How do you know if, and what, your students are learning? The beginning teacher seminar in Fitchburg on November 6 focused on techniques to assess student learning, including determining the difference between summative and formative assessment. 80 beginning teachers were present.
Beginning teachers talked about how they determine if their students are learning…which can be unexpectedly entertaining, especially at the end of a long day.
A quick way to gauge where your students are in understanding or completing a lesson. The teachers here are signaling green for “I’m ready to move on,” yellow for “I’m almost done.” Red is “more time!”
Finding a partner you don’t know to talk about what you’ve just learned is useful and fun. These people are “day partners,” the first step in a sharing activity to strengthen learning.
“Day” partners share stories about student assessment in their classrooms, and what they can do to move their practice to the next level.
Learners of all ages appreciate getting up and moving around, especially to music. When the music stopped, people found their “night partners,” then held up handouts to show they were paired up.
Home-made “white boards” are endlessly versatile for feedback, not just to the instructor, but to other students. Participants wrote and described techniques and tools they use successfully in their classroom.
Heather Lott, seminar facilitator and New Educator Coordinator for Madison Metropolitan School District, demonstrates how ABCD sign language is another quick way to scan your students for comprehension, or an opinion, or intention.
The seminar facilitators announced there were surprises (sets of 30 whiteboards and stoplight cards) to be handed out to four lucky winners–the winning tickets could be found stuck under four chairs.
