Shift Toward Assessing Students

Schools really need to shift toward assessing students' full mathematical power by giving students multiple opportunities to demonstrate their full mathematical understanding, aligning assessment with curriculum and instruction, and regarding assessment as continual and recursive (NCTM, 1995). Teachers need to employ alternative forms of assessment in math classes, such as: observations, questioning, interviews, performance tasks, self-assessments of students, work samples, portfolios, writing samples, paper and pencil tests, and standardized tests. By carrying out the authentic assessment, students will be more likely to be problem solvers for the real life situations.  Teachers also need to emphasize more communication in the classroom through discussion, problem solving, discourse, and writing.  

 

Students are very crucible of math anxiety because the math exams represent a do-or-die challenge that can inflame all one’s doubts and frustrations. Here are some techniques and strategies that the teachers must teach to improve students’ test-taking experience, such as   note-taking skills, test-taking skills, relaxation techniques, tell the importance of homework or studying, the way to read and use the textbook, address the positive “I” messages and also guiden students on visualization of success in math.