Personalized Learning Notes
October 2021
In this issue:
- KEVA Plank Classroom Challenge for all grades!
- PL and SEL Data Collection Highlights
- 9 Teacher-tested Ways to Build Student Ownership into Informational Reading
- Personalizing with Questions
- Implementing Peer Assessments
- One Minute Thinking Activities
A Reminder of the Goal of Personalized Learning at STRIDE
Personalized Learning (PL) develops self-reflective learners who actively participate in:
Setting learning goals
Designing learning paths
Deciding how to demonstrate learning and growth
KEVA Planks Challenge!
- Creative exploration
- Use as math manipulatives
- Assessment: "Use the planks to show me what you know about....."
- Build communication and collaboration skills
- Indoor recess
Learn more about how and why to use KEVA planks HERE.
More from the MAKERSPACE
See the Visual Makerspace Supply List HERE.
Find the Alphabetical Makerspace Supply Spreadsheet HERE.
PL and SEL Data Collection
If you click on the image on the left, you can read some of the highlights we observed during the first round of data collection.
You can find a copy of the Look Fors list HERE.
The Look Fors list can be used for your own self-reflection, to set growth goals for yourself and/or your students, or you can invite a peer to observe your classroom to look for specific practices. Stef and I are both available to discuss the list and/or to observe your classroom if you choose.
Personalize Learning with Questioning Strategies
- Ask open-ended questions and recall questions during the same discussion.
- Provide students with a menu of question choices rather than just one question to answer (journal prompt, test, quiz, assignment)
- Assign the number of questions to complete, but let students choose which problems/questions they answer.
For lists of great question starters, look HERE.
Nine Teacher-Tested Ways Students Can Own the Informational Reading Process
In his blog, Dr. John Spencer explains the different between Rigid Reading Tools and Off-road Reading. He gives and details 9 ways to empower students.
Empower students to:
- Choose the topics
- Set their own pace.
- Ask their own questions
- Choose the strategies
- Select the tools
- Own the assessment process
- Personalize their practice
- Think critically
- Solve problems
One Minute Thinking Activities
Here are a few quick ideas:
- Pick a shape, color, or category and tally how many items your student can brainstorm in 30 seconds/one minute. For example, what can you think of that is red? round? soft? scratchy?
- Hold up any ordinary item in your classroom (pencil, eraser, cup, etc..), and ask your students what else it could be used for other than it's intended purpose. Accept all answers. Push them to go beyond school use. How could you use it at home? In the garden? In a car? At the park?
- Grab two random objects and ask students how they are alike and how they are different.
- Have some riddles ready. Tell them you will read the clues one by one. If they think they know the answer, they must put their hand over their mouth (to keep them from blurting out the answer.) After you read the clues, call on someone with their hand over their mouth, not on someone who is raising their hand. Ignore any blurted answers. Need riddle ideas? You are welcome to borrow either of my Dr. DooRiddles books. A1 is for K-2 and B1 is for 4-7, or try 43 Awesome Riddles for Kids.
Implementing Peer Assessment
Dr. John Spencer suggests the following ideas for peer assessment:
- "Structured Feedback with Sentence Stems: Here, you as a teacher provide specific sentence stems that your students can use to provide diagnostic, clarifying, or critical feedback.
- 3-2-1 Structure: This is simple. Students provide three strengths, two areas of improvement and one question that they have.
- See-Think-Wonder: Students give peer feedback by pointing out what they see in another product, what they think about it, and, finally, what questions they have.
- Feedback Carousel: Each group gets a stack of sticky notes and offers anonymous feedback as they move from group to group. Unlike the other feedback methods, students here are offering feedback without the original group member present. It also focuses almost entirely on the product."
Read the full article, How Does Assessment Work in a PBL Classroom? HERE. The article also gives examples for self-assessment.
Personalized Learning at STRIDE
Personalized Learning (PL):
Develops self-reflective learners who actively participate in:
Setting learning goals
Designing learning paths
Deciding how to demonstrate learning and growth
Ruth Thom, Personalized Learning Coordinator