Learning from Teachers who Excelled

From http://bcteacherinfo.blogspot.ca/2014/12/jeff-dickson-recognized-by-sd-35-board.html

As a final post for my Assessment class, I wanted to finish off by posting valuable insight from Teachers who have received the Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence.   By reviewing the details of many outstanding teachers, I have realized that there are several trends incorporating many of the same types of assessment and teaching strategies I've learned about as a Faculty of Education student at the University of Windsor.  Consequently, this has given me precious information as to how to become an effective teacher, which I want to share with you.  I hope that this inspires you to improve your instruction and assessment methods, as it has for me.

Inquiry and Critical Thinking

Stan Hunter, Stoney Creek, Ontario:  Mr. Hunter links the real world to the classroom. Through his "infamous question of the week", he encourages his students to brainstorm, to be engaged and to develop their cognitive skills at school.

Gabriel Roman Ayyavoo, Toronto, Ontario:  Mr. Ayyavoo brought the Science Investigation Project (SIP) to his school. Students formulate their own research question, develop their own investigation, analyze the results and present their findings at a fair that is judged by parents.  He has also founded an online science magazine for his students called Dame Detectives: Journal of Scientific Investigations (damedetectives.wordpress.com). A committee of students manages the magazine, which is a collection of articles about student research, experiments and learning in their high school experience.

Harriet Simand, Toronto, Ontario:  Simand uses inquiry-based projects to get her students energized and asking relevant questions.  She lead her class in an initiative to ban plastic bags in Toronto, which they accomplished using a variety of media and lessons from all their classes. They issued media releases that were picked up by major papers, liaised with local politicians, created a wiki and directed, filmed and edited their own documentary (http://banthebagbrigade.wikispaces.com) of their bag campaign for their peers.

David Moffatt, Hamilton, Ontario:  Mr. Moffatt's teaching philosophy includes:  Expect high-level thinking and then foster confidence in students so they exceed what they think they can do. Engage students by treating all of biology as solutions to problems, rather than mere facts. Foster authentic discovery by requiring all Grade 11 students to complete a theme study that involves collective work, original research, following a protocol, scientific analysis and professional-level communication of results. Use technology to support learning rather than just for the sake of introducing technology.

Learning Goals and Success Criteria

Aviva Dunsiger, Ancaster, Ontario:  Dunsiger maintains a strong relationship not just with her students, but with their parents as well. Every Sunday, she calls every parent and emails daily with links to videos and work they've completed that day. Dunsiger's students know exactly what to expect because she engages them to take ownership of their learning by having them clearly outline their learning goals and criteria for success.

Independent Learning

Joanna Sanders Bobiash, Regina, Saskatchewan:  Ms. Sanders Bobiash lets her students put the latest technology to the test and finds resourceful ways to incorporate blogging, skypeing, webquesting and googling into her lessons. Students themselves become resourceful, critical thinkers, confident presenters and creative artists … not just ready for high school, but ready for the world.

Marie Chomyn, Vancouver, British Columbia:  Chomyn encourages students to use online learning to extend their classroom education as she fosters leadership and student social responsibility. She makes use of available resources in the community as her students are challenged with multi-disciplinary activities and become autonomous learners and thinkers who monitor and report on their own learning.

Todd Ablett, Vancouver, British Columbia:  In a school on Vancouver's East Side, a jurisdiction not favoured by circumstance, Mr. Ablett has worked tirelessly to ensure that his students have all the advantages that technology can provide. His class and workshop are open to all. But when a student comes to ask Mr. Ablett for help, they don't often get an answer directly from him. By putting students of all levels together, Mr. Ablett creates an informal mentoring program where junior students don't always have to rely on the teacher, and where seniors can take pride in becoming the experts.

William Eaton, Keremeos, British Columbia:  Teaching students to be leaders and to teach each other is the very simple philosophy that guides Mr. Eaton's practice. Mr. Eaton's student driven class website is exemplary. Not just a hub for teachers, students and parents, it serves as an information portal maintained by the students that teaches them responsibility and leadership. An empowering tool, it is updated daily by students who also weekly train and trade off their responsibilities to the next student.

Patti Sebestyen, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan:  Mrs. Sebestyen's teaching approach includes:  Employs reality therapy/control theory to help students learn to think critically, act logically, listen, understand and communicate effectively. Uses role-playing techniques extensively to help students think beyond their own perspective and learn alternative methods of interaction. Fosters self-expression and self-awareness through discussion at morning circle time, the UN (United Nations) game (during which she asks each student open-ended discussion questions) and teachable moments throughout the day in a non-competitive, everybody wins, safe environment.

Peter Gardiner, Victoria, British Columbia:  Mr. Gardiner's teaching approach includes:  Maintain the highest professional standards and the deepest personal commitment. Students must accept responsibility for their own learning and realize that the teacher is one of many available resources. Students are capable of learning, thinking and analyzing at a much higher level than they initially believe, demonstrate or give themselves credit for.

Creating a Community within the Classroom

Jonathan Rempel, Surrey, British Columbia:  Rempel developed the Learning Adventure Co-op to inspire a sense of community in his students through a series of hikes, overnight camping experiences and ropes courses. They even did an overnight hike to see a glacier! It is a huge success and the community it created within the class allowed students who would normally have never spoken to each other, to interact on the trails. The sense of community transferred back into the classroom and students now go to each other for help.

Mary-Ellen Perley Waugh, Edmonton, Alberta:  Mrs. Waugh's teaching philosophy includes:  Emphasizes a positive, warm working relationship between students and teacher, and high-energy enthusiasm that reflects a positive attitude and commitment. Communication and Information Technology is used to facilitate group learning. Students are encouraged to PowerPoint presentations and photo essays to present class projects, assignments and tests. Seeks out experts from the local community and invites them to become partners and mentors of the students in her class. Classroom is designed under the assumption that students who are invited into an active and stimulating learning environment will be more creative, innovative and think critically and act logically. Participates in numerous professional development sessions and provides in-service support to fellow staff members.

Transferring the Understanding

Christine Marin, Richmond, British Columbia:  Ms. Marin helps her students make sense of their world. She finds ways for her students to make real life connections to what they learn in class and encourages them to "Always know why you're doing what you're doing ". Students learn to use the latest software and technology and are even passing the knowledge on to their parents.

Shirley Turner, Vancouver, British Columbia:  Ms. Turner's strong belief that students need to be prepared for the world in which they will live leads to her use of a wide range of activities both in and out of the classroom. Examples include peer instruction, cooperative learning and knowledge sharing in laboratory and on-line projects. In her work with gifted students, she helps them to expand their skills beyond academics to broaden their experience of their immediate community and environment, with the goal of becoming well-rounded individuals. She encourages all students to use technology to present what they have learned.

Michael Ernest Sweet, Montreal, Quebec:  Mr. Sweet strives to make students' learning experiences real experiences. Rather than simply establishing connections with the community and corporate relationships, he shows students how to make and maintain these relationships themselves. Rather than teaching them about writing, he encourages them to be writers. As part of this approach, he promotes activism—students learning to think beyond what simply is, to what could be, by engaging their imagination and writing about a better world—and involves them in frank and critical discussions of important issues.  Mr. Sweet founded Learning for a Cause, a program that encourages students to think of themselves as real writers and produce works on real issues and then publish them in real books. To date, Mr. Sweet and his students have published three anthologies, including one with students responding to racism, poverty, war and domestic violence. A second anthology, Down to Earth, features responses to environmental destruction and global warning.

Cheryl Carr, Agincourt (Scarborough), Ontario:  Mrs. Carr's teaching philosophy includes:  Make experiential learning the centre of all teaching. Make available a variety of resources for students, including magazine articles, slides from trips, online materials and documentaries, encourage role plays, and connect students with people, such as guest speakers and students from other countries. Back up real-world teaching strategies with real-world assessments: incorporate slides, maps, websites and other media resources into tests and examinations.

Bradley Talbot and Douglas Grunert, Kelowna, British Columbia:  Mr. Talbot and Mr. Grunert's teaching approach include:  To create opportunities for students to gain real-life experiences they may not normally receive. To create activities out of the classroom and even out of the country that require students to participate with community leaders and environmental agencies. To help reduce student stress during exams and scholarship testing with special tutorials along with a significant dose of humour. I always tell my students they are going to forget 80 percent of what I teach them. That's why I teach them 180 percent more than they will be tested on.

Self- and Peer-Assessments

Wayne Phillips, Red Deer, Alberta:  Inspired by the school motto, "Good, better, best, never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best!" Mr. Phillips employs self– and peer assessment in his classroom. Self-assessment, he says, encourages self-motivation, so students complete questionnaires to help them identify their best work and areas in which they could improve. During peer assessment of a project, students group work into "good", "better" and "best" categories. After receiving this peer evaluation, students are then allowed to take their work home and improve it.

Student Failure

Jean Murphy, Cow Head, Newfoundland:  Mr. Murphy's teaching philosophy includes:  A mistake is not a mistake if you fix it. An incorrect answer is an opportunity to demonstrate problem-solving skills. Provide a flexible teaching and learning environment with lots of group work and critical discussion. Involve parents and provide support for both students and parents outside regular school hours.

Social Responsibility

John Cordukes, Cobourg, Ontario:  Mr. Cordukes' teaching philosophy includes:  Heightening students' awareness of global environmental issues and instiling in them a sense of social conscience and civic responsibility towards the environment. Helping students understand that they are important and that what they are learning is valuable.  Brings science to life with field trips, interesting biology projects and contests.

Ian Naisbitt, Windsor, Ontario:  Mr. Naisbitt's teaching approach includes:  Teach students the values and skills that will make them valuable citizens in the future. Make them passionate about issues such as the environment, show them they can make a difference and give them the communications and planning skills so they can influence the public agenda. Teach students the importance of community service and giving back to the community. Always keep hands-on work at the centre of learning.

For the complete list of Prime Minister's Awards for Teacher Excellence, click here.

Why We Must Encourage Students to Fail

From https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2012/08/21/essay-importance-teaching-failure

It has been found that self-worth is directly related to avoiding failure, because failure causes a feeling of incompetence (Zakrzewski, 2013).  This is because many students perceive achievement or failure as a direct determinant of who they are and what they are capable of.  Students who fear failure most likely also fear taking risks, trying new things, being creative and gaining new perspectives (Tuggand, 2011).  As a result, they become unmotivated to participate in class and learn what is being taught.  This can obviously be detrimental to success in school, career and personal development.

One perspective that really made me think is that of Daniel Wong, author of bestseller The Happy Student: 5 Steps to Academic Fulfillment and Success.  In his article "How Students Can Overcome Their Fear of Failure", he explains that "the fear of failure (...) stems from teachers" (Wong, n.d).  This was a very powerful statement as I would have never thought this to be true.  However, after further research, I have realized that teachers in fact have a huge impact on the way students feel about failure.  One teacher in particular stood out, who created a ingenious way to not only encourage students to make mistakes, but to feel good about them.  Edward Burger explains in his article "Teaching to Fail" that by giving out marks on 'quality of failure' and intentionally encouraging failure, he was able to deepen the learning and understanding of his students (Burger, 2012). 

One of Burger's main points is that it is most important to focus on the process of learning instead of the end grades (summative).  Mistakes must be viewed as "an indication of what still needs to be learned, not of failure" (Tuggand, 2011).  So, perhaps it is best to not focus so much on giving out marks but on providing as much effective feedback as possible, to encourage students to learn.  Burger's unique teaching strategy creates a positive atmosphere within the classroom allowing students to feel safe, while learning that failure is a necessary part of experiencing success (Burger, 2012).  In turn, students are more likely to participate in class and share their 'authentic ideas' as well as mistakes, allowing the teacher to correct any misunderstandings and students to improve in their learning (Burger, 2012).

For more information on how to provide effective feedback to students, read the article Giving Effective Feedback to Students. 

In what ways do you promote failure and mistakes in your classroom? 

8 Strategies for Creating Independent Learners

From http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/trends/putting-students-in-the-drivers-seat-an-interview-with-kim-cofino/

I was once told by a High School Science teacher that 'you should always stay conscious of what you do because it can become too easy to spoon-feed students'.  Teachers who offer excessive help and will drop everything to ensure the student has all the tools necessary for success, actually rob them of one of the most desirable skills they can develop - independence.  Thus, when we as educators carefully plan our units and lessons, we should always keep in mind that one of our main goals is to prepare students to become independent learners. 

Independent learning is the gateway to the development of other lifelong skill sets such as thinking skills, conflict resolution, leadership, resource-management, time-management, focus, and so forth (QuEST, n.d).  It has also been found that students learn best by 'doing' (Petty, 2002).  Thus, finding ways to make students more independent in their learning is key to helping them reach higher levels of understanding.  Here are 8 great strategies I've found that can be used to create independent learners in your classroom:

Offer Effective Formative Feedback

When students are given useful suggestions on how to improve on a specific task, they are indirectly encouraged to take control of their own learning.  This should be done formatively as to give them a chance act on that feedback prior to being assessed summatively (Mike Gershon's Blog).  Ready my post on Giving Effective Feedback to Students to learn more.

Give Students Checklists

By giving students checklists to follow when completing a task, they are being given the opportunity to independently work using established success criteria.  As a result, they learn to self-regulate and plan their work effectively (Gershon, 2014).

Use Written Instruction

During practicums, I have noticed that several of my students repeatedly lost marks in quizzes, tests and lab reports due to not answering the questions as required.  This indicates to me that some students lack the ability to follow instructions independently, especially when written.  One great way to solve this is by giving them opportunities to practice via written outlines.  This can be accomplished by giving students a written outline explaining the instructions of an independent activity which they can complete during class time.

Teach That Failure is OK

Many students, especially in the high school age range, do not like to participate in class or expose their answers to a question unless they know for sure that it's correct.  This can become a problem because it prevents students from learning from their mistakes and improving their learning.  One great way of showing students that failure is good, is by showing examples of successful people who have failed, or telling a story about one's own experience in failure.  Read my post Why We Must Encourage Students to Fail to learn more.

Integrate the 7 Monkeys

This activity involves having students develop a deep understanding of a concept by completing 7 different tasks independently through 'The 7 Monkeys'.  Students learn to follow instruction, explain a concept, interpret the information learned, and demonstrate their learning through a written assignment.  Peer assessment is the last stage, where students practice giving their peers effective feedback on their work.  This is a great activity because it follows at least two of the Six Facets of Understanding.  For instructions on how to create this activity, read the article Developing Independent Learners - The 7 Monkeys by the Class Teaching blog.

Use E-Portfolios

E-portfolios are an awesome way to get students to self-direct and independently gather and classify a collection of their own work, do demonstrate their learning over time (ECU, n.d).  Additionally, the process of collecting artifacts for one's e-portfolio has a purpose of "generating new and deeper learning by [allowing a student to] reflect on their own existing learning" (University of Waterloo Blog).  This process also gives students a choice and a voice in their final grade by allowing them to pick and choose the assignments in which they feel best represent their learning.

Learning Journals

The use of learning journals is another great way to have students develop independent learning skills.  Through their use, it has been found that "students who analyze and reflect on their learning are more effective learners; that is, they are more able to acquire, retain, and apply new information and skills" (ECU, n.d).  Thus, by reflecting on what they've learned by recording their thoughts, questions, impression and concerns, students are better able to understand the big ideas behind the lessons, assignments, activities, and materials used in class (Carleton University Law).  It also gives them an opportunity to discover the reasoning behind certain concepts and ideas discussed and how their learning has grown over time.

Teach by Asking

Another great way to have students learn independently is by teaching by asking a question at the beginning of class, rather than lecturing.  This activity allows students to pair up or work in groups in order to answer the question prior to a more elaborate class discussion about the topic learned.  This gives students the opportunity to refine their communication as well as research skills in addition to independence.  After the activity is complete, students are to give their answers to the teacher who can elaborate on the topic, as needed (Petty, 2002).

What other ways do you promote independent learning your classroom?

Am I Being Helpful or Promoting Helplessness?

As a student teacher working with younger elementary level children, orchestrating lesson plans as well as having the opportunity to scribe for students during test times I have gained an understanding of some of the accommodations crucial to effective learning for all the students in a class.  The necessity to promote a student's own sense of discovery rather than simply drilling facts and words through rote practice and expecting that "lightbulb" moment to occur is not aiding the student in making connections for themselves and progressing through stages of deeper learning.  We are not able to properly assess understanding by simply observing how well a student can memorize a word or fact. Asking direct questions, gently guiding the students to the right path of focus without bombarding them with facts and abstract questioning. While providing more open ended questions for students in senior grades can provide a nice challenge and  potential for teachers to truly evaluate if a student is progressing smoothly to a stage of Formal Operational Learning, as we have learned from Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development, through elementary school assessment it is vital to strengthen Concrete Development and ensure your class is seeing every step of their path, rather than attempting to take larger strides and miss some important points of the learning process.

Understanding by Design: Backward Design

From http://nccscurriculum.org/2014/01/22/understanding-by-design-a-framework-to-support-effective-teaching-and-learning/

The purpose of the Understanding by Design Backward Design is to basically plan lessons and units with the end in mind.  This end is the ability to understand and transfer the knowledge gained.  In other words, planning what the learning goals are by referring to the overall and specific expectations of the curriculum, and figuring out what evidence would need to be demonstrated by students in order to show deep understanding of the concepts through 'real world' applications, is the main idea of this system.  We need to have a goal in order to effectively coach our students in understanding the concepts taught.  And in order for the material to be understood in a higher-order manner, we need to specifically plan all specifics of a unit around those goals, prior to beginning the actual teaching and learning process.

The Understanding by Design Backward Design Framework consists of three stages.  These are summarized below:

Stage 1 - What should the students learn?

We must first figure out specifically what understanding of content and skill should be learned - the result.  Identify the big ideas and examine the curriculum in order to pinpoint the best learning targets.  Because there is so much content to learn, we cannot expect students to capture and understand everything we teach.  Thus, it is crucial that teachers pick and choose what best reflects those unit big ideas, by prioritizing lessons based on those specific learning targets.  If we are clear on the big ideas that we want students to understand, then this allows us to prioritize what we are to focus on from the curriculum. Consider the following six (6) questions when designing Stage 1 of a unit (quoted from Wiggins, 2005):

1) What big ideas and transfer goals are located in the curriculum?
2) What are the key verbs and nouns in the curriculum?
3) What should students eventually be able to do on their own if they follow the curriculum?
4) What will students come to understand if they really learn this content well?
5) What important questions are raised by this content?
6) What essential questions will guide inquiry into it?

 Stage 2 - What's the evidence of understanding?

The assessments used in this stage must reflect the learning targets prioritized in Stage 1.  They must also reflect transferability of knowledge through some kind of evidence or performance.  Students must be trained to apply what they have learned to various 'real life' situations in order to better understand the content learned.  In turn, this gives teachers a good idea of students' true level of understanding.  Thus, the aim of teaching facts and skill should not be to simply gain knowledge, but to "equip learners to be able to use or transfer their learning" - this should always be the focus (McTighe and Wiggins, 2012). So how can we assess the learning targets effectively?  By using the Six Facets of Understanding, we can determine which evidence of understanding is most appropriate for each learning target.  To read my post about the Six Facets of Understanding, click here.  Consider the following six (6) questions when designing Stage 2 of a unit (quoted from Wiggins, 2005):

1) What kind of 'real-world' performances test the understanding of this content?
2) What evidence will show that students have learned this content (as opposed to recall)?
3) What important transfer tasks should anchor the assessment since transfer is the essence of understanding?
4) What criterion-based scoring tool should be used to assess work related to the desired results, not just the particulars of the task?
5) Through what other evidence (ie. quizzes, tests, academic prompts, observations, homework, journals, etc) will students demonstrate achievement of the desired result?
6) Are the assessments used as feedback for students and teachers, as well as for evaluation? (quoted from Tasmanian Dept of Education, 2004)
6) How will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning?

Stage 3 - What teaching and learning strategies should be used to promote understanding?

This stage consists of the specifics of instructional planning, and must align with the learning targets in Stage 1 and the evidence of understanding in Stage 2.  These specifics include how the learning goals should be taught and include lesson sequences, teaching methods, resource materials, and classroom activities (Wiggins and McTighe, 1998).  It's always important however to keep in mind when planning teaching and learning strategies, that "understanding cannot simply be told; the learner has to actively construct meaning (...).  Teaching for transfer means that learners are given opportunities to apply their learning to new situations and receive timely feedback on their performance to help them improve" (McTighe and Wiggins, 2012).  Consider the following seven (7) questions when designing Stage 3 of a unit (quoted from Wiggins, 2005):

1) What activities and instruction will engage students, automate a skill, and help them better grasp the essence and value of this content?
2) If the 'content' is the answer, then what where the original questions?
3) What learning experiences will help uncover the big ideas?
4) When should the basics come first? When should they be on a 'need to know' basis?
5) When should I teach, when should I coach, and when should I facilitate student 'discovery'?
6) Are the learning activities tailored (personalized) to the different needs, interests, and abilities of the learners?
7) What should the students be able to do independently (transfer)? What should I be doing to make them more independent and able to transfer?

For a free copy of the UbD template resource designed by Jay McTighe, one of the founders of UbD, visit his website at:  http://jaymctighe.com/resources/downloads/

Understanding By Design: The Six Facets of Understanding

From http://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/blooms-taxonomy/5-alternatives-to-blooms-taxonomy/

As already discussed in the Understanding by Design Backward Design post, Stage 2 of the Understanding by Design Backward Framework focuses on the use of key evidence to demonstrate thorough and real understanding of learning via transferability.  The Six Facets of Understanding are often used by offering different ways for determining the level of understanding reached by each student.  I have added an explanation of each of the facets below, including a short summary of each facet, performance verbs used to entice the understanding and examples of science activities to demonstrate the use of each facet:

FACET 1 - Ability to Explain:  For students to understand something, they must be able to "explain concepts, principles and processes by putting it in their own words, teaching it to others, justifying their answers, and showing their reasoning" (McTighe and Wiggins, 2012).  In this facet, there is one right answer, and students must be able to justify it.  Therefore, "if students are unable to explain the (what, how, why, when, where, and who), they do not thoroughly understand the information" (Kate Elme's Blog).

• Summary:  Making generalizations; justifying facts and data; providing insightful connections; illuminating examples and detailed illustrations (taken from McWilliams, 2009).
• Teachers ask learners to:  Demonstrate, derive, describe, design, exhibit, express, induce, instruct, justify, model, predict, prove, show, synthesize, teach (taken from Wiggins and McTighe, 2000).
• Examples:  Link everyday actions and facts to the laws of physics, concentrating on easily misunderstood aspects (e.g., mass compared to weight) (taken from Tom March Workshop, 2014).  Having student explain a problem with examples to support how to solve it, based on knowledge gained from lectures and activities.

FACET 2 - Ability to Interpret:  Students must be able to translate ideas and make information meaningful through personal viewpoints, instead of searching for a 'right' answer.  They should also be able to "interpret by making sense of data, text, and experience through images, analogies, stories, and models" (McTighe and Wiggins, 2012).  The use of stories and parables is a great way to make complex information more meaningful and memorable, but will always differ between students.

• Summary:  Telling meaningful stories; offering apt translations; revealing historical or personal dimensions to ideas and events; making the object of understanding personal (taken from McWilliams, 2009).
• Teachers ask learners to:  Create analogies, critique, document, evaluate, illustrate, judge, make sense of, make meaning of, provide metaphors of, read between the lines, represent, tell a story of, translate (taken from Wiggins and McTighe, 2000).
• Examples:  Take readings of pond water to determine whether the algae problem is serious (taken from Tom March Workshop, 2014).  Translating a problem, issue or story based on current or past personal experiences.

FACET 3 - Application:  Students must be able to use the knowledge they learned and apply it to a new 'real life' situation (Kizirian, 2012).  This is perhaps one of the most meaningful facets as it connects the classroom to reality.  "We need to create assessments that are as close as possible to the situation in which a scholar, artist, engineer, or other professional attacks such problems" (Huff, 2007). For example, webquests involve having students apply concepts learned while having them interpret data and solve problems as an expert would (Huff, 2007).

• Summary:  Effectively using knowledge; adapting knowledge and skills in diverse and real contexts; 'doing' the subject (taken from McWilliams, 2009).
• Teachers ask learners to:  Adapt, build, create, debug, decide, design, exhibit, invent, perform, produce, propose, solve, test, use (taken from Wiggins and McTighe, 2000).
• Examples:  Perform a chemical analysis of local stream water to monitor EPA compliance, and present findings (taken from Tom March Workshop, 2014).  Applying what was learned through real life experiences such as an Acids and Bases lab using household chemical products.

FACET 4 - Perspective:  Students develop the ability to understand multiple perspectives or others' points of view while analyzing the motives behind these ideas (seeing the big picture) (Kizirian, 2012).  The advantage of this facet is that students develop critical thinking skills and thus become better informed at determining what is important based on the reasoning behind the new perspectives.  Note that opportunities to debate the course big ideas should not be offered (Kate Elme's Blog). 

• Summary:  Seeing and hearing different points of view from critical eyes and ears; seeing the 'big picture' (taken from McWilliams, 2009).
• Teachers ask learners to:  Analyze, argue, compare, contrast, criticize, infer (taken from Wiggins and McTighe, 2000).
• Examples:  Conduct thought experiments (e.g. Einstein's "What would the world be like if I were riding on a beam of light?") (taken from Tom March Workshop, 2014).  Learning to think like a biologist, chemist, ecologist, geneticist, or other and completing a performance activity to further understand like the scientist or other.  Class discussions activities where classmates can thoroughly explain their different points of view while including the probable points of view of scientific experts about the same topic.

FACET 5 - Empathy: Students develop the ability to put their own emotions aside in order to understand someone else's thoughts and feelings about something.  This allows students to better understand another's perspective, which is an extremely valuable skill linked to emotional intelligence. "Students have to learn how to open-mindedly embrace [others'] ideas, experiences, and texts” (Kate Elme's Blog).  

• Summary:  Finding value in what others might find odd, alien or implausible; perceiving sensitivity on the basis of prior direct experience (taken from McWilliams, 2009).
• Teachers ask learners to:  Assume the role of, be like, be open to, believe, consider, imagine, relate, role play (taken from Wiggins and McTighe, 2000).
• Examples:  Read and discuss pre-modern and discredited scientific writings to identify plausible or "logical theories" (given the information available at the time) (taken from Tom March Workshop, 2014).  Embrace other people's feelings about a certain topic through role play or journaling activities.

FACET 6 - Self-Knowledge:  To understand and recognize one's own views, values, perspectives, biases, prejudices and stereotypes (McTighe and Wiggins, 2012).  It involves deep self-reflection and helps students understand why they think the way they do.  This is an extremely valuable facet as it not only involves the development of emotional intelligence, it also increases one's level of integrity.

• Summary:  Showing metacognition awareness; being aware of what we don't understand; perceiving what shapes our own understanding (taken from McWilliams, 2009).
• Teachers ask learners to:  Be aware of, realize, recognize, reflect, self-assess (taken from Wiggins and McTighe, 2000).
• Examples:  Propose solutions to an ineffective cooperative learning activity based on what didn't work in your group (taken from Tom March Workshop, 2014).  Self-assessment of an assignment, while explaining what they will do to improve next time.

Using the Six Facets of Understanding is a concept I plan on using in my classroom.  However, assessing these very complex activities can prove to be difficult.  Wiggins and McTighe have thankfully created a rubric which complements the facts. For a free copy, click here.

What type of activities do you use, which fits into the Six Facets of Understanding?

Giving Effective Feedback to Students



From https://www.pinterest.com/pin/985231141304610/

All effective teachers know that providing descriptive feedback is a powerful way to increase student achievement.  Feedback, a practice of 'assessment for learning', is defined as informing students whether they are on track in reaching a specific goal.  It is important because it gives students a hint to their areas of strength and areas that need improvement (Quileste, 2016).  It also serves to narrow the gap between current understanding or performance of a concept and mastery of the concept (the goal) (Government of Ontario, 2010).  Thus, ensuring that students understand the learning goals and big ideas of each lesson or concept taught, is key.  Success criteria are also vital in determining if one is following the right path to success, which is why it is important to present these criteria as often as possible. 

According to Grant Wiggins (2012), "less teaching plus more feedback is the key to achieving greater learning".  In other words, when students are given the opportunity to learn from self and others through activities and provided with lots of meaningful feedback (from different sources), students are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their learning.

So what is the best way to provide descriptive and meaningful feedback to students?  Here are the steps to providing effective feedback to students (Government of Ontario, 2010):

1. Start by explaining what was done well.  This positive feedback promotes student integrity, encourages them to keep going, and helps them determine their strengths.

2. Explain what could be improved.  This constructive criticism can be accomplished by referring to the learning goals and success criteria.  Limit your feedback to three (3) comments, as this has been found to be the optimal number.
3. Describe how improvement can be achieved.  Give specific suggestions and examples to give the student a better understanding of what is expected. 

4. Clarify understanding of the feedback. Ask if the feedback is understood and explain or expand on it, if necessary.

5. Follow up on the feedback given.  This is to ensure that students understood the feedback, are using the feedback appropriately, and for teachers to verify improvement of student understanding.


To conclude, here are 5 important points to keep in mind when providing feedback to students (from L'Anson, 2014):

1. "Feedback is not advice, praise or evaluation.  Feedback is information about how we are doing in our efforts to reach a goal".  In other words, only give feedback about the task itself, not the strategies used to accomplish the task or about the student themselves.

2. "If students know that the classroom is a safe place to make mistakes, they are more likely to use feedback for learning".  Feedback should always be positive, regardless of the level of student performance, thus increasing student motivation to learn and do well.

3. "The feedback students give teachers can be more powerful than the teachers give students".  Feedback can also help teachers plan effective lessons as it gives them an indication as to how their teaching should be adjusted for increased learning.

4. "When we give a grade as part of our feedback, students routinely read only as far as the grade".  Providing comments (feedback) instead is more encouraging and informative, thus increasing the chance for success.

5. "Effective feedback occurs during the learning, while there is still time to act on it".  The goal of providing feedback is to give students a chance to improve, as they are learning a new concept or practicing a new skill (Government of Ontario, 2010).

7. "Students need to know their learning target - the specific skill they are supposed to learn".  It is only when students are clear about their learning target (or goals), that they can self-assess their own work effectively (Government of Ontario, 2010)

From https://www.pinterest.com/pin/408560997417714365/

What do you do to ensure effective feedback is provided to your students?





All Teachers Should Ask Good Questions

From http://www.reallearningroom213.blogspot.ca
 

During a lecture at the University of Windsor, our professor once informed us that asking good questions is a key skill that teachers should have, but many lack.  At first, this statement really shook me because as a naïve first-year student-teacher, I was under the impression that all educators, especially experienced ones, knew exactly how to meaningfully assess student understanding.  This prompted me to do my own online research, which only confirmed my professor's knowledge in the matter.  According to multiple observational studies, it has been found that about 90% of teachers focus on low-level questioning and that most don't even realize it!

From baysidejournal.com

Most teachers will say that the main purpose of asking questions is to determine the depth of student understanding of what was taught.  Thus, common questions such as "Does everyone understand?" and other close-ended and low-level thinking questions are often used in the classroom.  But as the questions get more difficult, ever notice that it always seems as if the same hands are raised?  And when a student who hadn't raised their hand is called upon, more often then not, an answer like "Uh, I don't know" comes up.  Why does this happen?  Well, it could be due to poor questioning methods.

There are several ways to incorporate good questioning techniques in the classroom.  Here are some examples:

1. Wait-Time or Think Time:  Invented by Mary Budd Rowe, it has been found that waiting 3 secs or more after a question is posed thereby giving students more time to think about an answer, can increase student participation in questioning periods.

2. Pose, Pause, Bounce, Pounce:  This technique involves posing a question to the whole class (or several consecutive questions) while insisting that no one raise their hand.  Then after giving students a pause period to think and reflect on their answer, selectively choose one student to answer the question, while providing scaffolding if necessary.  Finally, another student is chosen by the teacher to respond to or add to the first student's answer, while also giving their opinion. 

3. Reflecting using Bloom's Taxonomy:  By carefully pre-planning questions prior to all lessons, a teacher can effectively use Bloom's Taxonomy as a guide to asking high-order questions.  For a great resource on writing up questions based on Bloom's Taxonomy, refer to Bloom's Taxonomy Planning Kit for Teachers.

4. Create Debate Sessions:  Another powerful way to encourage higher-order thinking is by creating opportunities for debates.  Students can be placed into groups, given a question, and time to work in order to reflect and find evidence confirming or rejecting their reasoning.  For a list of good high-school debate topics, click here.  To search through a great database of science-related debate topics, click here. 

5. Exit Cards:  Having one high-order question on an exit card, can be another great way to assess student understanding of the day's big idea.  For this to work effectively, it is important to ensure the question is clear and that students are given a sufficient amount of time to answer (ie. 5-10 mins at the end of a period).  Sample questions to ask:

What is the most important idea that was generated in today’s discussion?

Can you explain this concept in your own words?

Can you draw a diagram to illustrate this idea?

What are some other examples of questioning techniques that you employ in your classroom in order to promote higher-order thinking skills?  Please respond in the comments below.

Peer Assessments in High School Classrooms

From https://www.pinterest.com/pin/175640454193382542/

 

Peer assessments is a popular assessment method that involves giving students the opportunity to evaluate their classmates work using an already established grading system, while providing feedback for improvement.  The application of this method serves to not only deepen the learning process for all students (both 'graders' and 'gradees'), but can also effectively help save teachers time by lowering their workload. Below is are some tips on how to incorporate peer assessment in the classroom.  I also include a list of advantages in using peer assessment, as well as some examples of how peer assessments can be integrated within the classroom.

Practical Tips on Using Peer Assessments:

- Be Clear on Expectations.  Explain to all students your expectations of the evaluation process to the class, prior to commencing any type of peer assessment.  Give students a guideline (or rubric) explaining the details of how to provide positive, constructive feedback, while showing them examples of what good feedback looks like.  Have students practice evaluating each other by overlooking what they have commented on their peers work.  This process should only be used for formative assessments, not summative.
- Plan Ahead of Time.  Be sure to know specifically which assignments can be and will be peer assessed, prior to assigning the task to students.  Not all assignments are created equal and thus, careful thought about which are appropriate for peer assessment, is vital.
- Different Passes, Different Students.  For the best outcome in learning, students should give and receive feedback from a variety of peers.  Thus, having the same assignment peer assessed in different stages by different students, when possible and appropriate, is ideal.

Some Advantages to Peer Assessing:

- Students who grade their classmates work often learn from their peers' ideas, successes and mistakes.
- Receiving valuable suggestions and ideas from peers, to improve one's work.
- Learning valuable humanistic skills, such as compassion and respect.
- Enhancing written (or verbal) communication skills
- Students get quicker feedback on their work (usually within minutes)
- Gives students practice in reading, understanding and using rubrics (as they are used as a guideline to grade peer work)
- Increases all students self-confidence

List of Peer Assessment Activities: 

- Star/Star/Wish:  Students are paired and asked to read over each other's written work.  The reader must identify two things the author did well (stars) and one specific suggestion for improvement (wish).
- Think/Pair/Share: Students are required to think about a question posed or a problem to solve within the classroom, pair up with a peer, and share each other's solution.  This can be used as a peer assessment strategy when used as an information tool.
- Gallery Walk:  Students walk throughout the classroom and give each other feedback on their project or assignment.
- Plus, Minus, Interesting:  Students give their peers feedback by telling them one thing that was good about the work evaluated, one thing that needs improving, and one thing that they found interesting.
- Traffic lights: Using a highlighter (green, yellow, red), students color the side of the margin for each section of an assignment reviewed, to indicate whether the success criteria (provided by the teacher) have been reached or still need improvement.

I believe that peer assessments is a great strategy and as a result, will be implementing it in my future classrooms.  If you have any other great examples of how peer assessment can be incorporated in the classroom, please post them in the comments below.

Ryan's Resouce #4 -Peer Evaluation Rubric

Providing students opportunities to mark their fellow peers anonymously provides a great form of assessment not only for the peer who is being evaluated but for the teacher as well. Taking time to look over these assessments taking into consideration elements that former students take into consideration when providing critique enables you as a teacher to better shape your lesson.  The following is a grade one rubric which during early years provides results when the elements of critique are explicitly stated as the students progress to older grades allowing for more of a creative perspective from the student markers will also strengthen their abilities to evaluate and self-reflect on their work.  Through using this resource consistently in the classroom students will gain insight on the importance of constructive criticism and hear and see specifically areas of need.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVFQP-N5QzvddWdbgynFq4UafwuMddGcXSAq1MCflUWNv6An6BbzdrZjqgWZGDjUBf75eiee3DbSfX5eV5MjI6inxXt-PLn2jKATvkHYVimY1X74JCgmt2N7ZJwAWpyeVzNA99ZPDmEsk/s1600/peer+evaluation.png


http://www.dailyteachingtools.com/images/500PeerEval.jpg

Ryan's Resource #3- Bloom's Taxonomy Task Cards for Drama and Literacy

This resources uses the numbering system on the cards to indicate progressive level of difficulty. As the student goes through the questions they are activating different elements of critical thinking. This begins with questions based on simple memorization or understanding and categorizing /comparing as we experience in the early stages of Bloom's Taxonomy to more abstract or less concrete questions which require forming predictions and making their own inferences as seen in the higher levels of Blooms Taxonomy system.  Using such a regulated system in a subject area like Drama where you find more opportunity for non-linear style teaching provides a nice challenge for the teacher. This also provides a way for the student to apply what they know and broaden their learning without really realizing they are indeed learning.

file:///C:/Users/Ryan/Downloads/PoetryandDramaTaskCards.pdf

Riham's Resource #9 - Bloom's Taxonomy

Retrieved from: Bloom's Taxonomy

This resource is a great guide for teachers when creating an evaluation in the form of a test or quiz. It breaks down the six categories of Bloom's Taxonomy and suggests common words that teachers can use when asking questions that are specific to a certain category. I would use this resource as a guideline on how to word certain questions when creating a test for my students. I actually used this resource when I wrote the SNC2D Chemistry Unit Test during my last placement.

Riham's Resource #8 - LearnBoost

I have use LearnBoost many times for a variety of reasons. LearnBoost can be used to record student marks/grades (gradebook) as well as record student attendance. One can also develop a seating plan using LearnBoost. The nice thing about LearnBoost is that it allows students and parents access to their marks that are up-to-date. Forming graphs that represent the class average on a particular assessment is also another available feature on LearnBoost.

As a student teacher, I have not yet had the opportunity to use all the features on LearnBoost but I look forward to using them in my own classroom. I have used LearnBoost as a mark book for my SNC2D class during my last placement.

Riham's Resource #7 - Rubric Maker

I would use Rubi Star as a rubric maker to assess my students on lab reports or projects. By using Rubi Star, teachers can create their own rubrics to satisfy what they are looking for. For example, if I assigned my students an infographic as an assignment, I would develop a rubric specific for the assignment. Rubi Star can also be used to develop a rubric for a science lab report at any grade level. Rubi Star is also very accessible and easy to use.

Riham's Resource #6 - Lab Report Checklist

Retrieved from: Checklist

In a science class, students are required to write multiple lab reports. I would use this Checklist to assess students on the first few lab reports to ensure they are including all of the important components of a lab report. I would provide a copy to my students and have them fill it out as they work through their lab report. Because this is a simple Checklist, I would use this resource for an applied science class (high school) or even an elementary grade science class (gr. 7-8). 

Riham's Resource #5 - Infographic

I believe infographics are amazing assessment tools. They allow students to portray their knowledge through images and words. When students develop infographics, they must decide what information is worthy of putting in their infographic, thus it teaches them how to "pick out" important information. I have developed this particular infographic for the cell cycle as an assignment exemplar for my students (in SNC1P) who were required to develop their own infographic describing what they learned in the biology unit. PiktoChart is a great website to use for infographics. It is easy to use and has many features student's will find handy. 

Infographics can be used as a formative or summative assessment tool. Personally, I would use it as an end of the chapter assignment in place of a test. 

Riham's Resource #4 - Lab Report Guide

Retrieved from: Classroom Freebies Too

In a science classroom, many times students are required to write a formal lap report. This resource is great for students to use when writing a formal lab report using the scientific method. By using the above handout, students ensure they are including everything they need to include in their lab reports. I would provide this handout to my students at the beginning of the year when the scientific method is first introduced. Every time students are required to write a formal lab report, I would encourage them to use this handout to ensure they are on the correct path to writing a good lab report. This resource can be used in the gr. 7 and 8 science classroom.

Riham's Resource #3 - Exit Card

Retrieved from: Positive Learning

I believe Exit Cards are a great resource for teachers to formally assess students. This particular Exit card asks questions which I think are important. By asking students questions such as "Why do you think we are learning about _________?" you allow students the opportunity to connect real world applications to what they are learning in school. Questions such as, "Did you learn anything that surprised you?" takes the student's interest into consideration. I would use this Exit Card at the end of  a class when a new topic is introduced. For example, I would use this Exit Card after I introduce the DNA chapter in grade 12 biology. 

Riham's Resource #2 - Missing Assignment Slip

Retrieved from: Missing Assignment Form

I have already made a post concerning my view on missed/late assignments. I mentioned that I believe students should be penalized for handing in late assignments because it teaches them responsibility and accountability. With that said, I believe this resource would come in very handy for the the students that submit assignments late or do not submit them at all. This is a great resource because it puts everything in writing. It allows students to see what marks were deducted because they handed their assignment late. It also allows the student to explain why they were not able to hand in the assignment on time. This is very important because sometimes the "excuse" may be valid thus should to be taken into consideration. If I was to use this slip, I would make sure to hand a filled-in copy to the student who missed the assignment as well as keep a copy for myself (to show to parents/administration/student if needed).

Riham's Resource #1 - Kahoot!

Kahoot! can be used in multiple ways to assess students knowledge about a particular topic. I have used Kahoot! many times as a diagnostic tool for my students as well as a type of review before a unit test. Kahoot! allows you, as the teacher, to record student scores when it is being played. It is fun for students and students enjoy it very much because it is not the typical assessment (i.e, test, quiz, assignments, etc.) By using Kahoot!, teachers have an idea about what areas may need clarification to students and what areas student understanding is high.

To locate any Kahoots! I made, you may need a login. You can locate my username by typing "rihamaqel" in the search box.

Should teachers give students "hints" for testes/quizzes?

Retrieved from: Impossible Quiz

As a teacher candidate, when I administer a quiz/test to my students I "point out" or give students "hints" as to what topics they are going to be tested on. I do not want to trick my students or keep them guessing as to what will be asked on a test. Rather, I want my students to know what to focus on and important concepts they should know. Teachers that do not guide students in the right direction often times keep their students guessing and stressed about the upcoming assessment. In turn, students tend to lose focus and become concerned about performing well on their test. Giving students an idea about what they will be tested on allows them the opportunity to study more efficiently and preform better on their assessments.

Should Students Be Given the Opportunity to Rewrite Quizzes?

Retrieved from: Mobieg

Students should be given every chance to succeed, especially if they are strong students who usually preform well on assessments but preformed badly on a particular quiz. That said, I do believe in giving students the opportunity to rewrite quizzes. Some students may be undergoing personal hardships at home/work/school and therefore, may preform poorly on a assessment due to the inconvenient time it was given. Hence, that assessment would not be an equal or fair representative of the student's knowledge. For this reason, I believe students should be given the opportunity to rewrite a quiz but only if they "ask" for help. Students who preform poorly on a quiz regularly and do not ask for extra help are likely to preform badly time-over-time regardless of how many times they rewrite the quiz. On the other hand, students who ask for help are more likely to preform better than they did the first time, due to the extra help they received which clarified concepts/ideas they were misunderstanding.