Please read through this blog and comment after you reflect on the question.
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Teachers and staff have been working diligently for a full semester with accomplished result.
What makes this a reality?
Belief that your students can achieve!
Belief that your efforts can overcome all challenges tht a student may experience.
Belief that a caring and invitational environment shaped by quality relationship make the difference.
Belief that you have the ability to raise achievement
Belief that you through collaboration will move an entire grade level's achievement.
Belief that your students can achieve!
AND
Working Our Plan
Plan, Post Learning Intentions/Success Criteria
Crystal Clear.
We will learn about tropical and temperate rain forests so that we can compare and contrast them. We will show this by filling out the compare and contrast graphic organizer.- I can identify that there are 12 inches in 1 foot.
- I can pick the most reasonable tool to use.
- I can explain why it is easier to measure bigger spaces in footworms instead of inchworms.
- I can explain why there would be more inces when measure an object than footworms
This example is one written by a second grade teacher. Heather used student friendly language that represents how the learning will be accomplished in one day. The success criteria breaks the learning into meaningful chunks that allows the teacher to provide students feedback throughout the lesson.
Second: Consider how you say what you say. Intentional Explicit Instruction
Dialogic Talk
Powerful example.
Can you show me the strategy that you used to compare the heights of the two penguins?
I loved what you did. You used your math symbols to show your work and used precise language to describe your thinking. In this example the first grade teacher had her success criteria posted under theheading "NAILED IT' which is what students shouted before they went out to work independently. Sarah used the language throughout the lesson and called on students to be teachers. Yes, they used the same language.
Third:
Where
GRR Components
The key to maximizing learning is strategically using the Gradual Release of Responsibility model daily. In this series of photographs the Kindergarten teacher has assigned students to specific tasks based on the data she's collected. In the first photo Stacy is working with a group os students who need to learning guided. She's assessing, prompting and cuing as students work. She's noting their porgress on her clipboard. It's worth noting that she's moving between groups after giving the students just enougth scaffold to complete the assignment.
Strategic Work
These are three examples from teachers at Bloomer. The evidence is mounting and proving that when we put our minds and will toward achieving our mission we are becoming a school where everyone wants to be.
How do I customize and individualize learning for my students?
I really try to be cognizant of this in my success criteria. I think about what I want the students to learn at the end of this lesson and what scaffolding I may need to provide to get them there. I also consider how I can differentiate the lesson to best meet their individual needs. This is not something I have to do everyday, but it is always at the back of my mind when writing those learning intentions and success criteria. I just want every student to try their best and feel successful.
ReplyDeleteUsing the gradual release of responsibility is a big way that I customize learning for students. It is really helpful when using the GRR model to start whole group modeling and then moved to more guided and independent when they are ready. The GRR also makes it easy to scaffold where students fall. If they are working on an independent piece and need more feedback and guidance, it is easy to pull them back into a small group to provide that support.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas, this is a work in progress for me, especially with talking less in math!
DeleteThe first thing I think of when thinking about the question is reading. I have students who listen to the stories on Wonders, with earbuds, so they can hear and learn from grade level text. Last week we worked on using our notes we took for an expository text and summarized the text. I had probing questions I asked to help students who were struggling on how to write a summary. I used similar probing questions the next day when they wrote to a prompt to compare two different texts they had read. As I continue to get better at writing LI & SC, I feel that I am doing a better job at having the correct scaffolds in place to help students succeed.
ReplyDeleteIt's sure easier to know what to prompt or probe when you know the specifics of what it takes for students to do the task. Specific success criteria has been a game changer for me!
DeleteOne way I customize and individualize learning for students is through conferring with them as they're engaged in their work. I give them feedback based on the success criteria, and watch for students who may need additional support. If I'm noting that several are struggling with the same thing, I might pull a small group and do some re-teaching to help them.
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DeleteI have become more intentional about identifying, question and re-teaching individuals who need more time and practice. It has certainly been beneficial to see struggling kiddos grow after a small group meeting.
ReplyDeleteI am becoming more aware of my use of scaffolding for students. I am much more conscious of the length of whole group instruction and try to maximize the time students spend working with their peers and/or independently. As students are working, I make a point to restate parts of the success criteria or ask students to refer back to it. I have found that the more frequently I refer to my success criteria, the more students are able to meet it. Since students are at varying levels of understanding, I can tailor my feedback to provide more support or to extend learning as it is necessary, based upon what I notice and how they respond to prompts or cues I've given.
ReplyDeleteI individualize learning for my students by giving individual feedback on their performance during the learning and with the formative assessment. I share with individuals how they are growing as I can compare their work with other formative assessments on my chart with weeks worth of data.
ReplyDeleteSpecific success criteria has been a game changer for me as well. When I know exactly what I need to see my students doing in order for them to reach the learning intention, I can give more descriptive feedback during the lesson and better plan for the next lesson. As the year has moved along, I have found myself individualizing a lot more with math lessons. I modify practice pages and try to spend a few minutes 1:1 with each student at the table. I've learned that if biweekly progress monitoring data ever comes as a surprise, that means I haven't focused enough on the students as individual learners.
ReplyDeleteMy gradual release has gotten much more specific through this process. Some students may only get to do one problem during math investigations because they need extra teacher time and that's okay. Some students only require one problem to be modeled to be successful, so they get released almost instantaneously.
ReplyDeleteThis has been a realization for me this year, too! Not all students need to see 2-3 problems modeled. Teach to the core, release students to do the work, then provide scaffolds where they land. This was a new way of thinking for me but I think our students will be better for it. Less over-scaffolding and more time for students to do the work!
DeleteMaking sure I have a specific, daily learning intention with success criteria that can be met is really key for me to get started! I also have to be really cognizant not to go over time for the whole group, modeled time. Keeping expectations high and then catching students where they land in order to help scaffold up to help meet them where they are to meet the learning intention and success criteria.
ReplyDeleteAs many have stated, I am specific with my daily learning intention and success criteria. Using the clear language with students helps them know what they will be learning and what is expected of them. I make sure to connect the learning for the day to language proficiency goals as well. Then giving specific feedback helps students know where they are and what steps are needed to reach the next level/their goals. I also help students see how what they are doing in language can be used in the classroom as well.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to individualize feedback in three ways. The first is to assign a certain amount of time to each of the steps in the Bridges lessons to ensure whole group time is capped at 15 minutes, max. This allows for the GRR and for students to be spending time grappling with and DOING the work, not just listening to myself or other students talk about it. The second thing is to be very intentional with success criteria by asking myself "what do students need to be able to know/do in order to meet the learning intention". I have a 3-5 success criteria for the core group of students, with others that I will use with students who are struggling and yet different ones still to use with students who need to be challenged. The third thing I've been trying to focus more time on, is giving students feedback while they're working (investigating) in relation to the success criteria.
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