So, what is the next step in a 'teacher's stride? We have information on the spreadsheets, now what? One of my absolute favorite newsletters is Choice Literacy. This month there are several good free suggestions to help us think about how we can get students to create goals and how to reflect on their learning. Although members get more access, there are several articles that are free for everyone. If interested, check these out:
Katherine Sokolowski revises the weekly reflection form her fifth graders use to track goals, progress, and expectations:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/articles-detail-view.php?id=2326
Ditching the cookies they might use in a traditional end-of-unit celebration, Melanie Meehan and a fourth-grade teacher develop a lesson to help a challenging class of students reflect on their learning:
http://leadliteracy.com/articles/499
Franki Sibberson helps her students learn how to set writing goals early in the year:
http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2017/09/setting-writing-goals.html
I often hear that we have too many resources and it is difficult to know how to 'fit it all in' during the time reserved for each subject. It can feel overwhelming so it is important to keep in mind that it all gets done. If we keep the 'What Matters Most' theme going, know that students learn best with specific, meaningful feedback. Grant Wiggins gives advice on the topic in an Educational Leadership magazine article titled: Seven Keys to Effective Feedback. As we fall into stride, keep the the meaning of feedback at the forefront and follow the feedback essentials: Goal-Referenced, Ongoing, Consistent, User-Friendly, Timely, Actionable, Tangible and Transparent.