Classroom Dessert: Putting Assessment Into Student’s Hands

By John Stevens and Matt Vaudrey
December 1, 2016

Dessert.
Assessment.

These terms will make some of us perk up with excitement. After all, there’s so much that can be enjoyed! For the rest of us, they bring back harrowing memories of extra work for a lackluster result, a boxed product with more time spent prepping than enjoying, or something that you’d just like to outsource. And don’t even get us started about the cleanup.

As the chef of your classroom, some of your options deviate from the norm when looking to formatively or summatively assess your students. Math teachers in particular have been stifled in the department of creativity with assessment and it’s time to take that back.

Here’s how assessments are usually laid out for our students:

• Created by the teacher
• Students comply with a model product
• Teacher determines the time spent on-task
• Hours of monotonous grading
• No student voice
• No student choice

Most importantly, no risk-taking. 
No culture-generating.

These desserts aren’t just bland, they’re ineffective. As long as the students are compliant, they will fit into the expected set of outcomes, and you’re stuck grading 150 poster-boards on Memorial Day weekend.

Let’s change the mindset about assessment. Let’s make it more like dessert.

“Class, what are some ways that you could prove to me that you know something?”

Ask this question to your class prior to an assessment and see what bubbles up to the top. In “ The Classroom Chef,” we share the experiences of students who are empowered to take a risk and prove their mastery of Triangle Congruence Theorems. Among them is Russell, the student in your class whose penmanship is less than desirable, behavior is mercurial, and motivation is lacking a spark plug. If the teacher pressures Russell to step far out of his comfort zone—to meet his classmates in theirs—the product won’t exactly incite pride in his work.

So let’s change that. Let’s find a unique way to assess students such that their voice is heard.

Especially with the increased integration of technology, students have more opportunities for assessment than ever before, yet we aren’t getting the most out of the student access. Not every student is going to make a music video, nor will they all make dreamcatchers or foldables, but some will; let’s find ways to respect and celebrate that.

During our session at NCTM, attendees will be immersed in a similar environment and asked to work with their peers to share what they have learned during the conference to that point. We truly hope that you’ll join us for a meaningful conversation about dessert, turning it back into the best part of a meal.

Bring your appetite to San Antonio.

Be sure not to miss John and Matt's session at the 2017 NCTM Annual Meeting in San Antonio:

Classroom Dessert: Putting Assessment Into Student’s Hands
A fine meal is topped off by a carefully-crafted dessert; in the classroom, it’s called “assessment,” and it often lacks flavor. The authors of “The Classroom Chef” re-think how we assess our students, empowering them by tapping into their voice. Leave with ready-to-use resources for authentic assessment in your class.