How can math assessment help students grow instead of just handing them a grade? In Episode #322 of the Make Math Moments podcast, hosts Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman argue that every assessment should help students become better mathematicians, and that includes unit tests and end-of-year exams. They explain why students should be able to say what they did well and what to work on next, how much teachers should trust their own judgment when a test score doesn’t match what they’ve seen in class, and how assessment shows students what we really value in math.
For school and district leaders, Jon and Yvette share practical ways to change assessment practices: moderated marking, teachers solving common assessments together before giving them to students, and communities of practice where teachers learn from each other. Their biggest piece of advice is to stay with the work longer than feels necessary. Real change takes years, and three or four PD sessions won’t get you there.
