EdTechTeam

Global Network of Educational Technologists

remote learning

How to Create Meaningful and Accurate Formative Assessments with EduProtocols

Can you relate to this? – You teach a lesson. You give your students the quiz and there are varying levels of mastery. You create a new lesson that night to then reteach the next day. You check for understanding…the kids totally understand. You quiz again…and they didn’t totally understand. 

Can you relate to this? – Your grade level team identifies an area of need/standard based on old data. You design an assessment to measure this standard. You teach and test. You are hopeful that your students will master this one standard by the end of the year. 

So…let’s try something that may be more effective and inFORMative. Using the EduProtocols, informed instruction will allow for more agility, flexibility, and versatility, while maintaining a student centered focus. With repetition and timely feedback or even feed forward, students receive information and can adjust their learning.

Agility: The power of moving quickly and easily; nimbleness

When routines are put into place, processes become more streamlined. Think of your morning routine. The night before, perhaps I pick out what I am going to wear to work and I pack up my lunch so the morning goes more smoothly. This allows the flow of my morning to go swiftly and I am out the door on time. 

The same thing happens with EduProtocols. Early in the school year, I used Thin Slides, 8 pARTS Grammar, and the Frayer model almost daily. Not only did I have a quick idea of what students THOUGHT they knew, I could easily send a new template or frame out for the next activity. Feedback was easier to provide in small, quick doses rather than waiting for the “big assignment”…which would likely be moved to the bottom of the grading pile. 

For example, if the 8 pARTS Grammar assignment indicated that there were groups of students struggling with adverbs and adjectives, I could use that information to create a Frayer for each part of speech. Students would receive the Frayer that correlated with his or her need. Brief, targeted lessons would be taught. The next 8 pARTS assignment would likely be completed properly. 

The agility with which the EduProtocols can be planned, prepped, and assigned is a win for the teacher. I am able to make moves “on the fly” and not have to wait to plan an activity. In a few clicks, I can likely be ready to better meet the needs of the learners in front of me. 

Lesson Idea: 8 pARTS

The 8 pARTS EduProtocol provides for grammar instruction to be authentic and meaningful. This is the ORIGINAL EduProtocol! 

  1. Find a fun picture or gif that will intrigue students. There are a ton on the internet and students will even start providing them!
  2. I engage my students in a Notice and Wonder protocol just to get them talking to each other about what they see in the picture. 
  3. Students fill in the 8 parts of speech noted on the form. This could be broken apart based on the age of your students. You will get an idea really quickly about what your mini lessons need to be. For the first time, we often brainstorm together.
  4. Students use the words they have brainstormed into a paragraph, practicing sentence writing.
  5. Students can swap papers/documents and even mark up the parts of speech with highlighting. 

The agility comes with the fact that this EduProtocol has morphed into Sentence Parts, MathReps, 8 Parts for Primary Sources. When paired with The Fast and the Curious (target specific grammar skills), Thin Slides, Frayer, etc., effective, informed lessons will help students’ skills grow in these areas. Templates can be found here. MathReps can be found here.

Flexibility: The quality of being easily adapted or of offering many different options

EduProtocols are super malleable. They can be twisted, turned, and iterated into something unexpected and amazing. Talk about Universal Design for Learning! Students will start to find ways to adapt to them as well. This is important when looking for a variety of ways students can “show what they know.” Depending on what I need to see for the level of learning, I may opt for a Thin Slide, a Sketch and Tell, or a Mini Report. Each of these would provide me with varying levels of understanding. 

Sketch and Tell can be leveraged across all content areas. The “show” portion can be a simple sketch using online tools or a picture of an actual paper/pencil drawing. Adam Moler has students use Legos, gummy bears, and playdough for this portion of the assignment. The “tell” side can include evidence, a response, a Frayer model, or a Flipgrid. 

Lesson Idea: Sketch and Tell

The flexibility of this EduProtocols is key to keeping things fresh in your classroom and formative assessment:

  • In Language Arts: vocabulary, figurative language, character traits, theme, literary devices.
  • In Science: vocabulary, processes, how-to’s.
  • In Social Studies: vocabulary, events, people, locations
  • In Math: problem solving, explain your thinking, notice and wonder

Sketch and Tell can be used in very sophisticated ways that will add meaning to content and let the teacher see what students know and what needs to be clarified. This provides a wonderful opportunity for students to share with one another or with peers. A Sketch and Tell plus Fligrid would pair nicely with the whiteboard option now in Flipgrid. For the Sketch and Tell Template, please click here. 

Versatility: The state or quality of being useful for or easily adapted to various tasks, styles, fields of endeavor

With all of the EduProtocols, I find the versatility of input, interaction, and output key to keeping me informed about my students and their progress in learning. When teachers use EduProtocols, students consume information, practice with the information, and then meet mastery over time. I spend September to December “training” students to use the EduProtocols. I make slight variations to keep the lessons fresh and engaging. The fact that I don’t have to teach and reteach HOW to use a graphic organizer allows my teaching to be faster as the year goes on. The students practically guide themselves even though the content increases in rigor. 

To keep the lessons unique, vary the input, interaction, and output. This often ends up looking like “choices” in learning, thereby creating buy-in as well. 

Input: Students don’t need to read articles or passages as a sole means of input. Video, commercials, music, poetry, primary sources, pictures, etc. can all serve as the input. Picture books, quotes, and art can even serve as inspiration.

Interaction: Learning should not be a “single rider” experience. Partners, trios and quads can work together collaboratively. Sometimes this can occur synchronously or asynchronously. Breakout rooms allow for real time interaction. Flipgrid can be used as well. Many teachers are making use of applications such as Nearpod, Seesaw, and Peardeck. EduProtocols naturally fold into these helpful tools.

Output: Students cannot just learn by consuming! Evidence of learning can take place in a variety of ways. Students can create using a variety of tools. Google Slides tend to dominate due to their convenience. Other creation tools to consider include: Book Creator, Adobe Spark, Google Drawing, Jamboard, My Maps, etc. 

By offering choice and exposure to new tools, students learn various ways to express their learning. I do think that the number of choices should be limited until students become familiar with the tools. 

Many teachers shy away from varied outputs due to grading. In my opinion, the success of students can be measured in many ways. I find the Single Point Rubric very helpful when evaluating the content of what a student has completed. The article linked previously demonstrates the power of the single point rubric and the impact on student learning. 

Keep your teaching INFORMed

I always thought I knew more about my students than any publisher test ever showed me. The EduProtocols have shown me even more! Thinking is made visible on a variety of levels. My students have become much more articulate in explaining themselves. I know I am making decisions minute by minute based on the information gleaned from INFORMed instruction. 

When I set forth to plan, I know that “there is an EduProtocol for that”! Solid lesson design modeled after Madelnine Hunter’s lesson design elements is simplified with EduProtocols. 

To help you get started, please consider checking out the SmartStart lessons ready to go. These are non-content, low cognitive load activities to get you started. Or, you may consider adopting an EduProtocol of the Week. Here is the Wakelet of EduProtocols!

Kim Voge

As an educator for 27 years, Kim has been an innovator in and out of the classroom. Kim incorporates best practices including WICOR, UDL, ELL. She believes in identifying learning objectives FIRST and then applying technology. Literacy in all content areas is the goal…and literacy must include new media. Kim strives to meet teachers where they are and move forward. In the classroom, Kim weaves pedagogy and technology in meaningful ways. Kim is an adjunct professor for Hope International University and serves as the CUE BOLD Director.

What Are EduProtocols?

Teachers, have you ever attended professional development and walked away with a BIG BLUE BINDER that ends up filling up space on a bookshelf? I am pretty sure the answer is YES. Oftentimes, the professional development provided leaves us full of binders and information that will basically patch up a perceived problem. The most useful information and guidance in my instructional practices has come from EduProtocols. The EduProtocols Field Guide, Books 1 and 2, have given me tangible ways to create valuable learning experiences for my students. Best of all, the interaction with the authors, Jon Corippo and Marlena Hebern, via Twitter provides mentoring and coaching. (No binder ever included that!)

I know you’re probably asking, “What is an EduProtocol?”  From the www.eduprotocols.com website, “EduProtocols are instructional lesson frames that are designed to engage students in learning through critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity. EduProtocols can be used with any subject, any grade level.”

Benefit #1: Agile, Versatile, Flexible

EduProtocols are lesson frames a teacher can use in a variety of ways, across all content areas and grade levels. Once you start using them regularly, you will find yourself thinking about how you can “play” with them in your planning!

When I first started using the Thin Slide EduProtocol, I implemented it in my vocabulary lessons. For a Thin Slide, students are provided a word and each student completes a slide with the word, a definition, and a picture. A time constraint of 3 minutes is used to create a sense of urgency and productivity. Students are given about 5-10 seconds to share and “whip around” the classroom. With little to no prep, I found myself using Thin Slides daily…check for understanding, provide an example of  ____, notice and wonder. 

After a while, we started using them for study guides. The Thin Slide Study Guide replaced the need for flash cards created individually by students. Crowdsourcing the information created collaboration among students. 

Thin Slides literally have no teacher prep. Share a slide deck, students grab a slide, and 3 minutes later, you are sharing! Here’s a template to get you started!

Benefit #2: Learning Across All Domains

It is recommended that EduProtocols be introduced with non-content to lessen the cognitive load. Students need to learn the structure and the flow of the EduProtocols. Once they are familiar with how the learning is going to happen, we can change up the content. It’s very reassuring when students start requesting EduProtocols by name! As they come to understand how they are going to learn, we can ramp up the rigor! 

The Frayer Model is very useful for vocabulary and concepts. Instead of starting right off with content embedded vocabulary, we start with Frayer a Friend. Students pair up and interview each other about their likes and dislikes, their dream pet, etc. Pairs form quads and the introductions begin. With this one activity, we have established a learning routine, created conversation among students, and built relationships. 

And, look at all Marzano’s high yield strategies in one activity: similarities and differences, advanced organizers, and cooperative learning. 

The authors and I developed a whole set of lessons ready to help you start with EduProtocols. You can obtain a copy of Smart Start by clicking here. 

Benefit #3: The 4 C’s and UDL

EduProtocols provide teachers with a way to plan lessons with students’ needs in mind. Communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking are connected in the EduProtocols. The principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are also evident. With the EduProtocols, students will be engaged in the learning process, be able to access information in a variety of ways, and express their understanding in creative ways. 

Sketch and Tell is an extremely malleable EduProtocol. Typically used for summary writing, students have some input (text, video, audio) and they SKETCH something they learned. They tell a partner, sharing what they learned. This is key to summary writing- if kids can’t talk about it, they can’t write about it! Lastly, they write about it. Adam Moler, an avid EduProtocol user, has changed up the SKETCH portion. His students have used Legos, gummy bears, and playdough to serve as their sketch medium.  Here’s the Sketch and Tell template.

Benefit #4: Teach Better, Work Less

This mantra from Jon Corippo always makes me think….yes, I am teaching better than I ever have. I don’t know that I am working “less”. I think I am working more efficiently and effectively using my time. My feedback to students is more specific. My prep time decreased using the templates and lesson frames. Learning is more efficient and meaningful for my students. They know how to access information readily. They understand the function of the structures and the intended outcome. We definitely went slowly at first. After January, we started learning at a pretty impressive pace. You don’t need a big blue binder…You need www.eduprotocols.com Trust me!

Looking for more lesson design support? Get access to proven protocols, customizable templates, and interactive support at Untamed Learning. Click here to learn more! 

 

As an educator for 27 years, Kim has been an innovator in and out of the classroom. Kim incorporates best practices including WICOR, UDL, ELL. She believes in identifying learning objectives FIRST and then applying technology. Literacy in all content areas is the goal…and literacy must include new media. Kim strives to meet teachers where they are and move forward. In the classroom, Kim weaves pedagogy and technology in meaningful ways. Kim is an adjunct professor for Hope International University and serves as the CUE BOLD Director.

How to Save Time Creating Lessons

As a teacher of 27 years, one problem, of many, facing teachers has been the amount of time it takes to create lessons. There is no magic wand to make this process painless, but there is a way to make lesson planning and creating more efficient. Our current Covid, pandemic reality has exacerbated this issue. Now is the time to find the routines that will allow for quicker planning, increased engagement, and stickier learning for students.

In the fall of 2019, I returned to the classroom after being a teacher on special assignment for eight years. I faced new standards, new textbook adoptions, at a new school site. I was creating everything new without an onsite support system. Then March 13th happened! Within a couple of hours, my students were packed up and out the door with their belongings. Little did we know that it would be our last day face to face.

Our transition to distance learning/crisis learning was rather smooth based on the fact that I had been implementing the EduProtocols from Jon Corippo and Marlena Hebern. Not only were my students flexible in their use of technology and the EduProtocols, but planning and lesson creating began to follow a workable routine.

“Planning the perfect week” became an effective routine for my students’ academic success and my sanity in planning and creating content.

Step #1: Identify your routines

You may not even be aware of the routines you actually have when it comes to planning. Take a few minutes to reflect on your planning. I noticed a few commonalities in the planning of a concept/unit/week. I started to chunk the material into more manageable tasks. You will notice that I reference many EduProtocols. These will be explained in more detail through a series of blog posts. Here is a link to my first iteration of this process.


Students appreciated the routines established and the familiarity of the EduProtocols. Because they had their interactions with the EduProtocols scaffolded, they were able to apply the cognitive skills with higher level materials/content as the year progressed.

Step #2: Consider the “flow”

I found myself planning a week at a time by breaking apart Hyperdocs. Hyperdocs are powerful tools that allow a teacher to plan a whole cycle of learning by identifying the moving parts into a routine streamlined planning process. The 5 E model: engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate work well when planning, pacing, and delivering content rich lessons that allow for student choice.

After modeling the 5 E model or other iterations, my students became content creators for each other! Towards the end of the year, students self-selected topics, with parameters, and moved from consumers to creators! They felt empowered and thoroughly enjoyed making lessons for each other. 

There are a variety of templates for Hyperdocs that can help ease the planning and creating time.

Step #3: Leverage Templates

Stop thinking that you need to change up the graphic organizer every time you use it. Stop “making it pretty.”  I am a self-proclaimed font snob and pretty preso maker! Let the kids make the slides eye-catching. Make use of the slide master in Google Slides to grab some fonts and layouts that always work. Please consider the visual needs of students when making font and color choices. That super cute font may not be readable by some of your students. Your color scheme may look appealing on your screen, but once on a display, it goes awry. There are many EduProtocol templates ready to implement…make a copy and go! Check them out at www.eduprotocols.com

Step #4: Get Organized

I don’t know about you, but my Google Drive is a hot mess. I created a spreadsheet with my EduProtocol templates so they were ready-to-access. Make a copy, rename, and you are up and running. 

For distance learning, I plan and post the whole week. I created a simple template in Google Slides. I adapt the colors and bitmojis for the season/holiday. Every week looks the same: slide with links, FYI, weekly tasks, ELA, Math, Science or Social Studies. Links on the Weekly Planner go directly to the assignment in Google Classroom. It takes a few weeks to get kids trained, but then the rest of the year will go smoothly! 

I honestly don’t know how I would be surviving our current situation without leveraging the power in the EduProtocols. Not only have they saved me hours, they have made me a more effective teacher. My students are more effective and engaged learners. They are learning how to learn…acquiring knowledge through routines, practice, and feedback.

Looking for more lesson design support? Get access to proven protocols, customizable templates, and interactive support at Untamed Learning. Click here to learn more! 

 

As an educator for 27 years, Kim has been an innovator in and out of the classroom. Kim incorporates best practices including WICOR, UDL, ELL. She believes in identifying learning objectives FIRST and then applying technology. Literacy in all content areas is the goal…and literacy must include new media. Kim strives to meet teachers where they are and move forward. In the classroom, Kim weaves pedagogy and technology in meaningful ways. Kim is an adjunct professor for Hope International University and serves as the CUE BOLD Director.

Teacher Organization Hacks: Declutter your Digital Workspace

Raise your hand if your digital workspace could use a good declutter! You find yourself spending 25 minutes searching for that one Doc you need or you can’t even open your inbox because that unread number causes your stress and anxiety to shoot through the roof.

We’re here to help with some tips for managing multiple Google accounts, organizing bookmarks, and taking control of your inbox. Are you ready to go Marie Kondo on your digital workspace? Let’s dive right in!

All of the tips below include G Suite tools and demonstrated inside Google Chrome.

Tip #1: How to Manage Multiple Google Accounts

If you’re like us, then you have multiple Google accounts. You’re constantly signing in and out of your personal or work account, but things get messy this way. Something always gets created under the wrong account making it even harder to find what you’re searching for. Our solution…separate your digital houses. There are two ways to access your Google account: log into your account inside your preferred browser or create a separate Chrome profile for each account. Spoiler alert – option two is the one you want! In the video below, Amanda Taylor is showing you exactly what we mean by “separate your digital houses” and how to switch between your accounts with the click of a button to keep everything separated so you can always find what you’re looking for inside your account.

Tip #2: How to Organize Your Bookmarks

This might seem like a simple tip, but trust us when we say that it’s a game-changer! Go and look at your bookmarks. How many do you have? How often do you actually use what you have saved to your bookmarks? Now, what are those top 6-10 websites you visit every day? Are they bookmarked or do you find yourself typing out the websites in your search box again and again because somehow it just feels easier?

If you’re like the majority of people (even us!) you’re bookmarks are a little out of control. The thing about bookmarks is they can save us so much time if they are used correctly. We’re talking about saving icons to your bookmark bar to take up less space, utilizing folders, and organizing your bookmarks so you can quickly and easily access what you need and use the most. In the video below, Amanda is showing you how to do all of this step-by-step.

Tip #3: How to Take Control of Your Inbox

We’ve saved the best for last…taking control of your inbox. If we had a dime for every time someone said they were excited to open their inbox we would have about 2 dimes. Shocking we know, but most people dread opening their inbox. We want to change that! We want to help you manage your inbox and get you to the point where you maybe aren’t excited to open your inbox, but you don’t feel that overwhelming stress when you see that unread number.

We’re showing you how to remove old emails from your inbox (quickly!), create filters & labels so you can easily search and find what you’re looking for, and how to set up your inbox so it best works for you. Dive into Amanda’s top tips in the video below.

We’ll be tackling Google Drive, Calendar, and Chrome extensions in another post, but for now, we hope you found all of these tips helpful and you can start to declutter your digital workspace. Let us know in the comments below if you’ll be incorporating any of these tips into your daily workflow.

Looking for ways to tried and true techniques, customizable templates, proven protocols, and interactive support to create high-impact learning experiences in your classroom?

Check out our virtual conference – Untamed Learning and get access to 32 sessions to help you ignite your teaching practice in 2021! 

 

Rethinking Summative Assessment: Giving Students Voice and Choice

Think back to an assessment you took in your elementary years.  Do you have it in your mind? If not, that’s the problem that needs to be addressed! The assessments you took were not that memorable; you probably didn’t have a lasting connection and there was absolutely no impact on you as a learner whatsoever. But do you remember maybe a science fair project? A public speech that you made? A birdhouse or table that you made in shop class? A portfolio of photos that your art teacher let you create? Those are the culminating pieces that you remember! So why can’t we do that in a class that [only] allows for traditional assessments? That is what we are going to dive into today. 

Currently, we are in such an opportunistic time in education. It can be difficult with the adversity families, learners, teachers, districts and communities are facing.  Educators are adapting to different learning models – hybrid, remote, hyflex, and back to face-to-face; but with these different learning models, we cannot forget the learner’s voice, choice, and engagement with their learning. Right now, we may have learners that are still engaged and are attending class daily; but we definitely have some learners that are struggling to stay connected to their education due to circumstances that may be outside of their control.  As educators, it is our responsibility to see this disconnection and to do what we can to cultivate that relationship again and empower our learners. 

One way to do that is to ditch that paper-pencil test! Read that again, ditch that paper-pencil test. There are some skeptics to this idea because it contradicts everything they have done as a teacher, and in their time as a student. Just think of the monotony and repetition of learning a new topic, practice that topic, test, repeat. We are in a personalized digital era where learners are increasing their knowledge of technology at a rapid rate, definitely surpassing the teachers’ knowledge. Let’s embrace that!

How can we use technology and tap into our learners’ interests to make assessments more meaningful? How can we empower our learners and build community at the same time? If you’re ready to approach these questions, continue reading!

Tip #1: Ask yourself if you’re ready to give up control and make a change

6 questions to ask yourself to see if you’re ready to give up control to your learners:

  • How do I know what a learner knows when I give them a test or essay prompt?
  • What are the ways a learner has shown me their thinking?
  • What are some ways that a learner can show me their understanding that I haven’t tried yet?
  • What if I gave my students a choice on how they want to be assessed?
  • Will the learning objective change?
  • Is learning the variable and time the constant? Or is learning the constant, and time the variable?

These questions can be uncomfortable to dig into at first for many reasons. It’s natural for people to think of the barriers first.  Your district probably has common assessments that you have to give to your learners for accountability purposes. Those assessments are designed to capture what that learner knows at that very moment on the topic you just covered for the last couple of weeks.

Sometimes your content or district team might tweak the questions from one year to the next. The school district might be switching from a traditional grading system to a standards-based system, or even to a proficiency-based grading system. You have 35 weeks to complete 19 units, so your time is very tight.  These are all very real circumstances and barriers that have made change difficult or assessments inflexible. 

The next tip is going to help you transition from inflexibility to innovation. We will dig into questions that may arise when you consider the idea of giving up control to your learners, and making assessments more meaningful.

Tip #2: Build intentional time to ideate [with your learners]

Once you’ve answered the above questions honestly, your gears may start to turn. I remember when I first answered these questions, I had so many “what if,” “will you,” or “could I” kind of questions. But I realized that I need to involve my learners in these questions if I want to give them voice and choice in the matter.  

Will I provide the options on how I want to assess my learners? I had one or two ways in my mind of how a learner could demonstrate their understanding, I thought they could make a video showing me they could solve a series of math problems that were the toughest in the unit. They could make an infographic on a Google Slide detailing their research, calculations, and linear models on a particular healthy restaurant as a Public Service Announcement. I shared these ideas with my learners, and that’s when the ideas started flowing.

I created a prompt on Padlet, and they all posted their ideas.  Their excitement and awe that they had a choice in the matter was palpable. This is where the real community building and engagement started.  One student loves board games so much she ended up making a chutes and ladders dice game involving simplifying expressions; she glow-forged a piece of wood, produced a bag of game materials, and made the game objective rule sheet, along with other supporting materials. She then filmed herself playing it as a way to prove that she was able to not only create the game but do the math behind it as well. Another student created an iMovie by screencasting his iPad while he narrated a live lesson on solving square root and cube root equations on Notability. These two examples definitely have a math focus, but just think…how could you extend this to Science? Social studies? Art? Music? Literacy? 

7 ways you can assess your learner’s understanding beyond paper and pencil

  • iMovie (video tutorial)
  • Infographic or anchor chart
  • Slideshow lesson notes
  • Board game
  • Spoken Word performance
  • Quizlet
  • Mini-lesson to you or a small group of peers
  • Virtual Tour with Google Maps

Will I develop a rubric or checklist to assess their understanding?

I came from a district that shifted towards standards-based grading, and we had common assessments with a rubric at the top of each test. When we shifted towards proficiency-based, the language changed towards what a student is able to do at that particular grade level, and what are the next steps or supporting steps. So I sat down with my learners and asked them, “What have we covered so far in this unit? What was a struggle for you? What has challenged you? What have you conquered in this unit?” Those are the items that we put into a rubric that we developed together.  With this conversation, I not only asked their opinion, but I involved them in the decision making process. Their voice was heard, acknowledged, and implemented. We are building a community of learners, together! The parts that were on the original rubric of the test were on there, but in a completely different way: applicable and personalized.

How much time will I allow for this?

I wasn’t sure about this one. We were at the end of one unit, and I asked my two classes if they would be interested in doing an alternative summative project rather than a paper-pencil test. You’ll get the students who just want to take a test, and you’ll get the learners who are hesitant, and the kids who absolutely hate tests and will do anything but test. All three categories create wonderful opportunities to dig deeper. You could pose statements or ask questions such as, “tell me more,” “how do you know if you’ve never done it before,” “what’s been your experience with a test [or project]?” 

We decided that in the last week of the unit, we would start to allow class time and encourage time outside of class to start creating their project. At this point, some learners opted out and continued down the traditional path of reviewing and taking the paper-pencil test. However, some students opted in and started to develop their iMovie, board game, memory matching game, etc. Some students only needed 2-3 days, others needed 3 school days and the weekend to complete it. We would provide meeting times throughout the week to check the status of the project and give suggestions.  I can’t tell you how long it should take because every teacher, student, class, content area, school, and district is different.  You have to ask yourself, what’s more important- the test and its results or creating life-long learners who are now committing to their learning out of choice? 

What if this fails?

This is a relative question. How do you define failure? A student doesn’t complete the project on time, if at all? You can give them the test. (This was an agreement I made with the students beforehand.) What if the student doesn’t do well on this project? What a wonderful opportunity to confer with your learner to discuss their process! Teachers can be their own worst critic, but to know that you have tried and continue to try to involve learners in the assessment process, provide meaningful opportunities for them to share their voice and perspective, not to mention their creativity and identity! What if it’s a success because the aforementioned was a byproduct?

Tip #3: Reflect!

Whenever you try something new or add a new layer to your pedagogy, always reflect. If you’re challenging yourself to release control to your learners and make your assessment process more meaningful and applicable to your learners, then why not reflect with them?

  • What was something you appreciated the most about this project?
  • Given more time, what would you add to your project?
  • If you did this again, what would you change?
  • How is this different to you from a traditional test/essay?

You could ask these questions on a Google Form, a Padlet, Jamboard, or even on a virtual call with breakout spaces. You could ask this in a community circle style within your classroom. You could choose to have the learners who opted out of the alternative project to be a part of the discussion in hopes to pique their interest. The opportunities are endless!

When I first started offering alternative assessments, I started with one unit, in one class, with a small group of students who were interested. It then grew to a second class to more students that were interested. I wasn’t quite ready to dive in and release control to too many students. But once I did, I didn’t regret it. They were asking me if their ideas were acceptable, and asking to use their extra work time to work on their project.

When the projects were turned in I conferred with them using the rubric or gave them feedback on the rubric in Google Classroom. Some students really took advantage of this opportunity and blew me away with their creativity. A smaller group of students definitely under performed; this opened up the doors to a great discussion and making next steps. Whether the project was a success or a “failure,” I always counted it as a win because I let go of the control, I invited the learners to own the assessment process, and the intentional time for feedback and conferring was invaluable.

I’ll always remember the following words, time is the variable, and learning is the constant.  When my grad school professor stated those words, it shook me.  If we’re worried about Day 50’s lesson not going into Day 51, we are leaving kids behind.  If we have to give this test to this one kid on this day no matter what, we’re leaving that kid behind.  If you have a student that has a hard time writing their thinking and that’s the only way you’re assessing that student is through writing, you’re leaving that student behind.  Once you start to release control to the learners and what they want, you find yourself doing it more and more. The learning becomes the constant; the learning becomes more meaningful; the learning becomes fun.  The more we lead with this in mind, the deeper your connections and trust will be with your learners, and your learning community will be just that – a community of learners with a shared purpose and sense of responsibility for each other’s learning.

If you have any tips, suggestions, or want to share your experience, please comment below. 

 

Bryn Grosskopf is a secondary math teacher in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Bryn earned her Masters of Education at Carroll University focusing on Personalized Learning and Teacher Leadership. She has worked at the Waukesha STEM Academy for eight years, developing a community of empowered learners and pushing her colleagues to do the same.  Teacher leader, innovator, and a learner-centered educator are just a few ways to describe how Bryn pushes the envelope on implementing personalized learning strategies and creating life-long learners.