C381 ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS METHODS UPDATED
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. Summative Assessments
Answer:
cumulative evaluations that might generate a single score, such as an end-of-unit test or the standardized
test that is used in your state or school districts.
Question:
2. Formative Assessment
Answer:
"along the way" evaluations that monitor who is learning and who is not, which then helps form the next
lessons.
Question:
3. The Mathematics Standard
Answer:
Use NCTM and state or local standards to establish what mathematics students should know and be able to
do and base assessments on those essential concepts and processes
• Develop assessments that encourage the application of mathematics to real and sometimes novel
situations
• Focus on significant and correct mathematics
Question:
4. The Learning Standard
Answer:
• Incorporate assessment as an integral part of instruction and not an interruption or a singular event at the
end of a unit of study
• Inform students about what content is important and what is valued by emphasizing those ideas in your
instruction and matching your assessments to the models and methods used
• Listen thoughtfully to your students so that further instruction will not be based on guesswork but instead
on evidence of students' misunderstandings or needs
Question:
5. The Equity Standard
Answer:
• Respect the unique qualities, experiences, and expertise of all students
• Maintain high expectations for students while recognizing their individual needs
• Incorporate multiple approaches to assessing students, including the provision of accommodations and
modifications for students with special needs
Question:
6. The Openness Standard
, Answer:
• Establish with students the expectations for their performance and how they can demonstrate what they
know
• Avoid just looking at answers and give attention to the examination of the thinking processes students
used
• Provide students with examples of responses that meet expectations and those that don't meet
expectations
Question:
7. The Inferences Standard
Answer:
• Reflect seriously and honestly on what students are revealing about what they know
• Use multiple assessments (e.g., observations, interviews, tasks, tests) to draw conclusions about students'
performance
• Avoid bias by establishing a rubric that describes the evidence needed and the value of each component
used for scoring
Question:
8. The Coherence Standard
Answer:
• Match your assessment techniques with both the objectives of your instruction and the methods of your
instruction
• Ensure that assessments are a reflection of the content you want students to learn
• Develop a system of assessment that allows you to use the results to inform your instruction in a feedback
loop
Question:
9. Monitoring Student Progress
Answer:
Assessment provides both teacher and students with ongoing feedback concerning progress toward
learning objectives and long-term goals. Assessment during instruction should inform each individual
student and the teacher about problem-solving ability and growth toward understanding of mathematical
concepts, mathematical practices, and procedural fluency.
Question:
10. Making Instructional Decisions
Answer:
Teachers planning tasks to develop student understanding must have information about how students are
thinking and what naïve ideas they are using. Daily problem solving and discussion provide a much richer
and more useful array of data than can be gathered from a chapter test. This "on the spot" collection of
evidence comes at a time when you can actually formulate plans to help students develop ideas and make
changes rather than remediate after the fact.
Question:
11. Evaluating Student Achievement
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. Summative Assessments
Answer:
cumulative evaluations that might generate a single score, such as an end-of-unit test or the standardized
test that is used in your state or school districts.
Question:
2. Formative Assessment
Answer:
"along the way" evaluations that monitor who is learning and who is not, which then helps form the next
lessons.
Question:
3. The Mathematics Standard
Answer:
Use NCTM and state or local standards to establish what mathematics students should know and be able to
do and base assessments on those essential concepts and processes
• Develop assessments that encourage the application of mathematics to real and sometimes novel
situations
• Focus on significant and correct mathematics
Question:
4. The Learning Standard
Answer:
• Incorporate assessment as an integral part of instruction and not an interruption or a singular event at the
end of a unit of study
• Inform students about what content is important and what is valued by emphasizing those ideas in your
instruction and matching your assessments to the models and methods used
• Listen thoughtfully to your students so that further instruction will not be based on guesswork but instead
on evidence of students' misunderstandings or needs
Question:
5. The Equity Standard
Answer:
• Respect the unique qualities, experiences, and expertise of all students
• Maintain high expectations for students while recognizing their individual needs
• Incorporate multiple approaches to assessing students, including the provision of accommodations and
modifications for students with special needs
Question:
6. The Openness Standard
, Answer:
• Establish with students the expectations for their performance and how they can demonstrate what they
know
• Avoid just looking at answers and give attention to the examination of the thinking processes students
used
• Provide students with examples of responses that meet expectations and those that don't meet
expectations
Question:
7. The Inferences Standard
Answer:
• Reflect seriously and honestly on what students are revealing about what they know
• Use multiple assessments (e.g., observations, interviews, tasks, tests) to draw conclusions about students'
performance
• Avoid bias by establishing a rubric that describes the evidence needed and the value of each component
used for scoring
Question:
8. The Coherence Standard
Answer:
• Match your assessment techniques with both the objectives of your instruction and the methods of your
instruction
• Ensure that assessments are a reflection of the content you want students to learn
• Develop a system of assessment that allows you to use the results to inform your instruction in a feedback
loop
Question:
9. Monitoring Student Progress
Answer:
Assessment provides both teacher and students with ongoing feedback concerning progress toward
learning objectives and long-term goals. Assessment during instruction should inform each individual
student and the teacher about problem-solving ability and growth toward understanding of mathematical
concepts, mathematical practices, and procedural fluency.
Question:
10. Making Instructional Decisions
Answer:
Teachers planning tasks to develop student understanding must have information about how students are
thinking and what naïve ideas they are using. Daily problem solving and discussion provide a much richer
and more useful array of data than can be gathered from a chapter test. This "on the spot" collection of
evidence comes at a time when you can actually formulate plans to help students develop ideas and make
changes rather than remediate after the fact.
Question:
11. Evaluating Student Achievement
