See like a Coach: Considering the lenses we use in Formative Assessment
Formative assessment
a process of gathering evidence within the stream of instruction in order to inform teaching and learning (Black, Harrison et al., 2004). To be considered formative, the evidence must be “elicited, interpreted, and used by both teachers and learners” (Wiliam, 2011, p. 43)
We hear all about the benefits of formative assessment but what is it and how do you do it…well. The Formative Assessment Conference put on by the Center for Mathematics and Science Education attempted to answer that question for mathematics educators from across the state (and beyond) the past two days. My contribution to the conference was a talk called “Considering the Source: The Lenses we use when we Assess” where I used an interesting situation from my own teaching to illustrate the idea of seeing like coach versus a critic. (As I was figuring out how to talk about this idea of different lenses to use in formative assessment I heard this podcast by Perry Noble on “Coach v. Critic”, so you will hear some parallels in this talk. Just want to give credit where credit is due.)
