Authentic assessment: a school's interpretation

Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics, Wntr, 2002 by Roland G. Pourdavood, Lynn M. Cowen, Lawrence V. Svec

Instructional and assessment changes were not smooth processes. They created perturbations and disequilibrium within the school community. "When this reform started, I did not agree with it because I did not understand it. I had to have a conversion I had to come to a place to understand it" (fourth grade teacher). As the reform evolved, many educators struggled to make mathematics relevant to students' personal experiences. This placed teachers in a role to which they were unaccustomed. Furthermore, the reform, in some cases, targeted teachers' limited understanding and knowledge about mathematics. Some teachers were encouraged and fulfilled with their new role as adult learners; other teachers were insecure and resistant (Cohen, 1990).

I would fight with the principal all the time. Every time he came into the room I would be using the math book and doing drills. I just couldn't accept that I couldn't do it [math reform]. It caused some tension and a breakdown of communication. He didn't convince me and I couldn't see anything else. I didn't try because I didn't believe in it. (fourth grade teacher)

However, some teachers did discard their dependency on mathematics textbooks and weekly pre-determined lesson plans. Instead, they wrote mathematics instruction and designed performance tasks to monitor student growth.

I enjoy the autonomy I have here. At other schools, lesson plans eliminate 'teachable moments.' I would have to stop and rethink. I usually have a general direction [ideas and processes] and I don't write lesson plans more than three days in advance. I change them so often. (second grade teacher)

Impact of the State Mandated Mathematics Tests on the School Reform

After the first three years (from 1996 to 1998) of mediocre scores on the state mathematics test, this school's principals and teacher-leaders concluded that mathematics instructional time would have to be doubled if students were to learn calculation skills and solve mathematics problems within pedagogical practices that valued dialogue, building concrete models, role playing, illustrations, and writing. The educators therefore decided that every student in grade K-4 should have 90 minutes of mathematics instruction each day. This was about a 45 to 60 minute increase over the time previously allotted to mathematics.

Moreover, the school's principals and teacher-leaders began Saturday morning school for fourth grade children who needed extra instruction about mathematics. In addition, the principals added after school tutoring for third and fourth grade students who needed help with basic facts and calculation skills. About 30 fourth graders attended Saturday morning school from September to mid-March. Starting in January of their third grade year about 30 to 40 students attended after school tutoring in mathematics calculation skills for three days each week. The same 30 to 40 students continued to attend this after school tutoring throughout their fourth grade year. In 1999, ninety percent of this school's fourth graders passed the state mathematics test. This was a 23% increase over the 1998 fourth grade scores. Ninety percent of the fourth graders passed the state mathematics test again in 2000.