# data[].attributes.body
Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AA7hC3wAUa20Hrq4oVI1ruOrsxZsJAxr4oyd0OyLpZg/edit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As teachers, we strive to provide our students with quality feedback on their work. Getting feedback from their teacher is useful but getting feedback from their peers can be even more powerful.

How can we begin to incorporate peer feedback into our classroom? And what tools are available to help our students begin to provide effective feedback to one another?

In a past #Ditchbook chat we focused on the power of peer feedback and how to facilitate as our students engage in giving one another feedback in the classroom. Scroll down to see top tool recommendations from fellow educators and be sure to check out this Wakelet collection to see the whole discussion.

10 tools for effective peer feedback in the classroom

5. Google/Microsoft Forms

Ready to take your teaching skills -- and student learning -- to another level?

Check out our summer bundle. 9 GREAT COURSES ONE LOW PRICE!

Upcoming Speaking

There are no upcoming events.

©2022 Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 tools for effective peer feedback in the classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As teachers, we strive to provide our students with quality feedback on their work. Getting feedback from their teacher is useful but getting feedback from their peers can be even more powerful. How can we begin to incorporate peer feedback into our classroom?

# data[].attributes.headline
Feedback to Students (includes templates)

# data[].attributes.subject
Feedback to Students (includes templates)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Feedback

Purposeful, efficient, effective instruction. That's the holy grail of our work as teachers.

We teach. Then, we assess what we taught. Then, we reflect and make decisions on our instruction going forward.

Whether it's whole class, small group, or one-on-one instruction, our job as teachers is in a constant state of reflection and growth.

That's what makes it exciting but it also makes it an incredibly overwhelming and daunting task. Especially when we teach multiple classes of 30+ students. How do we modify our instructions to meet ALL of their needs? How do we make the most of our time and theirs?

That's what we want to tackle with you.

As part of the EfficienTEACH project, we are looking at assessment and the feedback we can provide in the most manageable, effective and efficient way possible.

TABLE OF CONTENTS (click to navigate)

Big picture feedback for the whole class

What is big-picture feedback for the whole class?

With any sort of student work, you can look at all of it as a whole to see patterns. Tendencies. It could be mistakes or misinterpretations that everyone is making. It could even be something positive -- where the whole class is doing something really, really well!

If you see a pattern across all of the students in your class, there's NO need to write the same comment in the student work over and over and over again. (Unless you have a really good reason to.)

Instead, share feedback on those whole-class tendencies with the whole class. This means that you provide the feedback once -- instead of once per student -- saving you time.

Ways to provide big-picture feedback to the whole class ...

Recorded instructional videos -- Record a video to give the whole-group feedback. Sometimes, a recorded video is a more efficient/effective way of demonstrating something because you can edit out dead space. Also, sometimes, the demo is clearer the way you create the video than it would be in person.

You can record these videos through a screen recording tool like Screencastify or Loom. You can use Flip (formerly Flipgrid) to record with your camera and/or show your screen (plus, with Flip, you can add images and do split screen).

To deliver them to students, you could put them in your learning management system (LMS) or wherever you share links with students. Or it could make sense to show the video in class. If the video

Triaged individual feedback

What is triaged individual feedback?

The idea of triage is one that you'll see in hospitals when there's a catastrophic event.

When the emergency room has more patients than it can handle at once, they'll do an initial patient assessment to determine the severity of their injuries. They'll treat the most life-threatening injuries first and work their way down to the least severe.

Sometimes, student work has more points of feedback that we, as teachers, want to give students than they can really truly digest. Sure, we feel this burning desire to mark all of the comma splices and the verb conjugation errors and the failures to carry the one. But if a student sees a page that's dripping in red ink (or the digital equivalent), it might be overwhelming and they might not read anything. Or it might discourage them and do more harm than good.

Triaged individual feedback can help. Instead of marking everything, scan the student's work and pick out one thing (or two things or three things, depending on the activity, the student, and the length of the assignment). Give the student some actionable feedback on the focus points. Then, leave the rest of the feedback for another day.

Are we forsaking the student and their growth by doing this? Quite the opposite. We're empowering the student to improve on one or two things instead of overwhelming them with more things than they can internalize.

Ways to triage individual feedback

Student self-provided feedback

What is student self-provided feedback?

If the student only gets feedback from the teacher, the teacher becomes the bottleneck.

We teachers can only grade so many papers, write so many comments, provide so much feedback. No matter how many students you have, there will always be more of them than there are of us.

And it can push us to our breaking point.

Plus, isn't it better to help students to become self-sufficient? To help them to learn how to evaluate themselves and their work, to improve it, and to judge the results? When you do that, your classroom becomes more student-centered (and less teacher-centered). They don't need us as much to get the job done.

And that's the point.

Ways to encourage student self-provided feedback

Peer Feedback

What it is peer feedback?

As teachers, we strive to provide our students with quality feedback on their work. Getting feedback from their teacher is useful but getting feedback from their peers can be even more powerful. With peer feedback students provide feedback to one another using a protocol, sentence frames, or rubric. It's powerful because their audience has gone beyond the teacher and students get a chance to see the work that their classmates are producing as well their own.

Does this take trust and a community built on relationships? Of course, but if you can get your students to be able to give each other constructive feedback you'll not only be providing them with a lifeskill you'll also be saving yourself a lot of time.

Ways to encourage peer feedback

FREE teaching ideas and templates in your inbox every week!

Subscribe to Ditch That Textbook

Upcoming Speaking

There are no upcoming events.

©2023 Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How do I give feedback to 100+ students?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Purposeful, efficient, effective instruction. That's the holy grail of our work as teachers. We teach. Then, we assess what we taught. Then, we reflect

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Any teacher who has taught for any amount of time will point to one key factor for teaching success.

Relationships.

Having solid relationships with your students will open doors. They'll cause your students to listen to you differently. They'll give you a level of influence that you wouldn't have otherwise.

And influence is what we're in this for, right? We got into teaching to make a difference!

Helping students build relationships with each other -- student to student relationships -- is crucial, too. That's at the heart of classroom community. It answers these questions: "What do we stand for? Who are we? What is this school, this classroom made of?"

So ... how do you build relationships? How do you develop classroom community?

Lots of teachers can give you their own answers to those questions.

But that doesn't mean those are the only answers! Seeing how others build classroom community and relationships can give us new tools, new keys to unlock the doors to student success.
Here are 20 ways to build classroom community and relationships!
Many of these were suggested by educators through EfficienTEACH, our FREE collaborative project to share research-based and best practice-based teaching ideas. The goal: help teachers teach better and save time for what matters most ... so they can get home quicker AND they'll want to stay in the teaching profession! Find all of our FREE resources at EfficienTEACH.com.
Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase with these links, I may, at no additional cost to you, earn a small commission.
1. Create a Google Forms database

A simple Google Form can do the trick. Just create a Google Form (or use this template) with a few simple fields:

A short answer field with the student's name (or a dropdown if you only have one class of students)

A dropdown field with student's class (if you have multiple classes in a day)

A paragraph text field with what you learned about the student

Bookmark that Google Form or put a quick shortcut on the home screen of your cell phone. When a student says something you want to remember, pull up that form and fill it out -- in less than 30 seconds probably.

Then, every once in a while, open up the responses to your form. It'll help you remember ...

students' favorite things so you can use them as examples in instruction

birthdays and important dates so you can celebrate or mention them

things you can look up so you can follow up with students on them later

It'll make you look like you have super-human memory! But really, you just have a good quick place to store things so you don't forget.

2. Try a 2 minute relationship builder
Strategy shared by Kristin Daley
Looking for a way to connect to a student that is particularly challenging? Try the 2x10 strategy. For ten consecutive days spend two minutes a day getting to know that student. Make sure your questions go beyond just "how are you today?" and really spend time making a connection.

3. Get to know even more students with the 2x4 calendar
Strategy shared by Trisha Seyfert
4. Start a dialogue journal
Strategy shared by Taylor Halliday
Dialogue journals aren't just for elementary students! Journaling is one of the best ways to get to know your students and provides a safe space for them to express themselves without speaking to the entire class. Want to learn more? Jennifer Gonzalez of Cult of Pedagogy talks about How Dialogue Journals Build Teacher-Student Relationships on her podcast and blog.

5. Make positive phone calls home
Shared by Nate Ridgway, author of Breaking the Blockbuster Model and co-author of Don't Ditch That Tech
6. Welcome students all year long

7. Celebrate students often

8. Create a Google Classroom banner quilt

Give each student a square blank Google Drawing and have them decorate it. Download each square and put them together to make a "quilt" or collage Google Classroom banner. Alternatively you can have each student add their name to a collaborative Google Drawing Classroom banner by making the file "anyone with link can edit" and asking students to add their name using word art. Don't forget to revisit this activity when any new students join your class.

9. Tell me something good!
From The Teacher Toolkit (www.theteachertoolkit.com)
In order to promote a positive, caring atmosphere in the classroom, devote a portion of class for " Tell me something good' from the teacher toolkit (You can even play this quick little clip from the classic Chaka Khan and Rufus song!) This exercise takes just a couple of minutes from a class period, but has long-lasting effects and sets an optimistic tone for working together. During this time, students can share any positive aspect of their life, from school, friends, or family. Taking time for the class to get to know each other promotes a positive environment, builds confidence, and creates a sense of community within the class.

10. Make time for Morning Meetings
Shared by Abbey Bobbett
Morning Meetings are a great way to get your day started! You can even have other "important" people on campus join your meetings (principal, custodian, admin assistant, etc.) once in awhile.

11. Break the ice!

12. Try a fun team building activity

13. Incorporate STEM Challenges into your weekly plans

14. Have students introduce one another
Shared by Jerry Meyer
Have students interview each other about themselves at the beginning of the year, then have them "present" or introduce each other to the class. Make sure that everyone knows you are taking good notes, but don't forget to refer to those notes often!

15. Create an appreciation board

Appreciation is powerful. The more you spread it around, the more confident everyone becomes -- and the more we realize the power in appreciation! An appreciation board provides a space for students to recognize each other. It can be a physical space, like a bulletin board or a spot to put up sticky notes. It can be a digital space, like the digital white board on your interactive display or a Jamboard file. Students can share specifics of why they appreciate someone else and include their name (or not). Then, decide what happens when a student recognizes another. Is it announced in front of class? Do you notify the appreciated student individually?

16. Use "peer praise" after projects and activities

Lots of teachers use peer feedback. It's an effective strategy to get students more feedback than they can just get from the teacher. Plus, the different perspective helps students understand content and feedback better if they're giving the feedback.

Peer praise uses the same concept -- students interacting with students. But the focus is positive. After looking over something a peer has created, the student leaves a single simple statement of praise for something good that peer did in their work. Some versions of this:

Trade papers with one classmate and leave one positive comment

Leave student work on desks and have students circulate, leaving three positive sticky notes on each other's work

Pass student work down a row or column of student desks, writing something nice in the margins

17. Institute a system of classroom voting
From Our Class, Our Voice by Gina Ruffcorn
In her fifth grade classroom, Gina Ruffcorn's students have a BIG say in how the class runs. One way Gina amplifies the voices of her students is through classroom voting. They vote on all sorts of "non-essential items," as she puts it. They decide what the classroom lighting will be for the day. They get to help pick the class read-aloud book. Why? It helps students realize their voice has power. They get practice choosing an option and standing behind it. In the free video below -- and in her book, Our Class, Our Voice -- Gina shares concrete tips and strategies to get started.

18. Build relationships with classroom surveys
From Our Class, Our Voice by Gina Ruffcorn
How do we know what our students think and feel if we never ask them? When we know what students want in a classroom, they can be more productive learners. Plus, they get a say in creating the classroom community that they envision. When they realize their voice has the power to do that, they realize it can do even more. Fifth grade teacher Gina Ruffcorn, author of the book Our Class, Our Voice, uses three types of classroom surveys to empower her students. In the free video below -- and in her book, Our Class, Our Voice -- she shares those three types of classroom surveys and how to use them.

19. Instill responsibility with classroom jobs
From Our Class, Our Voice by Gina Ruffcorn
There's only one of you, the teacher. But there are dozens of them! How can we keep up? By delegating responsibility to the students! In her fifth grade class, Gina Ruffcorn -- author of the book Our Class, Our Voice -- creates classroom jobs. Then the students choose weekly which jobs they'll assume. It gives Gina more time to do what she, the teacher, can only do. But it also helps the students feel a new value and purpose in the classroom. In the free video below -- and in her book, Our Class, Our Voice -- Gina shares a list of 20 different classroom jobs that will instill responsibility in your students -- and also lighten your teacher load so you can do what matters most.

20. High Five or Handshake?
Shared by Gabriele Hughes and Trisha Seyfert
Greet your students at the door and let them choose the greeting. Make it even more personalized by creating your own class handshake. Have your students come up with a handshake together and use it to greet one another.

You can also give out High Fives all day long. Research shows the the power of a high five goes a long way! Check out The High Five Habit by Mel Robbins.

Are you looking for quality, meaningful professional learning that both equips and inspires teachers?

Matt provides in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops and breakout sessions that equip, inspire and encourage teachers to create change in their classrooms. Teachers leave with loads of resources. They participate. They laugh. They see tech use and teaching in a new light. Click the link below to contact us and learn how you can bring Matt to your school or district!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20 ways to build classroom community and relationships

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Any teacher who has taught for any amount of time will point to one key factor for teaching success. Relationships. Having solid relationships with your students will open doors. They'll cause your students to listen to you differently. They'll give you a level of influence that you wouldn't have otherwise.

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.text
Did you know that #GoogleDocs has a built-in citation feature? This can be a GAME CHANGER for student research papers! Here’s a resource I made that breaks down the process. #GoogleEdu #highered #EdTech #AcademicTwitter #edutwitter #edchat #GSuiteEdu

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.original_text
Did you know that #GoogleDocs has a built-in citation feature? This can be a GAME CHANGER for student research papers! Here’s a resource I made that breaks down the process. #GoogleEdu #highered #EdTech #AcademicTwitter #edutwitter #edchat #GSuiteEdu https://t.co/eDyR24V9Nz

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.embed_code
Did you know that #GoogleDocs has a built-in citation feature? This can be a GAME CHANGER for student research papers! Here’s a resource I made that breaks down the process. #GoogleEdu #highered #EdTech #AcademicTwitter #edutwitter #edchat #GSuiteEdu pic.twitter.com/eDyR24V9Nz
— Dr. Tolu Noah (@DrToluNoah) August 30, 2022

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.data.text
Did you know that #GoogleDocs has a built-in citation feature? This can be a GAME CHANGER for student research papers! Here’s a resource I made that breaks down the process. #GoogleEdu #highered #EdTech #AcademicTwitter #edutwitter #edchat #GSuiteEdu https://t.co/eDyR24V9Nz

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
Did you know that #GoogleDocs has a built-in citation feature? This can be a GAME CHANGER for student research papers! Here’s a resource I made that breaks down the process. #GoogleEdu #highered #EdTech #AcademicTwitter #edutwitter #edchat #GSuiteEdu https://t.co/eDyR24V9Nz

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
Did you know that #GoogleDocs has a built-in citation feature? This can be a GAME CHANGER for student research papers! Here’s a resource I made that breaks down the process. #GoogleEdu #highered #EdTech #AcademicTwitter #edutwitter #edchat #GSuiteEdu

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Copy of ERHS Avid Cornell Notes Template

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If your in-class notes are messy, unorganized, and unclear at first glance, you're not going to get much use out of them. This has nothing to do with how neat your handwriting is - it's all about how your notes are structured.

One of the most effective ways to remember (and understand) what you are learning in class is to take effective notes in the classroom.

Why Are Effective Note Taking Skills Important?

Better notes will help you remember concepts, develop meaningful learning skills, and gain a better understanding of a topic. Effective notes will even lead to less stress when test time comes around!
Learning how to take better study notes in class helps improve recall and understanding of what you are learning because it:

Ensures you are actively listening to what the teacher is saying

Requires you to think about what you are writing

Helps you make connections between topics

Serves as quality review material for after class

Using different note taking strategies is important, especially as you progress through high school and transition to college or university. There are several note taking techniques you can use to start taking better notes in class.

Start taking better study notes

Get more out of your study sessions with the complete study toolkit
including note taking templates, tips, and more.

Get The Toolkit

Try these 5 methods to find the best note taking method for you!

The Cornell Method

The Cornell note taking method helps organize class notes into easily digestible summaries. This method is effective because the main points, details, study cues, and summary are all written in one place.

Advantages:

Notes are neatly organized, summarized, and easy to review

Allows you to pull out major ideas and concepts

What Does it look like?

The paper is divided into 3 sections: a 2.5" margin to the left, a 2" summary section on the bottom, and a main 6" in-class note section.

1. Use the main notes section to take notes during class.

2. Use the cues section to review your notes. After class, write down things you'll need to remember and a prompt for each. You can also use this section for vocabulary words and study questions.

3. In the summary segment at the bottom, write a summary of your notes. This is where you will highlight the main points.

Tweet this

The Mapping Method

The Mapping note taking method is a more visual way to organize your class notes. This technique is useful when learning about relationships between topics.

Advantages:

Useful for visual learners who struggle with studying from notes.

Helps you remember and connect relationships between topics.

What Does it look like?

The page is organized by topic. The main topics branch out into subtopics with detailed information about each.

How Do You Use It?

1. While in class, begin the map with the main topic.

2. Branching off the main topic, write a heading for each of the subtopics.

3. Write any important notes underneath each subtopic.

4. Continue the pattern.

Tweet this

The Outlining Method

The Outlining note taking method uses headings and bullet points to organize topics. This method is most useful when learning about topics that include a lot of detail.

Advantages:

Allows notes to be neatly organized.

It is easy to see the relationship between topics and subtopics.

It is easy to turn points into study questions.

What Does it look like?

Each section starts with a heading of the main topic. Each subtopic and supporting fact is written underneath the proper heading.

How Do You Use It?

1. During a lesson, begin your notes with a single bullet point and write the main topic.

2. Place the first subtopic below and indented slightly to the right.

3. List any details below your heading and slightly to the right.

Tweet this

The Charting Method

Charting note taking method uses columns to organize information. This method is useful for lessons that cover a lot of facts or relationships between topics.

Advantages:

Facts are organized and easy to review.

Highlights key pieces of information for each topic.

What Does it look like?

The page is divided into columns labeled by category. The details of each category are filled out in the rows below.

How Do You Use It?

1. When information about a category is mentioned, jot it down underneath the proper column.

2. When the next topic begins move down one row and begin again.

Tweet this

The Sentence Method

The Sentence note taking method is simply writing down each topic as a jot note sentence. This method works well for fast paced lessons where a lot of information is being covered.

Advantages:

Jotting main points helps you determine which information is important and which is not.

You are able to cover a lot of details and information quickly.

Notes are simplified for study and review.

What Does it look like?

Each line on the page is a new and separate topic. To organize your notes even more, you can use headings for each main topic.

How Do You Use It?

1. Write down important information the teacher has emphasized. This can be in sentence form or point form.

2. Start a new sentence or point for each new detail.

3. Use headings to organize points by main topics.

Tweet this

Better Grades Start With Better Notes

Taking organized and thoughtful notes can help improve your understanding and recall of what you have learned in class. Try these methods of note taking in your next classes and see which one works best for you!

Check out our video for more tips on how to boost note-taking confidence.

To learn other ways to make school a breeze, visit the resource section or learn how Oxford Learning's tutoring programs can help you build skills to become a better learner.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How To Take Study Notes: 5 Effective Note Taking Methods

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover 5 methods of note taking to improve memory and make studying a breeze. Learn how to start taking better, more effective notes with these tips!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cornell Notes and Interactive Notebook Examples

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
_other documents_cornell notes in a nutshell

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
6th World Cultures Student Data Tracking [PUBLIC SANDBOX 22-23]