FIP Thoughts
Introduction to Formative Instructional Practice
An Introduction
We have started great conversation about Formative Instructional Practices with a focus on empowering students and providing opportunities for them to be active participants in their learning. After our first meeting Burnette teachers shared the following thoughts:
I used to think "It would be one more thing to do."
Now I know that "it includes observations, student feedback, teacher collaboration, and student directed learning."
My thoughts of FIP.."I think it is just what good teaching is about. I liked the analogy to coaching. Great teachers are always watching and listening to students, finding successes, and thinking about how to move forward "coaching" kids.
Exactly! These are best practices we see everyday in classrooms. As teachers we want to continue to have thoughtful and constructive conversations with out students and offer multiple opportunities for students to monitor their learning and more importantly their progress.
We want to continue to think of how we can effectively and consistently...
*Create clear learning targets
*Analyze student data
*Provide opportunities for peer feedback (student to student)
*Collect evidence of student learning
*Provide teacher feedback for student learning
*Student self assessment
*Work with our peers to create common assessments
Rick Stiggins leaves us with a power message
"We help students build a strong sense of academic efficacy when we help them understand that their role in the assessment environment is to strive to understand what success looks like. When we show them how to use each assessment to determine how to do better the next time, assessments become far more than merely one-time events attached to the end of the teaching. They become part of the learning process by keeping students posted on their progress and confident enough to continue striving." (Stiggins, 2008)
We want students to walk away from a learning opportunity being able to answer the following questions:
1. Where am I going?
2. Where am I now?
3. How can I close the gap?
Key Terminology from our learning time together
Formative Assessment: The formal and informal processes that teachers and students use to gather evidence for the
purpose of improving learning. Formative assessment is also referred to as assessment for learning.
Formative Instructional Practices: The term we use to refer to the practice of formative assessment and assessment
for learning. Formative instructional practices are the formal and informal ways that teachers and students gather and
response to evidence of student learning.
Summative Assessment: Assessments that provide evidence of student achievement for the purpose of making a
judgment about student competence or program effectiveness.
Learning Targets: Statements of intended learning—what students should know and be able to do.