There seems to be three sacred cows in mathematics education:
- the worksheet / exercise set
- the review day
- the exam
It is not surprising that these three feed off one another, and make up the bulk of assessment in the typical mathematics classroom (including my own).
Here’s my disclaimer:
While I have been known to slaughter a few of the sacred cows of the instructional process, I have lagged severely behind in my attention to assessment. I value the complexities of learning that occur when student ideas encounter perturbations, curiosities, and other conceptualizations. The type of assessment that comes out of these mathematical encounters is rich, connected, and constantly evolving.