Formative Assessment Lessons

Mathematics Formative Assessment Lessons help to transform mathematics classrooms at all grade levels.  Gates' Foundation funded Shell Center Mathematics Assessment Project lessons are used for this professional development for grades 6-12 teachers.  Kentucky Department of Education Mathematics Specialists' created lessons are used for teachers of Kindergarten through 5th grade.  Concept-focused lessons and Problem Solving lessons are investigated by the participants.  

These are the five key strategies (Dylan Wiliam, 2008) which serve as the foci for this professional development:

• Clarifying learning intentions and sharing criteria for success;
• Engineering effective discussions, questions, and learning tasks that elicit evidence of learning;
• Providing feedback that moves the learner forward;
• Activating students as owners of their own learning;
• Activating students as instructional resources for one another.

The big idea and these five strategies summarize the theory of formative assessment that underpins development of the Formative Assessment Lessons

There is no charge for Kentucky Public School Districts.  Jenny Ray works closely with 18 school districts in Northern Kentucky.  If you are in a different school district from the Northern Kentucky area, Jenny will be able to connect you with another mathematics specialist in your area of the state who may be able to provide very similar services.