Walk Throughs and Best Practice

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Walk Through and Best Practice at Global Jaya, 

Earlier this month we did walk throughs, visiting Science and English classes. We saw consistent use of Learning Objectives, we also saw command terms or thematic or difficult words posted and displayed on the walls. This is exemplary practice, as the command terms play an important role in:

Developing learning objectives, using command terms in Learning Objectives  (Before teaching)

Teaching how to apply command terms and skills to students (During teaching )

Assessing skills and learning using command terms in assessment (Assessment After teaching)

Supporting research and theory

The use of the important command terms and key terms posted in the room is a good practice that can be shared. This is sometimes known as “Word Walls".  For more see http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/word_walls

For using command terms to develop Lesson Objectives see GJS MYP DP Teacher Guide P 12 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B41f9T_FZso4VGc0ajhzZHQ4NTA/view

Displaying and teaching a list of command terms or thematic or difficult words before a unit and using them throughout is a good differentiation scaffold for language learners.  (Powell) Making the difference.

There is a copy of Making the difference in the IB office. Also, the Co-Author is visiting GJS in August for a Cognitive Coaching workshop for leadership, HODs and CL.

Action to be taken

Consider this feedback with the unit reflection: before, during and after. Does this and can this apply to other units? Is this something we do intuitively that can be formalized in the unit plan and lesson planning? Is it already formalized and can other subjects learn from us? How can we teach this words before the unit, during instruction, and during reflection after assessment to weave these through the unit?

Teachers can include the teaching of command terms  in the unit planner under the section in  the “differentiation” section , the section for “learning process”, or both.

Coordinate with the department the display of command terms in all rooms for the start of the school year.

Command Terms in Science

Walk Through and Best Practice at Global Jaya, Mid March Walk Throughs

Feedback on walkthroughs has been provided to departments and HOD's. We saw a lot of good practice during the walk through and we would like to provide teachers the opportunity to share and broaden ‘best practice’. Three things in particular we saw were:

·        Use of command terms in lesson objective, in class instruction, and in class displays.

·        Use of student choice of topic or product

·        Use of peer assessment and self-assessment

Self-Assessment and Peer -Assessment

One notable strategy that we saw was Self-Assessment and Peer Assessment. We observed students sharing papers and giving feedback on each. This is an important part of ATT Assessment for Learning. AFL deeply involves students in the process of assessment. The goal of assessment it “To build a bridge between teaching and learning” ("Introduction: teaching informed by assessment").

 

 Figure 1. “Memes Meme: Dad That Kid Said My Artwork Sucked” Me.me, me.me/i/dad-that-kid-said-my-artwork-sucked-how-to-give-7335859. Accessed 18 Mar. 2017.

Supporting research and theory

Peer assessment and Self-assessment are important parts of Assessment for Learning. For peer and self-assessment,   see the MYP DP Teacher guide for more on involving students in assessment on P 47 "Seven strategies for assessment" ("GJS MYP-DP Teacher Guide"). These are two good strategies that can be shared. 

The philosophy of assessment for learning at GJS can be found on p14 of the GJS MYP DP Guide https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B41f9T_FZso4VGc0ajhzZHQ4NTA/view  ("GJS MYP-DP Teacher Guide").

For ways to promote peer feedback such as ‘two stars and a wish’  ‘Plus minus’ what next’ and ‘traffic lights’ see Assessment for learning http://www.assessmentforlearning.edu.au/professional_learning/peer_feedback/peer_strategies_enhance.html  ("Strategies to Enhance Peer Feedback").

Action To be taken with this feedback

Unit Reflection Section of the planner

Consider this feedback with the unit reflection: before, during and after. Does this and can this apply to other units? Is this something we do intuitively that can be formalized in the unit plan and lesson planning?

ATL Section of the planner

You can include peer assessment and self-assessment in the learning process section of the unit planner.

It can also be included under ATL for giving and receiving feedback under the “Social” skill.

Learning Process Section of the planner

The process of peer assessment can be included in the learning process section of the unit planner.

Work cited

“GJS MYP-DP Teacher Guide.” GJS MYP-DP Blog, Global Jaya IB Office, 20 Jan. 2017, drive.google.com/file/d/0B41f9T_FZso4VGc0ajhzZHQ4NTA/view. Accessed 18 Mar. 2017.

 “Introduction.” Teaching Informed by Assessment (Formative and Summative), IBO, xmltwo.ibo.org/publications/DP/Group0/d_0_dpatl_gui_1502_1/static/dpatl/guide-teaching-informed-by-assessment.html. Accessed 18 Mar. 2017.

McCarthy, John. “Learner Interest Matters: Strategies for Empowering Student Choice.” Edutopia, 25 Aug. 2014, www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-learner-interest-matters-john-mccarthy. Accessed 18 Mar. 2017.

“Strategies to Enhance Peer Feedback.” Assessment for Learning, Educational Services Australia,

www.assessmentforlearning.edu.au/professional_learning/peer_feedback/peer_strategies_enhance.ht

ml. Accessed 18 Mar. 2017.

4 ways to increase student engagement

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-engagement-tips-from-student-harley-center

What a successful graduate has to say:

For Teachers: 4 Tips to Engage Your Students (These Worked for Me!)

Throughout all four years at Big Picture, I felt valued, and I felt like my voice mattered. From my experience at Big Picture -- and from knowing what engaged me in my learning -- here are four practical tips that you can adopt to engage your students.

1. Create a close relationship with your students.

At Big Picture, we called our teachers by their first names. It was so much easier for me to ask a teacher a question when I considered that teacher as a friend. To create a bond with your students, engage them in personal conversation. Before my classes would start, we would usually sit and talk about anything we wanted to, and our teacher would be right in the middle of the conversation. By drawing closer to your students and closing the distance between the terms friend and teacher, you'll create a space where your students will feel comfortable and safe to interact with you. They will be less shy when asking you a question, and they will turn in better work if they see you as someone they trust and whose opinion they value.
Related Resource: Advisory: 22 Ways to Build Relationships for Educational Success

2. Add humor to your lessons.

One thing I loved as a student was when a teacher didn't take everything too seriously. Of course, there are many serious moments in the classroom, but I was so much more engaged when a teacher would add humor to the mix. Making a lesson funny, even if it's just a small thing, will really help to keep your students' attention. My science teacher is a great example of this. When we were learning about Ebola, he turned the whole classroom into a containment room for the sick, which was funny itself, but then he came in wearing a hazmat suit and taught the whole lesson in that. Needless to say, I will never forget that lesson because it was hilarious!

3. Give your students freedom of choice on all projects.

Freedom of choice makes it more interesting and entertaining for everyone. If you go to a normal high school and they're doing a history project on the life of Abraham Lincoln, you'll see the same thing: 20 poster boards about his life. No one enjoys seeing 20 poster board presentations in a row. However, if you come to Big Picture and the students are doing a project on the life of Abraham Lincoln, you'll see one poster about him, one piece of abstract art about his life, a video documentary about his life, a song written about him, and a portrait painted of him. Most importantly, your students will never get bored because they'll have a choice in their project, and they'll choose to incorporate their passions and interests into their work. Having that choice made me the person I am today, and it helped me realize what I love doing. I also created greater quality work. I wouldn't have put in as much time and effort if I'd had to write a lot of papers, but by making a bunch of videos, I was able to do awesome work because it was something I cared about.

4. Display your students' work.

Put your students' work on your classroom walls or in the hallways throughout your school. Displaying it will push them to do better work and help them feel proud of the work they've done. I know that, as a student, when I would see other kids looking at my assignment or have them come up to me and compliment me on the work I had on the walls, it felt great. It made me want to make the next project even better.