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Planned Feedback and Assessment (From So What Do They Really Know by: Cris Tovani)

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Planned Feedback and Assessment (From So What Do They Really Know by: Cris Tovani)

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Planned out along the way:  Conversation Calendars throughout, especially at points when I want to see their thinking in order to plan minilessons.

Inner Voice sheets at the beginning and middle--the two most critical points of a project.  Beginning:  project choice and first moves.  Middle:  moving being surface level information to dig deeper.

Annotating their own notebooks for big thinking--a nice way for me to get an overview of their overall progress, and a nice way for students to be take a look at their own learning so far.

Rubric: students will develop a criteria list--and there will also be an expectation that they transcend the criteria. As Rick Wormeli says: "Don't be limited to the thinking of those before you."

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www.raspberrypi.org
www.arduino.cc
www.instructables.com
www.makezine.com
scratch.mit.edu
code.org
lebanonlibrary.org/events
cincinnatilibrary.org/main/makerspace.html

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Involve reading, writing, and research (and works cited).  A writing piece reflecting on what they learned and what the audience should look for in the student's piece(s) accompanies all work.

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At any point in the project process, students can receive feedback from me.

In fact, it is often required.

I just read one of Cris Tovani's books this summer, the ways I  can evaluate and give feedback on student learning will include:

Inner Voice Sheet
Conversation Calendar
Double Entry Journal

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Sometimes the "Writing" looks more like drawing, mind-mapping, listing, or something else--each student decides the best way to describe what they read.

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This session is short because its main purpose is to simply make sure there are no red flags.  With readers, our lessons will typically occur toward the end of class, after they have read.  The purpose of this group is to do pleasure reading--not kill their pleasure reading with over-analysis.  This kind of reading is necessary in the world--but it only occurs when a reading is assigned or part of a continuing ed. type of course.  Therefore, I only have students use reading strategies to perform in depth analyses during non-project work class time.

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Emergent Curriculum in the Primary Classroom: Interpreting the Reggio Emilia Approach in Schools

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Emergent Curriculum in the Primary Classroom: Interpreting the Reggio Emilia Approach in Schools

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Reading Carol Anne Wien's (I know--what's with all the great teachers named Carol Ann(e)?) book on curriculum that emerges from student and class interests took me in some interesting directions year two--and it also helped me see the student as the one who leads the learning.  I was already moving in this direction when reading Katz's work, but Wien delivers vivid case studies that showed me several different examples of what this could look like.

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Every time I hit trouble, these were my dictionaries, encyclopedias, and bibles.

I entered this new way of teaching haphazardly, with a baptism by fire approach.

Though I did not initially have much of an pedagogical compass with the Project Approach, these teachers educators (and in several cases, their books) helped me develop and build one...

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The people got me started, and the books kept me going.

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Dr. Sue Griebling, Northern Kentucky University's Elementary Education Program

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We start every Project Work day with reading and/or writing.  So, even if students choose a non-reading or a non-writing project, everybody reads and writes every day...in addition to the reading and writing they do across their projects. I have no data on whether this will be successful, but this year I will only be assigning free reading or writing for homework. I can't decide whether I want them to read every night, write every night, or choose based on which of the two they did NOT do that day in class.

I have made arrangements with my teaching team to allow me to operate on a block schedule on Mondays and Tuesdays.

This has made fitting everything in much, much easier.

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Donalyn Miller, Kelly Gallagher, Cris Tovani, Beth Rimer & David Tarr, and Beth Rimer & Erica Johnston

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Donalyn Miller, Kelly Gallagher, Cris Tovani, Beth Rimer & David Tarr, and Beth Rimer & Erica Johnston

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Readings:

My first year of using the project approach was a mixed bag--which felt demoralizing.  I'd had such high expectations.

In the end, only about half of my students completed passable projects, and I felt like I had completely lost my students when it came to reading and writing.

So, I decided to re-read The Book Whisperer:  Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child.  In this uber-famous teacher book, Donalyn Miller gave me much needed reminders on how to develop and sustain my community of readers.

Then, I read Write Like This:  Teaching Real World Writing Through Modeling and Mentor Texts.  I had read and loved Kelly Gallagher's most famous book, Readicide a couple years before--and when I happened upon his book on modeling great writing for kids, I knew I had to read it. This book reminded me that one of the best teaching strategies one can use is to simply show an example of great work.  It made me think back to how Carl Anderson keeps his notebook handy during writing conferences--so that if a student is stuck, he can show her an example from his own writings.  Suddenly, I connected a few really important dots:  a lot of kids struggled with project work the year before, and I wondered how much it had to do with not really having any mentors or examples?

I did two things:  we wrote a lot during project work--and we looked at examples of successful project writing.

This meant that, in addition to showing students articles professionals wrote based on projects they had completed, I also showed them my own project and my own writings based on it.  Actually working on my own project was incredibly helpful.  In addition to me having a handy model to show students wherever they were in the process, it also gave me what Cris Tovani calls a "Parallel Experience," or a chance to feel what students are going through in order to figure out what my next teaching move should be.

Classes:

I also took a class with the Ohio Writing Project through Miami University.  It was co-taught by Beth Rimer and David Tarr.  In this class, these two masterful educators created and developed one of the most engaging learning communities.  I learned as much from the way they put this class together as I did from the actual content--which was super-stellar, by the way.   In this class we read from Jeff Wilhelm's (et al.) book Oh Yeah?!: Putting Argument to Work Both In School and Out--AND we had the opportunity to learn directly from Wilhelm when he led a seminar on his current work.

The ideas we explored in this class delivered straight into my brain the most massive kind of paradigm shift.  Instead of covering content and then moving on to the next unit, what if we surround students with an idea, and then came back to this idea throughout the year?  In this class, I learned how to leverage argument writing throughout the year and throughout project work.  I also learned this new way of seeing teaching--I would never again move on from content--rather I would weave ideas learned early in the year throughout the year.  This was when I started to see project work as delivery mechanism for reading and writing standards.   Project work could be one more way of surrounding kids with the learning you wanted them to do--it didn't have to be a separate entity.

So, then I taught a second and third year, reading more along the way (see--the 3 titles described above this piece).

Each year was better than the last, and this past year was perhaps my best year of teaching.  Yet, something still felt missing.

I knew what it was, in fact I have known all along.  Feedback and Assessment--my weak links, my kryptonites--would finally have to be addressed...and wouldn't you know it, Beth Rimer was teaching a class on that very subject, this time with Erica Johnston.

There was something about this class that made me feel like my thinking was becoming more than the sum of its parts.  I have never felt so inspired or encouraged while learning about such a self-cosciousness-inducing area of weakness.  Beth and Erica have this way of building up their students while also leading them into deeper waters.  I can't believe I'm actually excited about assessing my students.

A lot of credit should also go to Cris Tovani's So What Do They Really Know?:  Assessment that Informs Teaching and Learning.  She doesn't over do it.  Tovani gives 4-6 easy to follow strategies in this book, while telling stories of how she uses these tools in her class.  These stories lend really valuable context to what goes into the strategies--something that is often missing from professional texts for teachers.  The book helps you to prevent trying to teach a strategy "in a vacuum."  In everything, especially teaching, context matters.

To the point, Tovani's work inspired me to tweak the Project Workshop approach I created last year to involve even more opportunities for students to show me their thinking, to show me where they are in the process, and to show me what my next teacher-move should be.

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http://projectapproach.org/

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Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom

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Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom

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I would be remiss if I didn't mention Carol Ann Tomlinson and Marcia Imbeau.  Their work in this book paints a crystal clear picture of what it looks like to assemble, coordinate, and...TEACH...in a Differentiating Instruction classroom.

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Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom

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Most days, it looks something like this:

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For some, this turns into a Passion Project, and for others it is more akin to investigative journalism.  Students start by making a list of all the things they are interested in, curious about, and wish they could spend more time learning at school--many kids who want to learn more about electronics, coding, and Maker-movement kinds of things choose this option.

1.  Investigators either start out with me for a mini-lesson, or they dive into their research.  Research can be reading, experimenting, creating, or talking to someone. Every day, it is required that they write down their sources next to the information they take down in their notebooks.  Kids use mostly internet sources, but there always comes a point when only a book has something they need--so I do not set any requirements on types of sources.  Most real life research does not involve a "2 book sources and 1 internet source" requirement.  That said, I do require that all investigators seek out at least one expert in their fields of research for an interview/skype session/email conversation.

2.  At the end of each class period, they sum up their big learning and/or frustrations for the day and plan their next steps.

3.  Investigators receive weekly check ins in which we have a roundtable about where each student is in the process, and all students participate in brainstorming possible next moves and/or asking each other questions.

4.  Later in the process, as students have gathered information, and are ready to dig deeper, I meet with the group and teach a lesson on looking for patterns and curious contradictions of patterns in their research.  These are entry points to deeper research.

5.  Even later in the process, I meet with investigators to discuss big takeaways from the investigations and who might be the audience--and what might be an good way to present their information to said audience.

6.  Final Presentation:, Parents and other school + community members are invited to celebrate students' work.

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I always have a few artists, and I never quite know what to do with them in my English class.  This year I have a plan.  I may have to update this based on what works and doesn't work...but here's the basic idea:

1.  Either start project work time off with a teacher check in or by diving right in:  kids are expected to find great artists, designers, illustrators and examine their works.  They look for patterns, common themes, certain stylistic moves that the artist goes back to again and again.
2.  Then, after 5-45 minutes, they practice the move(s) they studied.
3.  Later in the project, I ask students to research based on initial findings.
4.  I meet with the whole group before they start working and somewhere in the middle of the process to discuss what presentations might look like and to check in to see how things are going.
5.  Final Presentation:  Parents and other school + community members are invited to celebrate students' art work and the reflection students write from their field notes.

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I have discovered that Theater is the ultimate reading activity.  Students have to read so closely to understand character motives, subtexts, characters' tones of voice, setting (they create their own back drops), and more.

1.  Most project work time is spent reading and practicing the play, but students do start out with a daily notebook entry.  They are to write down a game plan or an idea about what to do next day.  One activity I like to have students do is Tovani's version of annotations.  This can be very helpful because I can use student annotations to see who needs interventions before they get in over their head.

2.  Play people spend the first 1/3 of our time reading their scripts with the reading group.  Going over and memorizing lines counts as reading for me.

3.  Students end rehearsals (usually have a parent volunteer working with/chaperoning kids on their play practices in the auditorium) 10-15 minutes before class period ends to write down field notes.

4.  I have small group conferences once every two weeks.  In these conferences, I take the temperature of the each member, and jot down who needs extra one on one help.

5.  I meet with the whole group before they start working and somewhere in the middle of the process to discuss what presentations might look like and to check in to see how things are going.

6.  Final Presentation:  Parents and other school + community members are invited to celebrate students' work.  The form of this celebration is decided by the class.  In the past we have had Gallery, Museum, and Round Table setups.

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Kids in this group have a chance to write and receive feedback from their peers and from me.

1.  If I'm not teaching a mini-lesson right off the bat, students spend the first 2/3 of class Writing after a few minutes with me (later in the year, they take this job over) generating writing territories or topic ideas..  When we have a minilesson, they tend to revolve around teacher or student selected mentor texts.

2.  During the last 1/3 of class students are either working with me on a revision strategy, revising on their own, reading (reading for inspiration or reading as a writer--looking for craft moves and jotting them down), or sharing with classmates.

3.  Some days, I break students into groups of two or three to share and give feedback--we do it as a whole group the first few times to set up structures and guidelines.

4.  As we get deeper into the project, students choose pieces to include in their portfolio.  For at least one of these pieces, students will be expected to use teacher feedback and to make changes in the subsequent draft.

5.  Students get to work, with regular check ins and feedback using several of Cris Tovani's feedback/assessment strategies (see--a Note on Feedback).

6.  I meet with the whole group before they start working and somewhere in the middle of the process to discuss what presentations might look like and to check in to see how things are going.

7.  Final Presentation:, Parents and other school + community members are invited to
celebrate students' work.  The form of this celebration is decided by the class.  In the past we have had Gallery, Museum, and Round Table setups

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This is my current favorite on the topic. Matt Glover and Ellin Oliver Keene corralled some of the best minds in the field of teaching, and had each write essays which illuminate various aspects of Reggio-based approaches to schooling.

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Focused on a set of strongly held beliefs that drive the actions of educators every day, each chapter of the book is focused on a single belief and

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Young Investigators: the Project Approach in the Early Years

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Young Investigators: the Project Approach in the Early Years

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Young Investigators--the first book I read about this kind of progressive teaching! Here, we see a project as an investigation--not as a series of steps meant to lead to a poster or PowerPoint...

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Reading her work after my underwhelming first attempt was a game changer. In one of her books, which I mention below, I was able to better understand ways to teach students that Project Work is more about the process than the product.

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Kids in this group have the opportunity to read, write, and talk about their reading with a final presentation toward the end of the project.

Students have the option to read their own book or read the same book as a classmate (or form a book club).  Either way, students will discuss their books from time to time, either in a "Book Talk with Additional Discussion [noticing common themes]" or a "Book Club" format.

1.  Some days, students will move right into reading, and other days, I will start with a mini-lesson with Readers only.  Typically, the lesson will be a sort of group status update--where I can make sure all students are finding/reading books they can get into --see side note for more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

2.  Students spend the first 2/3 of class reading self selected materials.

3.  I either move on to the a group of students working on a different project or a stay back for reading conferences.  I meet with each reader at least once before their book group meet ups.  In these conferences, we talk about how it's going, and the reader shares with me some of her writings about reading.  I give feedback and encouragement to help the reader be prepared to share deep thinking at the next book group session.

4.  During the last 1/3 of class, students "Write" About Their Reading, and then share with their fellow readers--see side note #2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

5.  Book Talk/Book Club facilitated by a parent volunteer, our team's intervention specialist, or me.

6.  Students look over all their notes, including their book group presentations, and they thing about how they might best present all they have learned from their reading.  Which pieces should could I revise and use in my portfolio?  What are some patterns I've noticed that I would like to research?

6.  I meet with the whole groupbefore they start working and somewhere in the middle of the process to discuss what presentations might look like and to check in to see how things are going.

7.  Final Presentation:, Parents and other school + community members are invited to
celebrate students' work.  The form of this celebration is decided by the class.  In the past we have had Gallery, Museum, and Round Table setups.

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Cris Tovani's Reading & Writing Workshop...Reinterpreted

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Cris Tovani's Reading & Writing Workshop...Reinterpreted

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Most days, I run a typical Reading & Writing Workshop, but 1-2 days per week, we set up personal project sessions based on Tovani's model in So What Do They Really Know (linke: https://www.stenhouse.com/content/so-what-do-they-really-know).  Students choose a project to work on, and then they work on it until we set a due date (usually falls at a natural break in the school year--holiday, report cards, etc >>but I try to set the date so it occurs as the work is organically hitting its denouement).

Students can choose their project idea from any one of the following 5 categories:
1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Theatre
4. Art
5. Coding

After a curiosity building kick-off, I invite students to write a plan for what they will try to find out/work on the next day.  This is their entrance ticket into Project Work.

The next day, students sit in certain sections of the room based on the project category they had chosen the day before.

This allows me to start off project work time checking in and teaching a mini-lesson to one of the interest groups.  For example, I might start project work by working with the Theater kids to set up audition requirements--or maybe I start out with the Writers to generate ideas/writing territories.

After the minilesson, I either move to another group for a checkin and mini-lesson or I have project conferences with individuals.  Shampoo, rinse, and repeat until there are 10-15 minutes left.

At the end of class, we debrief. We start by writing about our struggles from the day on post-it notes and post them to our #EpicStruggles #TheStruggleIsReal wall. Then, we journal about the day's learning and plans for our next steps. Readers do this part a bit differently (see below)

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Just like you would do with Reading or Writing...but with Project Work!

If you'd like to see how messy my thinking was around this topic when it first came out, click on the image below...