Jade Tallon ELED 508 April 15, 2018

The four characteristics important in formative assessment are Clarify, Elicit, Interpret,

and Act On. Clarify is defined as activating prior knowledge and relating the new lesson to

something done previously; Elicit is evoking evidence from the learner through questioning;

Interpret is collaborating with other learners to gain support as well as provide justification and

evidence for solutions; and Act On is when teachers take the information gathered from evidence

to adjust instruction.

The use of mathematics manipulatives is critical to reach all learners – visual and

nonvisual. This concrete method brings their thinking and reasoning to life, providing

justification to their solutions and most of all, keeps them engaged in their lesson. With the use

of mathematical manipulatives, this also helps students with different learning styles collaborate

well with one another. The support garnered from one another will also correct and clarify any

misconceptions when working on a solution to the problem. Strengthening these interpersonal

skills will prove useful outside the classroom.

We have observed in the video how well Ms. Melissa Romano manages her fourth-grade

classroom. She has placed students in small groups and provided them with progressive unit

fraction worksheets, ranging from simple to complex problems, using mathematical

manipulatives. She assists each group, asking questions about the strategies they are using which

in turn, helps her gather information on what students may understand or struggle with. Ms.

Romano takes these notes down in her note cards so that she may adjust her instruction as they

go.

I strongly agree that each student experience productive struggles. As Katherine, one of

Ms. Romano’s students said, if the teacher came in to rescue them and provide the answer, they

would never have understood the concept and learned anything. Going through productive
Jade Tallon ELED 508 April 15, 2018

struggles pushes the student to overcome those struggles, like interpersonal skills, proving

valuable outside the classroom.

The note card idea would be a great artifact to add to any teacher’s portfolio. Most

teachers, myself included, depended on graded assignments and tests to figure out who

understood the lesson and who did not. The use of note cards while in the act of teaching and

observing small groups, provides fresh evidence that you would not need to struggle on

remembering as if you were going to look at graded work after the lesson is over. It would

provide more details, helping teachers create more explicit instruction.