I know this has happened to me. (Especially in those first years of teaching.) It could be that the district assessment was awful because of the lack of great questions in the question bank. Sorry ICs out there, but sometimes this is true. But many of the times, I was quizzing my students along the way instead of truly accessing their understanding! So...What is the difference between Checking for Understanding and Quizzing? What are some quick ways you can check for understanding? 1. Be sure to have your learning objective posted. I can statements are very helpful. Examples: I can multiply using partial products. I can give benefits and disadvantages of using Alternative Energy. 2. Plan your questions before the lesson. Here are some question stems to help you with open ended questions. 3. Think/Pair/Share often. This activity is material-less and quick! You can very quickly scan the room. Who is talking? Who is silent? You can listen in and ask students to repeat each other's responses. 4. Use Thumbs Up/Medium Thumb/Thumbs Down. Thumbs up means "I've got this!" Medium Thumb- "I get some things, but I might need more." Thumbs Down- "I am lost." I use this as a quick check. Most students are fairly honest about where they are. After I ask them to show me their thumbs, I ask them to come up with a reason why they showed me that signal and have them share it with me. 5. Have students create a rhyme, dance, song, or rhyme to explain what they just learned. Film them. I promise it will be worth. Use the videos later for writing prompts, fun updates for parents, or just to validate your students during this time! 6. Use data collection sites like Plickers or Kahoots. You can quickly assess all students in a fun way! It grades your questions for you. And you have physical evidence for yourself and administrators. (And hey, data driven decisions and technology, can you say T-TESS rock star?) 7. Agree or Disagree- I have two Corgis that fight all the time in my classroom. Students have to explain who they agree with and why. Below is an example for you. You can use your classroom theme (mine was Corgis), teachers in your school, or use your own characters. Or, simply make a statement and ask the kids if they agree or disagree. Example: Hydroelectric power is the best form of alternative energy to use in Kansas. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? Here is an example of one of my Agree or Disagree Activities: Alright, what do you think? (This is me checking for understanding!) Have any questions? Leave me a comment and enter to win your choice of a free resource from my Teacher Pay Teacher store! Winner announced 10/21/2018.
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6/21/2019 08:10:13 am
How can I find / purchase tour Open ended Question Stems???
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