will backfire and their students will score worse than before. This comes at the cost of inquiry, engagement, creativity and risk taking in student learning.

Con #3. Scores don't provide a true picture of a student's ability

Far too many people wrongly assume that standardized testing data provides a neutral authoritative assessment of a child's intellectual ability. Cultural factors, unfamiliarity with testing methods, test anxiety, and illness can wreak havoc with how well a student performs. For that reason, it's important to dig deeper when looking at a student's test scores. Does a low score indicate a lack of knowledge about the subject or a problem with taking the standardized test? For example, an excellent writer could struggle with picking out the right answer in a multiple choice grammar and punctuation test. Yet that same student could excel at composing well-thought out, logical essays about the literature they read and enjoyed in class.

It's also easy to assume that students who score high in math are good at processing information and reasoning abstractly, but that's not always the case. In fact, researchers have found that high standardized scores have little correlation with memory, attention and processing speed. High test scores could simply mean a student excels at rote memorization and multiple choice test taking.

Our Final Assessment

Standardized testing is truthfully a very difficult issue, because we do need internal and external assessments to measure student success. Assessments are useful when they're used as data to help schools improve the quality of the teaching and learning. They become harmful, however, when tests are used to judge students' natural abilities and when educators are put under pressure to "teach to the test." Schools and parents should always look at standardized tests not as a value judgement on the student, but as an additional data point that can provide some perspective on student learning.

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The Pros and Cons of Standardized Testing

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Standardized testing has ignited a national debate in the last few years (or decades), and many parents feel understandably concerned about their children being judged on the basis of tests that, in some cases, don't seem to reliably correlate with actual learning or with successful college and career outcomes.

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-- Teachers can differentiate Projects based off students needs.
-- Students further explore material taught in class.
-- Students can experience a subject in a relevant way.
-- Students explore their creativity.
-- The Teacher gets an overall idea of what the student has learned and understands.
-- Projects can address multiple objectives.

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7 Examples of Project-Based Learning Activities

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Spread the loveEven if you have never heard about all the research showing the effectiveness of project-based learning, it's not hard to figure out that it is a far more engaging way to learn than through traditional methods. What's not to love about engaging with a real-life problem or question and applying content knowledge and connections to various disciplines to solve it?

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-- Teachers are able to gain an understanding of where each student is with specific content areas.
--  Students have the chance to elaborate on their thinking.
--What the students write down paves the way for the discussion, and what needs to be addressed by the teacher.

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-- If a project is done in groups it is not an accurate representation of what each student knows.
-- Take home projects often times involve parents helping/doing the project.
-- Project topics don't always interest students, which can lead to lack of motivation.
--

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-- Help to gauge the progress of a student and what specific areas need improvement for the second half of the school year.
-- Teacher change their instruction based off the results of the students.

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-- Not all students are good test takers. Which can give an inaccurate representation of the students progress.
-- Bad grades can discourage students, and lead to low confidence.

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-- Helps teachers to understand what students retained from the unit being taught. They then can use this information to adjust their teaching/ or topic focus.
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-- Some students are not good tests takers, therefore the scores are inaccurate representations of what the student knows.
--- Students are only allowed a certain amount of time on tests which can make them feel pressured.
-- Not able to differentiate tests.

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-- The teacher is able to see the end results and also how the student got there.
-- This helps the teacher to get a deeper understanding of the progression of the students.

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--It is time consuming, because you have to collect student work over time

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-- Teachers are able to get personal insight from the student on their overall comprehension.
-- Teachers can create interview questions based off what they already know from formative assessments.

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-- Students don't always feel comfortable in situations like this.
-- This is time consuming.

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-- Students can go into more detail on their understanding of a topic.
--Essays/papers give more opprotunity for teachers to differentiate.

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-- ELL students and struggling writers will have more difficulty completing, and could lead to inaccurate representation of student achievement.

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-- Students embrace their creativity.
-- Students can improve on public speaking, and teaching their peers.

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-- Students who are nervous public speakers may struggle with this assessment.
-- Peer judgment might make the student less confident.

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How/why its used in the classroom:
For this assessment each table receives a die to roll. When the lesson or class has come to an end each table rolls the die. The number that the die lands on determines the question that they will answer aloud with the other students at their tables. Questions could be along the lines of, what is something I learned today?, What do I want to remember?, etc.

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Finding new and unique ideas for formative assessments is always a struggle. However, the team over at the Global Digital Citizen Foundation has some ideas in the following blog, originally posted on their site last April 1) Postcards From the Past.

Formative assessment tools used in the classroom provide critical feedback to teachers, helping them to monitor and modify their instruction methods and lesson plans. Teachers are better able to meet the unique needs of individual students, empowering them through personalized and timely feedback.
2) Collage or Poster

3) Journal

It's important to use a variety of teaching and learning formative assessments, changing them frequently to stimulate both students and teachers. Assessment techniques are only as limited as the teacher's imagination!

4) Doodle
Here are 12 awesome formative assessment examples that we like. These ideas are very creative, low tech, fun and engaging for students, and easy for a teacher to implement right away.

5) Caption Photos
Have students adopt the personality of a historical figure and write a postcard to another historical figure from the same era, discussing a significant event that has just occurred.
6) Metacognition Table
Ask students to make a collage or poster from magazine photos to demonstrate understanding of a concept.

Students periodically record their thoughts and feelings about how they are progressing in the class. They can also share feelings about particular assignments or indicate areas in which they may be experiencing difficulties in the classroom, either with the material, the teacher, or their classmates.

7) Four Corners
Challenge students to use a drawing rather than words to show understanding of a concept.

8) Vote with Thumbs
Choose three photos that represent a process. Ask students to caption each photo.

9) Stop & Go Cards
At the end of class, each student answers the following questions presented to them on index cards:

What did we do in class?

Why did we do it?

What did I learn today?

How can I apply it?

What questions do I have about it?

10) Twitter Board
This is a great way to encourage dynamic movement while learning multiple-choice questions. Designate each corner of the classroom to represent A, B, C, and D. Students go to the corner that they believe corresponds with the correct answer.

11) Roll the Die
Ask the class if they understand a concept. A thumbs up is "yes", thumbs down is "no," and "not sure," is thumbs middle.

Students create index cards with a large green marker circle on one side and red on the other. If they are following along and understanding the lesson, the green side of their card is upright and visible to you. When they do not understand something and need clarification, they flip the card to show you the red side.

12) Enthusiasm and Learning Formative Assessment Example Chart
Here is an alternative method that can be downloaded for free and printed on colored card stock for quick use.

Students summarize what was learned in a lesson using 140 characters. Pin small strips of paper to a poster or corkboard to resemble a Twitter feed.

Put a die at each desk. At the end of class, each student rolls and briefly answers aloud a question based on the number rolled:

1. I want to remember ...

2. Something I learned today

3. One word to sum up what I learned

4. Something I already knew

5. I'm still confused about ...

6. An "aha" moment that I had today

This chart is great for not only collecting feedback, but also introducing scatter plots to students. Students rank what they learned that day and how much they enjoyed the lessons. They then elaborate on a Post-It, offering details about what they found helpful to them in having a successful learning day. They can also share what prevented them from having a fulfilling day. Compile the data and discuss it in class the next day.

Hopefully these creative formative assessment examples have inspired you to devise your own engaging assessment tools! Let us know which methods you find to be the most fun and valuable.

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12 Awesome Formative Assessment Examples

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The Association of American Educators (AAE) is the largest national nonunion professional teachers association, advancing the profession through teacher advocacy and professional development, as well as promoting excellence in education, so that our members receive the respect, recognition and reward they deserve.

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How/Why it is used in the classroom:
For this assessment each student has a journal that he/she writes in. In the journal the students can reflect on what they have learned, what they have questions about, and reflections they have about their progress in the class.

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Finding new and unique ideas for formative assessments is always a struggle. However, the team over at the Global Digital Citizen Foundation has some ideas in the following blog, originally posted on their site last April 1) Postcards From the Past.

Formative assessment tools used in the classroom provide critical feedback to teachers, helping them to monitor and modify their instruction methods and lesson plans. Teachers are better able to meet the unique needs of individual students, empowering them through personalized and timely feedback.
2) Collage or Poster

3) Journal

It's important to use a variety of teaching and learning formative assessments, changing them frequently to stimulate both students and teachers. Assessment techniques are only as limited as the teacher's imagination!

4) Doodle
Here are 12 awesome formative assessment examples that we like. These ideas are very creative, low tech, fun and engaging for students, and easy for a teacher to implement right away.

5) Caption Photos
Have students adopt the personality of a historical figure and write a postcard to another historical figure from the same era, discussing a significant event that has just occurred.
6) Metacognition Table
Ask students to make a collage or poster from magazine photos to demonstrate understanding of a concept.

Students periodically record their thoughts and feelings about how they are progressing in the class. They can also share feelings about particular assignments or indicate areas in which they may be experiencing difficulties in the classroom, either with the material, the teacher, or their classmates.

7) Four Corners
Challenge students to use a drawing rather than words to show understanding of a concept.

8) Vote with Thumbs
Choose three photos that represent a process. Ask students to caption each photo.

9) Stop & Go Cards
At the end of class, each student answers the following questions presented to them on index cards:

What did we do in class?

Why did we do it?

What did I learn today?

How can I apply it?

What questions do I have about it?

10) Twitter Board
This is a great way to encourage dynamic movement while learning multiple-choice questions. Designate each corner of the classroom to represent A, B, C, and D. Students go to the corner that they believe corresponds with the correct answer.

11) Roll the Die
Ask the class if they understand a concept. A thumbs up is "yes", thumbs down is "no," and "not sure," is thumbs middle.

Students create index cards with a large green marker circle on one side and red on the other. If they are following along and understanding the lesson, the green side of their card is upright and visible to you. When they do not understand something and need clarification, they flip the card to show you the red side.

12) Enthusiasm and Learning Formative Assessment Example Chart
Here is an alternative method that can be downloaded for free and printed on colored card stock for quick use.

Students summarize what was learned in a lesson using 140 characters. Pin small strips of paper to a poster or corkboard to resemble a Twitter feed.

Put a die at each desk. At the end of class, each student rolls and briefly answers aloud a question based on the number rolled:

1. I want to remember ...

2. Something I learned today

3. One word to sum up what I learned

4. Something I already knew

5. I'm still confused about ...

6. An "aha" moment that I had today

This chart is great for not only collecting feedback, but also introducing scatter plots to students. Students rank what they learned that day and how much they enjoyed the lessons. They then elaborate on a Post-It, offering details about what they found helpful to them in having a successful learning day. They can also share what prevented them from having a fulfilling day. Compile the data and discuss it in class the next day.

Hopefully these creative formative assessment examples have inspired you to devise your own engaging assessment tools! Let us know which methods you find to be the most fun and valuable.

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12 Awesome Formative Assessment Examples

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The Association of American Educators (AAE) is the largest national nonunion professional teachers association, advancing the profession through teacher advocacy and professional development, as well as promoting excellence in education, so that our members receive the respect, recognition and reward they deserve.

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How/Why it is used in the classroom:
This assessment is one that can be done in groups. Each group gets its own chart and colored marker. The students will be given a certain amount of time to complete their chart, and then they pass it along to another group for them to fill out. This is a way for the entire class to reflect on their thoughts as well as their peers.

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Classroom Techniques: Formative Assessment Idea Number Seven

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Some formative assessment ideas that can be used in the classroom to engage the entire class, provide feedback to teachers on lesson understanding and comprehension, and improve student learning.

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-- The Teacher can get immidiate feedback on what the students are thinking by walking around and listening to conversations.
--- The teacher is there to help guide student thinking.
--- Students and their peers can challenge each others thinking.

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-- This gives teachers an insight to each students individual daily thoughts about what they're learning and what they're understanding, so the teacher can use these thoughts and reflections to adjust daily lessons.
-- Students can reflect openly about different aspects of their learning.
-- Students who are too shy to speak up or ask questions can record those questions in their journal.
-- This is a quick process that can happen at any point during class, and the teacher does not have to take time out of their day to read all of them.

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-- Students build on each others knowledge.
-- Teacher can get immediate feedback by observing process

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-- Students that are more shy about speaking might not participate as much in the conversation.
-- The teacher is not able to get an understanding of each students individual comprehension.

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-- Not all students are strong writers, and might not be able to convey their thoughts as successfully as other students.

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-- Shyer students might not voice their ideas/thoughts.
-- Teacher can't gauge individual comprehension.

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--Teacher is able to get immediate feedback from all students.

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How it is used in the classroom:
This assessment can be used at anytime during the class in order to check student comprehension. At anytime the teacher can pause the lesson and ask the students to give a thumbs up or down to show if they understand what they have discussed.

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Another formative assessment which is simple and quick--letting you know immediately how well the students are understanding the concepts is the thumbs up and thumbs down technique. Just ask them how well they "get it" by giving a thumbs up or thumbs down sign. I also allow them to show degrees of understanding by putting their thumb anywhere on the spectrum between up and down (hence the "all-around" in the title).

Other variations, that I've heard teachers use, are to put the sign right up against the chest, so that others in the classroom have a hard time seeing it or having students close their eyes when they do it. These may be necessary in the beginning of the year, in some cases, but should wain as trust builds in the room and students learn it's all right to admit they don't understand something or that they are wrong about something.

It's quick. It's simple.There's no reading involved. It's just an easy way to check for understanding and let the teacher know if she can go on or if she has to change tactics on the fly and take a different approach. And that's what formative assessment is all about-changing things up so that all the students get it in the end.

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Formative Assessment: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, Thumbs All-Around

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Another formative assessment which is simple and quick--letting you know immediately how well the students are understanding the concepts is the thumbs up and thumbs down technique. Just ask them how well they "get it" by giving a thumbs up or thumbs down sign.

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This assessment is one that can be done at any point in a lesson to get a quick understanding of where all the students are at with a topic. For this assessment students can answer a question anonymously through some type of electronic device.

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Audience response systems are a quick, engaging way to pause a lecture and see how well students are understanding the material.

©Shutterstock.com/Sahacha Nilkumhang

Teachers continually search for ways to increase engagement and comprehension in their classrooms. Audience response systems (ARS)-like clickers, for example-can be one tool for achieving those outcomes. ARS have been shown to increase student attendance, exam grades, final grades, attention, and engagement.

A major objection to ARS is that the purchase of clickers and accompanying software can be cost-prohibitive. Opting for a free web-based tool like Poll Everywhere is one work-around.

How This Option Works

Poll Everywhere allows teachers to construct multiple choice and open-ended questions that can be used to pause a lecture in order to take a quick formative snapshot of how well students are understanding the material.

One reason to use this particular ARS is that it allows you to construct questions in multiple formats. Instead of being locked into writing multiple choice questions, as with some ARS, you can also write prompts that allow students to express their thoughts qualitatively. Examples of open-ended prompts include "One thing I don't quite understand is..." and "A topic I'm concerned about is..." and, on a more engaging level, "An example of this topic in real life is...."

When you present questions to students, it's through a web browser projected at the front of the class. Student can respond on phones, tablets, or computers. You then have the opportunity to see how many students answered correctly in the case of multiple-choice items, or whether there are any themes in their responses to open-ended items.

Why You Should Consider Using It

There are six major outcomes that some research suggests can be attained by teachers who use Poll Everywhere or something similar:

1. Teachers get a larger number of responses: In a typical lecture, only a small handful of students will volunteer to answer a question. The remaining students are either embarrassed to answer ("What if I'm wrong?"), don't know the answer, or are not paying attention. The teacher has no idea what's brewing in the minds of the students. The anonymity of the responses on Poll Everywhere encourages 100 percent engagement, which naturally increases the number of students who are thinking about the material.

2. Students report that they're more active and engaged: There's no risk in thinking about and attempting to answer a question because answers are anonymous. And the questions can break up the monotony of a lecture. A study by L. T. Benjamin Jr. suggests that most people can only focus on a speech for a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes before the mind wanders. If a lecture is broken into 10-minute chunks, followed by a question or two, the change can bring students back to attention.
Courtesy of Poll Everywhere
3. There's increased motivation to try to understand the material: The students who want to do well will be motivated to grapple with the questions and attempt to answer, in order to get feedback about where they stand. And when students are prompted to answer ARS questions in pairs or small groups, some research shows that the conversations they have are truly on-topic and seriously engaged.

4. The questions help students clarify their thinking: They get positive or negative feedback about what they're learning, which can give them information about what to focus on when they study. This idea is very Piagetian/constructivist, in that errors are powerful sources of information that incentivize students to correct those errors. As one student put it, "The questions are either a confidence builder or a wake-up call."

5. Students can use their phones and computers in class: Their precious technology can be seen as enabling learning, not a distraction. Especially if they are used to classroom environments where technology is prohibited, just the act of using devices with teacher approval can be exciting and bring students into the activity.

6. Using questions can do a lot for the teacher: It requires the teacher to prepare the questions, which can center attention on the material and provide insights about how to teach the material in a better way. Using questions also gives the teacher an opportunity to adjust the pace of the class based on how well students seem to be understanding the content. Questions can open up a discussion about why the results turned out the way they did, helping teachers and students think of new examples and applications to make the material more understandable.

Using an ARS is not a panacea. Answering questions on a phone is not the same thing as answering deeper questions on an exam. In order to keep students from walking away from class with a false sense of mastery, it's important for teachers to use the responses to well-constructed ARS questions as a platform for taking the classroom conversation deeper. You can ask a question or two and then ask the students to help you interpret the class responses. Talking out loud with them about what the data say in the aggregate can be a powerful exercise in metacognition.

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Audience response systems are a quick, engaging way to pause a lecture and see how well students are understanding the material. ©Shutterstock.com/Sahacha Nilkumhang Teachers continually search for ways to increase engagement and comprehension in their classrooms. Audience response systems (ARS)-like clickers, for example-can be one tool for achieving those outcomes.

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-- Some students may fear judgment from their peers.

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-- Shyer students will fell comfortable answering through this type of assessment.
-- The teacher is able to get immediate feedback from entire class.
-- Quick and easy process.

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-- Some students might guess since it is anonymous giving false feedback to the teacher.
-- no opportunity for differentiation.