The effects of education can shape a multitude of elements throughout our society from poverty to technology. Elementary school students come into a classroom under the influence of what they have learned at home and out in the community. Because of so many different conditions that children live among, their knowledge is varied, and their rates of learning are contrasting. There is no one size fits all teaching method that will work for everyone. Therefore, teachers must use best practices, such as formative assessment, along with differentiated instruction in order to provide ways for all learners to show growth. This was a study of how teachers use formative assessment in the classroom and the effects of formative assessment on students' motivation, self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning. It was also an observation of the methods teachers utilized to reflect on their instructional practices. Findings showed that teacher participants demonstrated coaching skills with their students to help them progress towards greater student reflection. Second, with the implementation of student-centered tasks, there was an increase in student motivation which led to classroom engagement. Finally, teachers practiced reflection on their teaching with informal methods. It was recommended that elementary school teachers provide students with the means to give feedback on their own learning such as using feedback rubrics that contain clear criteria for meeting goals. A suggestion was also discussed to implement structured professional learning communities for teachers to share detailed ideas on instruction and guide their colleagues with specific examples that would be relevant to their immediate teaching. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]