“When we invest time up front to build the vision [of what students are to be learning], we gain it back later in increased student motivation and the resulting higher‐quality work.” (Chappuis, 2009)

 

Creating a learning goal that aligns with the curriculum objectives of your grade and co-constructing a success criteria with your students that will portray the necessary steps to achieve the learning goal are crucial in creating strong independent learners. Although it may seem like an arduous task to create a learning goal for every new lesson or unit and a success criteria to meet that goal, it is definitely worth the effort when it results in higher engagement, enthusiasm, and better work habits. For this reason, I have chosen the quote above to link my learning to. From the past three modules, I have learned that there are many crucial measures  that are necessary in order to achieve a clear and concise vision for all learners.

Understanding the three types of assessment (For, As, Of) and differentiating between them as well as realizing how interconnected they are is key. Dr. Lorna Earl mentioned in her video that we are now in an environment where High Quality Education for all is the main purpose. Dr Lorna Earl emphasised on the importance of Assessment As Learning above the other types because she believes it is the means for self-monitoring, thinkers. Further, she adds that doing more assessment is not enough, it’s about doing the right kinds. This statement really stuck with me because if we educators don’t put forth our best efforts to create high quality assessments then we cannot expect high quality work from our learners!

When creating assessments for our students, we need to know who they are and how best to assess them according to their needs. This is especially imperative for special needs and ELL students. As stated in the Growing Success Document, before instruction begins, we educators must delve into the student’s history and create a diagnostic assessment based on report cards, IEP’s, previous teachers, parents, and other professionals that have worked with the student. These assessments will help us make vital accommodations or modifications in our classroom and teaching practice. Furthermore, assessing students interests and funds of knowledge, and behavioural patterns using classroom observations and pretests, are also critical and ultimately leads to more effective goal planning and lesson planning. Above I have mentioned the Diagnostic Assessment portion of Assessment for Learning but equally as important is the Formative Assessment portion. Formative Assessment occurs frequently and on going during the year, to “monitor progress, provide feedback and differentiate instruction and assessment” (Learning for All, pg. 29). This type of assessment allows teachers to adjust their instruction and for students to modify their learning strategies and setting different goals while still learning the required content.

Just like we need to teach with a purpose, students need a purpose for learning. If there is a reason, a meaning for learning, the connections that students make and the level of retention of that information grows. If we don’t share the purpose for why they need to learn the skills and concepts we are teaching, then their own reasoning, motivation and interest drop. This is when learning goals and success criteria come in to play.

It is important to explicitly tell the students WHAT they will be learning (Where am I Going?) and HOW they will be successful in mastering that skill (How am I Going?). These combined not only help ensure success in each student’s learning, they help students to take ownership over their learning.

Learning Goals tells students exactly what skills and concepts they will be learning in each and every lesson. By providing your students with learning goals, you are giving them the first step in knowing their purpose for the many activities you will be completing during the lesson. It gives them a chance to process what they will be learning before the learning even begins. Students can start to take ownership over their learning when they:

• Put the learning goal in their own words
• Self-assess where they are in relation to meeting the goal
• Come up with next steps that they could take to meet the goal (if they are not already meeting it)

Success criteria summarize the key steps or ingredients the student needs in order to fulfill the learning goal – the main things to do, include or focus on. They can help your students take ownership over their learning as they can:

• Use it as a reference when they are working independently if they get stuck
• Come up with the success criteria themselves
• Track their progress in using the success criteria to meet their learning targets

 

Watching the 3 segments on success criteria on the edugains website has helped me realize the significance of co-constructing the success criteria with my students. This is definitely on my priority list when it comes to updating my current assessment practice. I will be using the 4 step model: Brainstorm, organize, write down, and revise, edit and refine. First, I will write our learning goal on the board or on chart paper. Next, I will use a different chart paper with the heading success criteria. Then, I will hand out the assignment, and ask students what are some things we can look for that will show that we did the assignment successfully. Alternatively, I may give them a well done piece versus a poorly done piece and ask what made things helped make it successful. Together, we will brainstorm the criteria, and I will organize it and make it more concise. Next, I will rewrite it on a chart paper and we can take a look at it again to see if we want to change anything or add anything to it.

Moreover, I will make sure to provide more consistent and timely feedback. Although I do provide feedback for my students, I intend to make a weekly schedule where I meet students in groups or one-to-one to discuss their progress, or provide feedback for specific assignments. This way I listen actively to their responses and concerns and give them my full attention. At the same time, students can truly benefit from our conversations and feedback. Creating a feedback log to keep track of my feedback and student responses is also a new tool I would like to implement in my future practice. Sometimes you lose track of which students responded to your feedback and which didn’t, therefore, having a feedback log can really save time and keep things more organized for myself and my students.

                                                       “Who are my students?” -Kristen

THIS is the central question that we strive to build our assessment around to improve student learning. Not only should teachers know about their students as learners but also as people! What are their interests in school but also out of school? What is their ethnic background, their first language, their SES status, their hobbies, their favourite song and movie, their favourite subject and so on? Although we have been provided with an ample number of strategies we can carry out, I will provide three prime practices that I strive to achieve in my classroom.

1) Creating a Socially and Emotionally Safe Environment.

            As Maslow proposed in his hierarchy of human needs, basic wants must be met before students can turn their attention to learning. After securing food, water, shelter, and safety from harm, people seek as their next most important needs affection, belonging, and esteem. In the process of coming to know students, a caring and interested teacher can develop rapport and trust not just between teacher and student but among students. This trust and acceptance creates a psychologically safe atmosphere in the classroom, which provides the security students need to adjust their minds to new experiences, and deep learning. A sense of belonging and being valued maximizes the chances that students will take such risks. Simple gestures such as learning proper pronunciation of each students’ names, greeting students in the morning, noticing small changes in their hair or outfit, conducting morning meetings as well as making an effort to celebrate the diversity that exists in your students, supporting all language learners, and accommodating to meet students learning, social and emotional needs are great ways to foster a safe place. Another crucial step as an educator in adopting a safe space for students is becoming culturally competent.

2) Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Culturally competent teachers assure that the curriculum will be taught, that the curriculum will be delivered in a way that is responsive to the collective norms and experiences of the student population which in turn will enhance the class environment through the diversity and uniqueness that each student exhibits. Culturally responsive learning goes beyond a student’s culture and language but considers their self-esteem, sense of efficacy, cultural norms, social status within the class or group, life experiences, dispositions and attitudes, habits of mind, and their families. As educators, it is our duty to appreciate and celebrate all our learners including Indigenous Peoples, the minority class, the majority class, the ELL students, and the low SES students. When we know our students deeply, we are able to determine individual readiness for learning with greater accuracy and then pitch instruction more precisely. It can become overwhelming to keep track of all your students information collectively or individually. Therefore, my final practice is a solution to gathering all that data and information and monitoring and adjusting it throughout the year.

3) Developing Student and Class Profiles

This was a significant takeaway from Module 5 because I have yet to implement a class profile in my teaching practice. To help meet the challenge of coming to know your students, Chapter 4 of Learning for All-A Guide to Effective Assessment and Instruction for All students, Kindergarten to Grade 12 recommends developing class and student learning profiles to capture five important dimensions of learning identity: biological traits, cultural and societal factors, emotional and social influences, academic performance, and learning preferences. You won’t acquire all of this information at one time, but as you continue to collect and compile student data, a meaningful and useful learning profile should emerge.

Malcolm X once said “We cannot teach what we do not know and we cannot lead where we will not go.”

             Going forward, not only will I be altering aspects of my teaching but also aspects of myself on a professional and personal level. Continuous professional development workshops and taking advantage of other opportunities to deepen my knowledge will be a small step I can take to enrich my teaching practice and stay up to date with the curriculum. In addition, I will strive to improve my understanding of all cultures in my class especially Indigenous culture and ELL students. Some ways I can incorporate culturally practices are using the talking stick (used in Indigenous culture) in my morning meetings after students understand the significance of it, rotating between different languages to greet students in the morning, displaying and reading aloud dual language books, using technology as a resource to skype elders of certain cultures whom we can all benefit from and celebrating cultural practices/events as they present themselves throughout the year. I will provide more differentiated learning opportunities for my students to allow them to expand their creativity when expressing their learning. For example, in the past I would assess students based on one type of project such as having them create poster boards. Presently, I would offer, expose and encourage them to utilize various techniques and methods to share their learning such as using technology (PowerPoint, brochures, Video clips, Show your learning apps, make a movie) oral presentation, booklets, sketch notes, and the list goes on (or methods the students come up with themselves). Most importantly, I will create digital class and individual profiles to deeply understand and collect important data on all characteristics of my students and fully appreciate them and meet their social, emotional, psychological and academic needs to the best of my ability.

 

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/LearningforAll2013.pdf

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_ResponsivePedagogy.pdf