Coach's Corner
December 2015 - Edition
Updates & Reminders
- Watch the recording of the session that I attended.
- Complete the "Coaching Prep Form" which I am also including here in case you need it!
Please also note that there will not be any observations or feedback meetings the week of December 21st or 28th due to winter break... we will resume the week of January 4th when we return from break.
I look forward to speaking with everyone at our upcoming meetings this month.
Have a fantastic week.
~KirstinStrategies & Best Practice for Class Connect
Formative Assessment
Formative Assessment is an essential component to teaching and learning. How do we know our students are learning in our classroom as we are teaching? We have our standards, we know what we will teach, but how will we know during the lesson – not the end of week exit ticket, or end of unit test, that students are understanding what we are teaching?
The important thing to note is that formative assessment is as students are learning – not the unit test at the end (this is a summative assessment). Formative assessment provides information needed to adjust teaching and learning while they are still learning.
It is practice for the student and a check for understanding during the learning process.
Formative assessment should guide teachers about future lessons.
Listed below are just a few examples of formative assessment:
- Questioning and DOK
- Discussion
- Admission Slip (Warm-up) & Exit Slips
- Learning & Response Logs
- Graphic Organizers
- Peer and Self-Assessments (w/ Follow up!)
- Waterfall Chat Strategy
- Turn and Talk (Private Chat)
- Zaption, Kahoot, Padlet (Great Resources for Formative Assessment).
- Texting & Word Cloud Activity
*Teaching Highlights*
Jessica Crist
In breakout rooms students were asked to complete various word problems - a skill they have been working on in class. Jessica's students are explaining how they got their answer (not just what it is, but their thinking process), and writing the answer in sentences using the "R" from the RACE Strategy!
Aimee Schmidt
Incorporating Math Number Talks into her lessons. Asking students to explain how they see the number – not just what the number is… really developing Number Sense!
She is also using "Everybody Writes" to check for understanding for everyone at the same time, as students create times on clocks!
Michele Schafer
Students are comparing and contrasting what they know about Mitosis and Meiosis at the start of class and mid-way through after having a discussion and learning a little bit more.
Michele is also using "Everybody Writes" to check for understanding of what happens in each phase of mitosis... something they discussed in class and in a previous class.
Warm-up - What do you know?
Mid-Lesson Check
Everybody Writes
56 Examples of Formative Assessment
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nzhdnyMQmio5lNT75ITB45rHyLISHEEHZlHTWJRqLmQ/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000#slide=id.p
15 Ways to Know When your Students Aren't "Getting It"
http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2015/08/21/15-ways-to-know-when-your-students-aren-t-getting-it-a-guide-to-formative-assessment
10 Fun-Filled Formative Assessment Ideas
http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/10-fun-filled-formative-assessment-ideas
Learning Target ppt. Template
How to use it:
- The first arrow should contain something students are familiar with (prior knowledge you are hoping to activate).
- The second arrow should contain the objective.
- The third arrow should contain an example of what students will be able to do to accomplish at the end of the lesson. (Keep rigor in mind.)
Click on the link below to download.