TEKS-driven Tasks:
How Do I Know
What My Students Know?
Susan Hudson Hull, Ph.D.
Charles A. Dana Center
CAMT, July 16, 2004
The Instructional
Program
Written
Taught
Tested
The Instructional
Program in Texas
TEKS
TEKS
TAKS
Taught
Goal: Student Learning/
Student Achievement
Teaching TEKS
Teaching TAKS
It’s not about TAKS, it’s about TEKS!
What does it mean to learn
mathematics successfully?
Mathematical proficiency: interwoven
strands developed together; emphasizing
no strand over the others
• Understanding (conceptual
understanding)
• Computing (procedural fluency)
• Applying (strategic competence)
• Reasoning (adaptive reasoning)
• Engaging (productive
disposition)
- Adding It Up, NRC, 2001
Focus on High School
Mathematics:
How can I use student assessments to
influence my decision making for
good instruction?
What is taught?
The Instructional
Program Goal:
Student Learning
What is learned?
How do we know?
(What is assessed?
When is it assessed?)
Professional Teaching Model
Study
the curriculum
Review
Determine
the assessment task and the criteria
Plan
the lesson or lessons
Implement
the lessons and assessment task
Analyze
results and student work
The Assessment Principle
Assessment should
• support the learning of important
mathematics
• furnish useful information to both
teachers and students
• be a valuable tool for making instructional
decisions
• be a routine part of the ongoing classroom
activity rather than an interruption
Principles and Standards for School
Mathematics, NCTM, 2000, p. 22
The Purpose of Assessment
The purpose of assessment must
be to improve student learning.
Period.
- Cathy Seeley, 1994
Assessment FOR Learning vs.
Assessment OF Learning
• Accurately reflects student
achievement
• Translates classroom assessment
results into frequent descriptive
feedback
• Continuously adjusts instruction
-Stiggins, R.J. (June, 2002).
Assessment crisis: The absence of
assessment for learning. PDK 83.
Where and when to assess …
Assessment Tools
Timing
Diagnostic assessments,
state or district
Beginning of school year
Performance assessments
Ongoing; teachers
continually monitor
student progress
Benchmark assessments,
campus or district
According to
campus/district schedule
(TAKS) Texas Assessment
of Academic Skills
End of school year, dates
set by state
Types of Performance Tasks
• Closed task: task with one correct answer and
one route to arrive at that answer
• Open-middle task: task with one correct
answer but many routes to get there
• Open-ended task: task with several correct
answers and many routes to arrive at those
answers
What kinds of tasks are called for to teach the TEKS?
What kinds of tasks will appear on TAKS?
Definitions thanks to Region IV
Algebra Assessments, Dana Center, 2002
What are some questions you
might ask to get students thinking
about the problem (scaffolding
question)?
Algebra
Assessments,
Dana Center,
2002, p. 111
Algebra
Assessments,
Dana Center,
2002, p. 123
Geometry
Assessments,
Dana Center,
2002, p. 387
What do I have to do to support
learning like this for my students?
How do I need to alter my instruction?
If I plan instruction around
problems like these, will my
students be prepared for high
school TAKS?
2003 TAKS
Grade 9
Obj 2
TAKS 2003, Grade 9, Obj 1
TAKS 2003, Grade 10, Obj 1
TAKS 2003, Grade 11, Obj 3
TAKS 2003
Grade 11
Obj 2
Where and when to assess …
Assessment Tools
Timing
Diagnostic assessments,
state or district
Beginning of school year
Performance assessments
Ongoing; teachers
continually monitor
student progress
Benchmark assessments,
campus or district
According to
campus/district schedule
(TAKS) Texas Assessment
of Academic Skills
End of school year, dates
set by state
Dana Center, 2003
Benchmark Boot Camp, Dana Center, 2003
Benchmark
Student work
Sample B
Benchmark
Student work
Sample C
Benchmark Boot Camp, Dana Center 2003
Benchmark
Boot Camp
Dana Center
2003
What’s important to teach
and to learn?
What do I have to do to help
my students be able to explain
their thinking?
What can I start doing this
year?
Where can I go for more help
with TEKS/TAKS?
Dana Center Assessments
Mathematics TEKS Toolkit
www.mathtekstoolkit.org
The challenge: What can I do now?
• Study the TEKS with colleagues to determine what
students need to know
• Plan instruction and student tasks to reach
instructional goals
• Ask questions and assess student understanding in
multiple ways throughout instruction
• Use your student data to help make instructional
decisions
• Participate in intensive professional development
and followup
• Read research and discuss with colleagues
Contact information:
Susan Hudson Hull
Mathematics Director,
Charles A. Dana Center
(512) 471-6190
shhull@mail.utexas.edu
Presentation available under Resources:
www.mathtekstoolkit.org