What impact does formative assessment have on math achievement in a second grade classroom?

Seminar Title

What impact does formative assessment have on math achievement in a second grade classroom?

Feedback, Engagement, Differentiation

2nd Grade

Elementary

Mathematics

All Disciplines

Assessment. This is a word that can bring panic to teachers and students alike. The thought of end-of-unit tests, papers, and multiple choice questions loom only to give students a grade and then move on from the subject completely because of the lack of time. Summative assessments focus on the results of learning and bypasses the process of learning. Chances to catch student misconceptions and understandings have come and gone and now it is time to move on. I chose to implement formative assessment practices during my math time in my second grade classroom. The strategies that I put into practice were not time consuming and provided quick data to monitor student learning and gave instant feedback to myself and students. I found that feedback, engagement, and differentiation have crucial connections to formative assessment. Formative assessment strategies are beneficial and necessary in every discipline that we teach. From my seminar, I hope that participants can walk away with a different understanding of the concepts of formative assessment and how it is possible in every content area. I also hope that the anxiety that may come along with the word ‘assessment’ can be eased while we learn how powerful formative assessments can be for our classrooms.