As continues, we offer this advice from Dan Fowler, Assistant Principal at Eastern Elementary School, Washington County, Maryland.
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听Using the Formative Assessment Process with Teachers to Improve Instructional Practice
The Maryland Department of Education defines 鈥渇ormative assessment鈥� as听鈥渁 process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students鈥� achievement of intended instructional outcomes.鈥�
听Following 鈥渢he听5 Critical Attributes of Formative Assessment鈥澨齝an truly transform a teacher鈥檚 practice, but can also be transformational for their students.
5 Critical Attributes of Formative Assessment
As a school administrator, I have watched teachers who participated in our FAME (Formative Assessment for Maryland Educators) Cohort transform their practice and implement these听critical attributes. I have also observed how powerful the process of听formative assessment听is in their classrooms and its impact on student growth.
As I went through the FAME Cohort with my teachers, I too began to transform my practice as an administrator and instructional leader.听Collaborating with teachers through formative assessment allowed me to provide more descriptive feedback. It also allowed me to support teachers in their own learning to improve instructional practice.
鈥淗ow can I use the formative assessment process with teachers to improve instructional practice, but also impact student learning?鈥�
The Solution
When teachers develop SLOs (Student Learning Objectives), they identify a specific learning goal and a specific measure of student learning used to track progress toward that goal. Teachers must also identify the professional development, materials, and resources that will support their instruction and assist students in meeting their growth target.
My vision this school year is to work with teachers to develop an听instructional goal, connected to the teacher鈥檚 SLO, that will help shape their overall approach to instruction and ensure students learn.
From the teacher听instructional goal, I collaborate with individual teachers to develop a听Criteria for Success听that will identify key听instructional strategies that are specific, concrete, and descriptive of what success looks like.
This听Criteria for Success听will assist teachers in:
- Clarifying expectations within instructional practices to help them meet their instructional goals,
- Obtaining feedback around their instructional practices related to their Student Learning Objective,
- Providing descriptive and specific feedback that encourages reflection,
- Developing next steps to refine instructional practice related to the teacher鈥檚 instructional goal, and
- Promoting teacher self-assessment.
As an instructional leader, I feel it necessary to utilize the formative process to engage in dialogue, descriptive feedback, and reflection around instruction. By utilizing the听5 Critical Attributes of Formative Assessment听in a coaching method with teachers, I can provide feedback to teachers that will promote the improvement of instructional practice, but also impact student learning. In turn, I hope this process will promote self- and peer-assessment, and lead to a collaborative culture where we are all partners in improving instruction.听Furthermore, this process will help teachers feel comfortable in taking instructional risks and becoming empowered to take ownership of their own learning.