Tools: Initial Thoughts & Further Reflection

Activity 4: A Tool for Inquiry - Summary
Initial Thoughts
Linda Dager Wilson writes: "Students counted as worthy of their energy in this class only those tasks or activities that were reviewed and then recorded in the grade book."	"Does this count for a grade?" That question is very familiar. One of the most tenacious set of assumptions students bring to class is that answers go into little boxes or fill-in spaces. Another assumption, this one from teachers, is that sums in boxes, or checks kept in a grade book, accurately assess understanding. Two themes occupy our considerations of assessment: Restructuring assessment means including evaluation and measurement, while valuing reflection, communication, and reasoning. Student expectation and school climate must move to admit and support the valuing of reasoning and communication in assessment.
	One hour to post your ideas and read the postings of others.
Assignments:
Please compose some comments on Linda Dager Wilson's article. What made sense about Linda's commentary on Ms. League's experiences? Do you have any solutions to offer? Post your comments in your Primary Cohort discussion area. Look for the Tools: Summary Activity 4 thread. You should read the comments of others and make three of your own. Try to deepen discussion threads. Consider counterpoint reflections.
Go to your Primary Cohort Discussion Area using the following pulldown menus.
Further Reflection
Inquiry may be great but what about assessment of what students learned?	Ms. League's classroom may have described familiar scenes to you. We al read about reform and get excited about new ideaas and ways of teaching. But when we try this stuff our, sometimes our students don't share our enthusiasm. Take this time to deepen the dialogue about how to connect assessment with new, inquiry-based strategies.
	TWO HOURS One hour to post your ideas. One hour to comment on postings and other reflections.
Assignments:
Do you find your own practice portrayed in Wilson's article? Ms. League wanted to implement new assessment, extending the idea of "doing" mathematics, but was somehow blind sided by her own vision of assessment and by student expectations. What successes have you had in this area? Can you share them? What assistance does the content module you've been working with provide to support richer assessment in your classroom? Authentic assessment must involve students as owners of their own knowledge products. How do you get students to value and "buy in" to this vision? Post your comments in your Primary Cohort Discussion Area. Look for the Tools: Summary Activity 4 thread. You should read the comments of others and make four of your own. Try to deepen discussion threads. Consider making counterpoint reflections.
Go to your Primary Cohort Discussion Area using the following pulldown menus.

Linda Dager Wilson writes: "Students counted as worthy of their energy in this class only those tasks or activities that were reviewed and then recorded in the grade book."

Inquiry may be great but what about assessment of what students learned?