This volume takes an in-depth look at the problems and practices involved in conducting formative assessments in middle school mathematics classrooms. In these chapters, researchers and teachers identify the challenges teachers faced as they attempted to implement new assessment procedures, moving from more traditional methods to an emphasis in the quality of student work. This authoritative book: Documents the shift from traditional ways of judging student performance (tests to measure what students know) to reform notions of mathematical literacy (documenting students' growth in understanding specific content domains); Discusses four key steps in the change process that helped teachers to accomplish the necessary shift in assessment practices. Includes two chapters written by teachers that describe their personal experiences with implementing these new practices in the classroom and outlines a professional development program that evolved as a consequence of the work done by the teachers and students discussed in this book.

Smart implementation of the Common Core State Standards requires both an overall understanding of the standards and a grasp of their implications for planning, teaching, and learning. This Quick-Start Guide provides a succinct, all-in-one look at * The structure, terminology, and emphases of the Common Core mathematics standards at the high school level, including the areas that represent the most significant changes to business as usual. * The meaning of the individual content standards, addressed by domain and cluster, within all five conceptual categories--Number and Quantity, Algebra, Functions, Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. * How the content standards, practice standards, and designated modeling standards connect across domains, categories, grade bands, and traditional course boundaries to help students develop both deep conceptual understanding and functional, real-world application skills. Here, mathematics teachers and teacher leaders will find information they need to begin adapting their courses and practices to ensure all students master the new and challenging material the standards present and graduate ready for college or career. A practical lesson planning process to use with the Common Core, based on Classroom Instruction That Works, 2nd Ed., is included, along with three sample lessons. LEARN THE ESSENTIALS OF THE COMMON CORE The grade-level and subject-specific Quick-Start Guides in the Understanding the Common Core Standards series, edited by John Kendall, are designed to help school leaders and school staffs turn Common Core standards into coherent, content-rich curriculum and effective, classroom-level lessons.

Learn how to overcome the knowing-doing gap in standards-based learning systems, and move toward unpacking the standards and learning targets your students need.

Get to know which practices related to curriculum, instruction, and assessment are essential to make learning the goal for every student! You’ll learn how to Create learning targets that are scalable and transferable within and across units Develop instructional scales for each learning target Design non-scored practice activities and assessments Introduce and model skills that will be assessed and design tasks that allow students to use these skills Differentiate instruction and activities based on data from various types of assessments Maintain a gradebook that tracks summative achievement of learning targets, and score assessments accordingly Communicate progress clearly and efficiently with students and families

This updated comprehensive training package helps middle school mathematics staff developers clarify the meaning of standards, evaluate assessments in terms of their alignment to standards, and plan student learning experiences that reflect standards-based teaching practices. Codeveloped by WestEd and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), this second edition contains the current NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, Grades 6-8. It includes updated resources and research on mathematics assessment, mathematics professional development, evaluation of professional development, and mathematics teaching and learning. Also provided are sample scripts for professional development sessions; blackline masters for handouts and transparencies; planning guides; assessment items from the Third International Math and Science Study and the National Assessment of Educational Progress; and a related PBSMathline®video.

Anyone responsible for the curriculum review and selection process within a district will find this book essential reading.

Pinpoint and reverse math misconceptions with laser-like accuracy Here’s the middle-grades math resource you’ve been waiting for! Bestselling authors Cheryl Tobey and Carolyn Arline are back with 25 entirely new assessment probes that pinpoint subconcepts within the new Common Core Standards for Mathematics to promote deep learning and expert math instruction. Learn to ask the right questions to uncover common student misconceptions. Get practical instructional ideas that build new and accurate skills--while learning is already underway. It’s all here in this detailed and grade-level specific guide. Organized by strand, the probes will enable you to: Quickly and objectively evaluate common misconceptions around fractions and decimals, linear equations, ratios and percents, statistics, and more Systematically address conceptual misunderstandings and procedural mistakes--before they become long-term problems Help students better understand areas of difficulty Plan targeted instruction that builds on students’ current understandings while addressing areas of struggle Master the essential CCSM mathematical processes and proficiencies for Grades 6-8 You’ll find sample student responses, extensive Teacher Notes, and research-based tips and resources. Eliminate the guesswork and join thousands of busy middle-grades teachers who’ve used these easy-to-implement tools to foster solid math proficiency! "This book will definitely help mathematics teachers now that the CCSS are becoming such a big part of our teaching." —Debra A. Scarpelli, Middle School Mathematics Teacher RIMLE President, PARCC/CCSS ELC Cadre for Rhode Island, and Adjunct Professor