Although they can bring up feelings of nervousness and anxiety, math assessments aren’t used to intimidate students – they are there to help students get closer to math excellence. Without them, how can one truly tell if their math skills are improving? How can we know if students are effectively absorbing the material taught?
Research has shown that, after a week or more of studying, students are more likely to perform worse on major assessments due to retaining less information as time goes on. On the other hand, a study had shown that students, who had frequent yet small assessments before a big test, remembered 60% of the materials taught compared to those who didn’t and, as a result, only remembered 40%.
Without assessments, we wouldn’t know if students are truly learning, understanding, or retaining information. Below are some more insights into why math assessments are important to a student’s progress in math:
1. Math assessments motivate students to further improve their math skills
Math assessments determine a student’s weaknesses in math, helping them tackle such weaknesses to turn them into strengths. Assessments provide students with concrete learning goals, helping them find meaning and confidence as they gain guidance on what to learn and improve.
This leads to students becoming more engaged with the curriculum, empowering them to recognize their success through math assessments. In regards to math assessments like daily quizzes, a study had shown that students, rather than highlighting and rereading their notes and textbooks, opted to quiz themselves as a means of studying. This led to those students retaining 80% of the information later on, while other students could only remember about 30%. These assessments encourage students to challenge themselves and seek ways to improve and perform better.
2. Teachers use math assessments to help teach the subject better
Math assessments are an essential part of the teaching profession, enabling teachers to assess their students’ responses to their strategies. Through assessments, teachers can comprehensively monitor student progress and determine whether they are achieving their learning objectives. If not, teachers can offer the necessary resources for improvement and adjust their curriculum to meet their students’ learning needs.
3. Math assessments help parents understand their child’s progress in math class
Math assessments bring benefits not only to teachers and students but also to their parents. They help parents evaluate and understand their child’s level in math and how they’re doing in school. Reviewing math assessments, parents can boost their child’s math confidence with words of encouragement and extracurricular activities.
Current research suggests that knowledge is gained through meaningful understanding rather than relying on long-term memory. Parents can guide their children to recognize the importance of math in daily activities, helping them thrive in math assessments by seeing its practical value in everyday life.
Math assessments are arguably one of the most effective tools in education, as it help determine if students are successfully learning math and retaining the knowledge taught in class. We at MathProject utilize math assessments to identify any learning gaps in our students’ math education, using the results to customize their learning plans to strengthen their math skills and confidence. Book a free assessment for your child by calling +1 844-628-4243 – we’ll help with any inquiries and provide valuable information regarding the MathProject, including fees! For more information on MathProject’s math tutoring programs in Katy, Richmond, Cypress, Sugar Land, Missouri City and/or Hillcroft, visit ‘Our Programs’ page.
Book a free assessment
Check out what other parents have to say about us, here!
Citations:
Test-enhanced learning: Using retrieval practice to help students learn – cft.vanderbilt.edu
Researchers Find That Frequent Tests Can Boost Learning – scientificamerican.com
What Does the Research Say About Testing? – edutopia.org
Measuring What Counts: A Conceptual Guide for Mathematics Assessment – nap.edu
Three Tips for Developing Elementary Math Tests – resilienteducator.com
Why Is Assessment Important? –edutopia.org/assessment-guide-importance
Assessment to promote mathematics learning – thelearningexchange.ca
Why Assessment for Learning is essential for successful maths teaching – mathsnoproblem.com