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Leticia Hernandez
EPS-Formative Assessment Final Paper

Content and Skills: How to Effectively use Assessment Data to Inform Instruction
Throughout the school year we have been giving formative assessments to my classroom
every day. Since I am a resident in a first grade classroom, our assessments are exit slips. These
exit slips are supposed to help us see if students understood the content for the day. After
grading the exit slips, the data collected from them is supposed to inform the teacher of what the
students understood and pinpoint where they are struggling. However, in my classroom we do
not analyze the exit slips. We grade them, put them in a pile and they stay there until grades are
entered in the system. Although we talk about observations we did as students took the exit slip
and discuss some misconceptions, once graded, the exit slips are no longer used to inform us of
what needs to happen next. Instead of using the exit slips to modify the next lesson, we move on
to another skill that needs to be taught. That being said, my question focuses on content
knowledge and skills. It is: How can I use formative assessments to help inform my instruction,
whole group and small group? As I explore this question, I would like to see what my next
steps would be after analyzing the exit slips and how it can inform my instruction for both the
whole class and small group lesson the following day. I would also like to see if students did
master the content for the day, and where they struggled.
I choose to analyze three math exit slips. I choose math since it is an area that I would
like to improve my instruction in and because I feel that due to lack of time we do not dig deeply
into the content and instead move on to the next learning goal. Math exit slips are given daily
and at the end of the independent practice. Although the exit slips are made to help inform us if
students mastered the content, we do not always give them the attention they deserve.
Sometimes they are not graded the same day or during that week. That being said, we do not
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analyze them daily which puts us at a disadvantage because the next day we indulge in a new
skill, even if students have not mastered the one from before which can be crucial to
understanding the next skills to come.
The first math exit slip I analyzed was from the beginning of January. The SWBAT was
that students will be able to identify the number of groups of 10 (5 groups; bundles of tens and
ones). The exit ticket question was to identify the numbers located in both the ten and ones place
in four different problems. The second exit slip asked to circle the largest number from a given
series. The last exit slip asked to write the correct symbol in between two numbers, the symbols
were <, > and (=). All three had different SWBATs, but in order to fully understand the
upcoming skills, students would have had to master the skills taught before. For example, in
order for one to use the math symbols correctly they would need to have knowledge of numbers
and which ones are greater than others. In order for students to understand which numbers are
greater they would need to have some knowledge relating to place values. That being said, a
strength of the assessments is that they build on previous skills. However, a weakness is that if
the previous skill was not understood then students will most likely not understand future exit
slips. Overall, I do not think that our exit slips are valid sometimes. I say this because I usually
see my mentor hovering over students who choose a wrong answer on the exit slip and giving
them clues and a chance to change their answer. I do not think that the time to give hints and
help a student understand a concept is during the exit slip, instead this should serve as a
reflection point that tell us that we should possibly reteach the concept in a different way the next
day.
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The exit slips that we provide do not relate to other assessments our students must take in
our classroom since they are the only assessments we do in the classroom. However, we try to
use vocabulary in them that we see being used in the NWEA, to prepare students for it.
As I analyzed the data I collected from the exit slips, I saw how useful graphing out the
results can be. The first data table that I did pertaining to place value, showed me that most
students did not get the correct number for the tens place, in question number one only 55% got
it right (shown by the 1 under the tens column). In the second problem, 50% wrote the correct
number in the tens place. In the third problem, 66% wrote the correct number represented by
the tens place. Although the data shows me that most students are able to correctly know where
the ones is, it was the questions pertaining to the tens place that brought their scores down. The
table also helped me distinguish that Zamari, Kavonne, Orlando, Ciara, Roberto and Abraham
got 50% as their grade; Corey, Destiny and Cyntrell scored above the 50% but below 90%.
The data for my first exit slip helped me see that most students did not understand the
content and that we did not teach it well. They were not able to identify the number of groups of
10. That being said, I could have used this data to inform my instruction. Instead of moving on
with the next lesson the following day, we could have retaught what the tens and ones place is.
Since many students failed the exit slip, this tells us that reviewing this concept would have been
necessary. I was surprised to see that Ciara and Cyntrell scored so poorly on the exit slip,
considering that they usually grasp math concepts easily. That being said, this tells much about
the way we taught that lesson that day, and how we need to reteach it so that students can better
understand it. However, we did not use the exit slips to help us plan for the following day. If
we were to reteach the lesson, I would use the data to help me form small groups to work more
with the students who did not understand it.
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(Exit Slip #1 Representation)




Name Tens Ones Tens Ones Tens Ones Percent
Jacari 1 1 1 1 1 1 100%
Corey 0 1 1 1 1 1 83%
Christian 0 1 0 1 1 1 66%
Kemari 1 1 1 1 1 1 100%
Zamari 0 1 0 1 0 1 50%
Kavonne 0 1 0 1 0 1 50%
Orlando 0 1 0 1 0 1 50%
Ciara 0 1 0 1 0 1 50%
Diego 1 1 1 1 1 1 100%
Jarod 1 1 1 1 1 1 100%
Amy 1 1 1 1 1 1 100%
Roberto 0 1 0 1 0 1 50%
Destiny 1 1 0 0 1 1 66%
Reanna 1 1 1 1 1 1 100%
Tommaya 1 1 1 1 1 1 100%
Abraham 0 1 0 1 0 1 50%
Cyntrell 1 1 0 1 1 1 83%
Kaylen 1 1 1 1 1 1 100%
# correct 10 out of 18 18 out of 18 9 out of 18 17 out of 18 12 out of 18 18 out of 18
Average 0.55 1 0.5 0.94 0.66 1
Totals 55% 100% 50% 94% 66% 100%
Name Total (out of 6) Percent 4 tens 5 ones 5 tens 9 ones 3 tens 8 ones
Jacari 6 100% 4 5 5 9 3 8
Corey 5 83% 9 5 5 9 3 8
Christian 4 66% 40 5 50 9 3 8
Kemari 6 100% 4 5 5 9 3 8
Zamari 3 50% 40 5 50 9 30 8
Kavonne 3 50% 40 5 50 9 30 8
Orlando 3 50% 40 5 50 9 30 8
Ciara 3 50% 40 5 50 9 30 8
Diego 6 100% 4 5 5 9 3 8
Jarod 6 100% 4 5 5 9 3 8
Amy 6 100% 4 5 5 9 3 8
Roberto 3 50% 40 5 50 9 30 8
Destiny 4 66% 4 5 4 8 3 8
Reanna 6 100% 4 5 5 9 3 8
Tommaya 6 100% 4 5 5 9 3 8
Abraham 3 50% 40 5 50 9 30 8
Cyntrell 5 83% 4 5 50 9 3 8
Kaylen 6 100% 4 5 5 9 3 8
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In the second exit slip, in which students circled the largest number in a series, I was able
to use the representation to see that most students understood the concepts. The only student
who got one wrong was Aaliyah. In number 3, she put that 11 was the largest number from the
series of 9, 11 and 14. Aaliyah is a student that struggles with math, and perhaps due to lack of
time she hurried and marked the wrong answer. However, maybe she truly did not know that 14
is bigger than 11. Using this data I now know that I need to work with Aaliyah and place values.
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Aaliyah was absent from school when we had the first exit slip I analyzed, so I am not sure if she
understands place value.
(Exit slip # 2: Circle the larger number form each series.
1) 14, 9, 13.
2) 2, 15, 14
3) 9, 11, 14) )

In the third math exit slip I analyzed, I realized that Kavonne, Jarod, Destiny and
Raymundo confused the <, > and (=) signs. Kavonne and Destiny both had trouble with the
place value exit slip which I can see affecting their work in this exit slip. If I had used that first
exit slip to better inform my instruction and worked with Kavonne and Destiny in a small group
setting, perhaps they would have understood which numbers were bigger and use the signs
correctly. Also, this representation showed me that Raymundo needs more guidance. He
#1 #2 #3 # correct out of 3 percent
Cire 14 15 14 3 100%
Corey 14 15 14 3 100%
Christian 14 15 14 3 100%
Kemari 14 15 14 3 100%
Zamari 14 15 14 3 100%
Kavonne 14 15 14 3 100%
Ciara 14 15 14 3 100%
Diego 14 15 14 3 100%
Jarod 14 15 14 3 100%
Amy 14 15 14 3 100%
Roberto 14 15 14 3 100%
Destiny 14 15 14 3 100%
Reanna 14 15 14 3 100%
Tommaya 14 15 14 3 100%
Abraham 14 15 14 3 100%
Cyntrell 14 15 14 3 100%
Kaylen 14 15 14 3 100%
Aaliyah 14 15 11 2 66%
Micheal 14 15 14 3 100%
Joan 14 15 14 3 100%
Rashaud 14 15 14 3 100%
Alexandra 14 15 14 3 100%
# correct 22 out of 22 22 out of 22 21 out of 22
average 100% 100% 95% 98%
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recently transferred to our class from a bilingual classroom; language might have interfered with
his lack of understanding of the symbols. I need to differentiate for Raymundo in order to help
him succeed in our classroom.
Overall, these representations helped me see the correlation between the exit slips and the
students that are struggling. By observing and analyzing the three exit slips, I was able to see
that Kavonne and Destiny need a lot of guidance and small group instruction. I should be
working with them more often and pulling them out for small groups. The skill that I would
focus on with them would be to help them gain an understanding of number sense. I would make
activities that will help them recognize numbers and understand which are bigger/smaller.
Unfortunately, both Kavonne and Destiny are absent from school often, which can
explain why they are not passing their exit slips when they may not have prior knowledge of
skills that might be helpful since they miss so much school and content taught. However, this
should not be an excuse as to why I am not doing anything to help them. After reviewing the
data I have seen that I can get a lot of guidance as to how I can group small groups and which
skills I need to work with certain students that do not need to be retaught as a whole group. The
data workshops contributed to understanding my students learning in the way that I was able to
see the progression that each student made throughout the weeks. I was able to see through the
charts how it is the same students who always tend to fail the exit slips. Seeing this data mapped
out over the weeks helped me see how I can plan for small groups and what skills I can focus on.




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(Third exit slip: Put the correct math symbol.)

What I have learned about the progression of my students learning is that they do not
always know what their goal is. We often read the objective, but we are not sure that they
comprehend what they mean. We tell students that they should know different skills by the end
of first grade, but we never tell them or show them where they are at. We do not give them
feedback, and most often we do not analyze their exit slips and do not give them back, which
then leads to students not knowing where they are in relation to the goal. The formative
assessment process helped me realize that I must provide feedback to students. Not only this but
#1: 40, 20 #2: 27, 37 #3 52, 52 #correct % correct
Cire > < (=) 3 100%
Jacari > < (=) 3 100%
Corey > < (=) 3 100%
Christian > < (=) 3 100%
Kemari > < (=) 3 100%
Zamari > < (=) 3 100%
Kavonne < < (=) 2 66%
Ciara > < (=) 3 100%
Diego > < (=) 3 100%
Jarod > > < 1 33%
Amy > < (=) 3 100%
Roberto > < (=) 3 100%
Destiny < > < 0 0%
Reanna > < (=) 3 100%
Tommaya > < (=) 3 100%
Abraham > < (=) 3 100%
Cyntrell > < (=) 3 100%
Kaylen > < (=) 3 100%
Aaliyah > < (=) 3 100%
Micheal > < (=) 3 100%
Joan > < (=) 3 100%
Rashaud > < (=) 3 100%
Alexandra > < (=) 3 100%
Raymundo < > (=) 1 33%
# correct 21 out of 24 21 out of 24 22 out of 24
average 87% 87% 91% 88%
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I can have students be more in charge of their learning by teaching them to understand the
success criteria and become more of a part of their own learning. The formative assessment
processes also helped me realize that although the exit slip is supposed to help us identify the gap
between a students current status in learning and some desired educational goal, we do not
really analyze the data we get from the exit slips. We usually grade them and just use them as
another grade, sometimes we discuss how we can help some students better understand a goal,
but we dont always put any plan into effect right away. If there is time in the future, we might
go more in depth where we notice students struggling. We do not tell students what specifically
they need to do go get better.
The data analysis and representations helped me realize that I do need to go more in-
depth into the content, and use the exit slip data to know what I have to review the next day. My
students learning is not progressing if I do not clear any misconceptions they might have from
the start. If we analyzed exit slips often in my residency classroom, I could get good data that
would better inform my teaching. I could effectively give feedback to help my students improve
their learning and teach them to be involved with their learning. If I give immediate feedback,
then my students would be able to reflect on their learning and clear any misconceptions right
away. Not only do I need to give feedback, but teach my students how to use the feedback.
Shepard mentions how positive learning outcomes [are] more likely when feedback [focuses]
on features of the task- such as how the student could improve in relation to the standards and
emphasized learning goals instead of lavishing nonspecific praise or making normative
comparisons (Shepard, 68). With that in mind, another thing I need to work on is that I need to
explain to students what their goal is and why they need to master a specific skill. If they
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understand where they need to go, and if they know how to use the feedback then they can be
more in control of making sure they reach their goal.
Overall, a question that I have about students learning progressions is that I am still
unsure of how to explain to first graders what their goal is. I can read to them the objective and
explain it, but how do I make sure that they understand it? In our school, we have classroom
greeters who are supposed to greet anyone who comes in the classroom and tell them what they
are doing and what the objective for the lesson is. However, I often wonder if they understand
what it is or are simply reciting it. Does having a good grade on the exit slip and telling them
they are doing well really have an impact on them and motivate them to keep on progressing and
reach the bigger goal? I would like to see how I can demonstrate to my students what the goal is
and where they are and where they need to be, but also to explain to them how to get there.
Would they understand why it is important to reach that goal?
Implications for further refinements of the formative assessment of my students learning
to better investigate these questions would be to give immediate feedback on the exit slips. In
this way I can show students what they know, and point out misconceptions that they have and
what they need to do in order to master that skill.
In conclusion, I have learned that I can use formative assessments to help inform my
instruction by analyzing the data and looking for patterns of misconceptions. For example, in the
first exit slip I analyzed I saw that most students did not understand how to write the value
represented in the tens place. However, most of them did the same mistake, which tells me that
the way the lesson was taught was not clear. In number one the number was 45, and students
were supposed to write that 4 was in the tens place. However, seven students wrote 40
instead of 4. Clearly many students had this misconception, and if I had analyzed the exit slip
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right away and given immediate feedback I could have addressed the situation promptly. I can
also use the data from my slips and the charts to tell me what exactly I need to review the next
day as a whole group, or use the charts to help me organize small groups that did similarly on the
exit slip so that I can help them better understand the material. Overall, I think that analyzing
data and graphing it can be very helpful since it helps you visually see who is getting the content
and who is not. By looking for patterns and exit slip data over the days, one can also start to
notice which skills certain students are struggling with and what needs to be retaught to them.
Analyzing formative assessments helped me determine what the next steps in a lesson need to be
and what skills I need to focus on. Most importantly, analyzing the data helped me realize that if
I do this right away I can clear up any misconceptions early on and not worry about not having
time later in the year to do it when it might be too late.