Advancing Formative Assessment in Every Classroom: A Guide for Instructional Leaders

by Connie M. Moss, Susan M. Brookhart

Formative assessment is one of the best ways to increase student learning and enhance teacher quality. But effective formative assessment is not part of most classrooms, largely because teachers misunderstand what it is and don't have the necessary skills to implement it. In this practical guide for school leaders, authors Connie M. Moss and Susan M. Brookhart define formative assessment as an active, continual process in which teachers and students work together—every day, every minute—to gather evidence of learning, always keeping in mind three guiding Where am I going? Where am I now? What strategy or strategies can help me get to where I need to go? Chapters focus on the six elements of formative (1) sharing learning targets and criteria for success, (2) feedback that feeds forward, (3) student goal setting, (4) student self-assessment, (5) strategic teacher questioning, and (6) engaging students in asking effective questions. Using specific examples based on their extensive work with teachers, the authors provide
* "Strategic talking points" and "conversation starters" to address common misconceptions about formative assessment;

* Practical classroom strategies to share with teachers;

* Ways to model the elements of formative assessment in conversations with teachers about their professional learning;

* "What if" scenarios and advice for how to deal with them; and

* Questions for reflection to gauge understanding and progress.
As Moss and Brookhart emphasize, the goal is not to "do" formative assessment, but to embrace a major cultural change that moves away from teacher-led instruction to a "partnership of intentional inquiry" between student and teacher, with better teaching and learning as the outcome.

Genres: Education, Professional Development, Teaching, Nonfiction

167 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like how this book is organized; it provides an overview and sets the groundwork for formative assessment before offering strategies. I am especially pleased with the chapter on teaching learners to ask their own questions to guide them in their learning. I have read quite a few formative assessment books, and this is one of the best ones. This book, unlike the others I have read, is meant for school leader to use as they work with their staff to learn how to use formative assessment. Of course, teachers can read this book on their own and apply what they learn, but it would be fabulous for administration to read this and help their entire staff understand the purpose of formative assessment. We have so many misunderstandings around this. Teachers take note: Brookhart has other formative assessment books designed for classroom educators.

With checklists, surveys, info boxes, and graphics, there are excellent ready made materials to help us on our journey. This book helps us to understand that formative assessment is a PROCESS and not just a quiz or homework check.

[Amandalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

We did a book club read of this book in our ILT. Really great ideas about questioning and how that should look. The idea that you make mindful decisions of what is best for the students NOT you the teacher. Really emphasizes the importance behind why we lesson plan. Many great supports provided to the leader to assist the the teachers. Also really enjoyed the feedback chapter from the coaches viewpoint. Their needs to be a purpose in and when and how feedback is provided. The layout of having misconceptions in each chapter and then how to overcome them made it easy to feel confident in applying a change. Often in reading teacher books like this it’s overwhelming to think about making a change. I didn’t fell like that as I read and we discussed.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, effective, and helpful. I loved the way the authors organized the chapters logically and coherently, using the same formative questions throughout. An accessible and functional resource!

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Assigned reading for graduate school. Informative look at assessment with reasonable action steps to roll it out.

[Garrett Zecker · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book by Moss and Brookhart is an overview of the different methodology behind formative assessment, how it works with the classroom community to bridge learning with proper quality questioning, and methods to measure your own success in the implementation of a variety of formative assessment models to make sure that your students are finding a variety of opportunities to prove their knowledge throughout the process of instruction.

I enjoyed this book, and the resources they provide throughout the text are helpful and immediately implementable in the classroom. I have found that using formative assessment in a variety of ways is extremely helpful in keeping students engaged, and allowing them to understand the level of discourse that is required in the classroom and required of the texts we are reading or the pieces we are writing. While I have used formative assessment for a long time, the methods that are presented (and ways of measuring the implementation) are useful and easy to roll out in planning lessons, discussions, and checking student growth.

That said, there are a lot of things that this book is wholly bizarre – for instance, the insistence and reiteration by the authors that if it were only for correct quality questioning, an instructor could find that students have a great deal more motivation, buy in, and engagement with their education overall. I thought that this was ridiculous – especially in classrooms where I have a lot of high-poverty, English Language Learners, or other types of education-gap-challenged students trying to navigate the higher levels with the same strategies that didn't work in earlier levels. They will literally say, “I didn't read that,” in response to questioning, and if they haven't read there is no opportunity for discussion. I think that this claim in a technical manual is completely unfounded, and yet it isn't presented as a suggestion but as untested fact.

I also think that this book is not worth the price tag that is printed on it. It is helpful, but at a little over 150 pages of techniques that are a little helpful, $30 is steep. I think I wouldn't mind if there was a great deal more resources in the book or available online to people who purchased the book, but this seems like a publisher who is parading around something that could easily be similarly presented in a few minutes with the handouts as a supreme technical manual. Also, some of the research is somewhat anecdotal and opinion, but is presented as fact.

Regardless, there are some really helpful elements of this text, and I think that if it weren't so expensive it would be a useful tool for any teacher at any level to have on their bookshelf... but wait for a used copy.

[Leanna Aker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book that discusses many aspects of formative assessment in the classroom, including setting learning targets, effective questioning, and helping students become effective questioners. This book is intended for educational leaders, but it is very applicable and relevant for classroom teachers to read. What is perhaps best about this book, is that it really changes the educator or educational leader to dig deep, past the initial gut "I already do this" or "this is just a fad" mentality. Research is presented in a matter of fact way. At the end, there is really no question that implementing effective formative assessment will help your students to learn and become self-regulated learners. Highly recommend.

[Deborah Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Best for an instructional leader and probably a brand new teacher to understand formative assessment and what it looks like.