Essential steps to developing a standards-based classroom For too long, assessment has been something that is done to learners, and not with learners. Assessment has the power to build confidence, increase hope, and develop strong, reflective learners when used correctly. However, traditionally, assessment has often been a “gotcha” experience or a moment in time to place a value
Assess with a commitment to compassion, collaboration, and the goal of helping students succeed It’s easy to become jaded about assessment, but I’m going to offer a different view that will hopefully make assessment a tool for learning instead of just an after-the-fact event. We can’t always control all of the assessments our students take, so set
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Building community, reading comprehension, and student leadership Tying shoes. A simple activity that’s typically performed one or more times daily. Once people learn how to tie shoes, they can do so almost without thinking. One of my favorite activities to do with teachers and students is to teach them how to tie their shoes in
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Literacy strategies to transform instruction and deepen learning Social studies instruction requires students to understand complex concepts, read dense primary source documents, and critically consider various perspectives. As a social studies and English language arts teacher, I have found that integrating writing and discussion literacy strategies into social studies can transform the classroom environment and
This technique encourages students to read closely and discover and record text evidence Much of the writing we assign students is public writing: writing to communicate with others. Writing-to-learn is personal writing, writing that helps students increase comprehension of texts in all disciplines. In a 2010 report by the Carnegie Corporation, the #1 core instructional
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