Hack #3 by Sheryl Carter

2025-03-31 12:05:48 UTC

Sharing specific feedback on student work is essential for their growth. I try to write uplifting comments on their assessments and projects, highlight their effort and hard work, and show value in them as a person--someone with grit, determination, and hard work. I think having conversations with students to determine areas they could improve on is helpful because when you write something, they can interpret it in a very negative way. Having a conversation with a gentle tone shows that you are not angry. In order to be a successful student, I think a certain skill set is favored. We can help cultivate this at school. I will continue to do this so they have a positive mindset, create goals, and a growth mindset.

carriethomas8_1 — 2025-03-31 12:14:27 UTC

As a 10th grade English teacher, I have much more flexibility and professional freedom/choice than I do with a more prescribed curriculum like IB Literature (with my seniors). We tend to do a lot of project based & writing assessments versus the traditional type of test and quiz most students are accustomed to. On page 74, Rablin questions this type of assessment..."it's also the general culture of testing that has developed in the United States....The function of these tests is to rank and sort...We must recognize that when we are careless in approaching grading and assessment in our classrooms, we sent the message that assessments are an attack on students' academic abilities and on their very identities." This is so true and something I think about & lament about often as both a parent and a teacher. While there are individual teachers who are working to change this "message" and approach, I think we are very much antiquated as a public education system. I really appreciate Rablin's use of the term checkpoints on page 78 and the multi-tiered system he uses to create and assess his students. His detailed instructions on page 80 & 81 show how unintimidating and quick it can be to do this approach as a teacher and how much confidence it can foster in our students.

2025-04-02 12:59:07 UTC

In 7th grade when students get assignments back, I like to go over it with them. Students don't like it when they get a bad grade, they just shove it into their chrome book . I make the show me and I first talk about the things they did right, I always say, you know what others did not get that one, and look you talked about a lot here. Students don't look so down when you talk to them about the things that they got right. I will also say how about you and I study next time before the test? You have the right ideas you just put in more than you need to. If I can get them in the right mind set, the next time they will come to me and ask me to help them study.

It is very important to me to have the students look at what they can do right.

2025-04-02 14:42:36 UTC

Creating alternative assessments. The vary first sentence on page 90 caught my eye. I used to allow retakes on tests, but found out that kids used it as a crutch. I still believe in second chances so I now use Pear Assessment and Quizizz which I can set up to allow kids to check their answers on time and make changes. I find it is a compromise and seems to work okay. I have also tried alternative assessments and choice assessments. For example a project as opposed to a traditional exam. I found that kids just choose the traditional. Maybe it is lack of motivation because it takes longer? If they don't prioritize grades, they take the easy way and just earn what they earn without batting an eye.

2025-04-03 15:45:22 UTC

"I often use the term checkpoints when I talk about assessments with my students. I like to help them see each assessment as a stopping point to make sure they understand the basics before moving on." This stood out to me because, as a 7/8 reading specialist, I need to give students assessments at grade level but they are at least two to three grade levels below where they should be. The term checkpoints works so much better at building confidence and hope in my students. It reduces the anxiety and fear of failure and it emphasizes progress over performance. This aligns well with the approach to not using traditional grading.

2025-04-03 16:28:34 UTC

What stood out to me was the idea of using alternative assessments. I only see this happen at the end of the school year in the World History class that my students take. Choice is offered to them and the assessment is done in the form of some type of project (their choice). I would love to see this happen more across the board as many of the students that I work with have a difficult time with multiple choice questions to show their understanding.

2025-04-03 18:06:32 UTC

Feedback as a tool for growth stood out to me. Instead of just marking what's wrong, feedback should guide students on how to improve. It’s about making learning the focus, not grades. In addition to teacher feedback, perhaps build in peer feedback sessions to foster a collaborative learning environment. Introducing “Feedback Reflection Journals” after receiving feedback (from teacher and/or peers), and having students write a short reflection on what they learned from it and how they plan to improve is a great way to foster growth! This process helps them internalize the feedback and actively engage with their learning.

2025-04-06 17:25:06 UTC

Andrea Vierno

I noticed and appreciated the discussion about fear on pages 80 & 81. I have seen it on so many students' faces. I had out a final assessment project, and they immediately look overwhelmed or anxious. With my 10th grade students, in the past few years, I have started using both suggestions on pages 80 & 81, creating checkpoints and making assessment reflections (or having students use my rubrics to score their own work). When we introduce a project that students will have multiple days to work on, a quick Google form check in asking what students are doing well on, or what they are struggling with lets me hear from each student. This is a great way for reluctant students to ask questions, so I can offer re-direction without them feeling like I am criticizing their work. The assessment reflection tools mentioned on page 81 offer a chance for them to think deeper about their work rather than the "just get it done and move on attitude" that I used to often see. Breaking down a large assessment like this gives students confidence and ownership in the process. It helps me see where they might be struggling or what they have mastered. If students have to take ownership of the work process, it also discourages the use of AI and online sources since they have to show progress and explain what and how they completed it.

2025-04-07 14:54:00 UTC

What stood out to me is the ability of a teacher to recognize fear and be able to use alternative assessments to address this learning barrier for a student's great success. It is the teacher's responsibility to be able to adapt to multiple scenarios in a classroom.

2025-04-07 18:30:22 UTC

What stood out to me was the opening paragraphs where it talks about tests, from what they mean to students when they hear it, think about it, and what they think the purpose of them are. It stood out to me because during my student teaching experience my host teacher had a very similar talk with me about the word and meaning of tests. She only called them "show me what you know" and made sure to communicate to students the purpose of the assessments and how they can be beneficial in their future learning and how it helps them move forward both from her standpoint and theirs. This was something that I carried into my own classroom with my students and it really seemed to help settle some nerves and develop a better understanding of tests and especially its purpose in the elementary levels.

2025-04-07 21:29:08 UTC

What stood out to me was approaching assessment as a tool to build confidence. I like the checkpoint questions he asks because it will keep the students engaged in what they've accomplished and what they need to still work toward. "..and the solution to the fear students have about assessments, is to find their confidence by using evidence that they can be successful by clearly sequencing assessments to build competence and confidence along the way." To get the students not to fear about testing and their scores, we need to provide them a way of seeing that there will always be a way for them to get back on track and get their confidence back.

kdodd32 — 2025-04-09 12:30:01 UTC

The thing that stood out most to me was the ability to use alternative assessments. I have seen this be used on several occasions and I feel it makes the student feel good to take the test and not be overwhelmed with questions that confuse them. I feel they build confidence and students are able to see their growth.

emclear1 — 2025-04-10 15:14:25 UTC

I think what stood out to me the most is how important the idea of using feedback to motivate students and get them to learn and grow from it. I especially found the quote "We must recognize that when we are careless in approaching grading and assessment in our classrooms, we send the message that assessments are an attack on students' academic abilities and on their very identities." to be important and insightful. Students should feel that there is more value placed on the importance of learning rather than just a numerical grade.

2025-04-11 15:19:34 UTC

Recently, I facilitated a book study on Brene brown's The Gifts of Imperfection. I was excited to read a reference to her research in Hack #3. "It takes courage to be vulnerable but, courage typically exists alongside the potential for success...Knowing this, part of our goal as educators must be to use the assessment process to build student confidence so they gain the courage to be vulnerable and, through that process, be able to make learning meaningful for themselves." The marriage of social-emotional aspects with assessment is a powerful one and enlightening. When considered from this lens, it completely changes the purpose of an assessment. rather than an end goal, it is a growth element. Brown's research in vulnerability is significant and I LOVE how the author made the connection between the two.

bschulte12 — 2025-04-14 13:11:05 UTC

I really liked the idea of using controlled assessments. This way, students are able to demonstrate their learning of a specific without having to complete a task that assesses multiple skills and feels daunting. I liked the author's example of assessing the student's ability to write a conclusion. Instead of just grading one conclusion from their entire essay, it would be neat to give examples of different essays and construct the missing pieces. The student will be able to focus on one skill at a time, and feedback will be more detailed and specific. Too many "tasks" can feel overwhelming, but if it's broken into 'checkpoints', the students are able to focus on one thing at a time.

2025-04-14 15:29:16 UTC

One hack that stood out to me was the alternative assessments. Sometimes as teachers I think we get so caught up in having our students complete assessments that go along with our curriculums no matter how well our students do with them. Alternative assessments allow us to use flexibility with our students based on their needs. My co-worker uses an alternative assessment for Fundations with her students. This alternative assessment has improved her students grades.

2025-04-15 17:47:57 UTC

One thing that stuck out to me in Hack #3 was using the learning the learning progressions coupled with checkpoint assessments. Those checkpoints are crucial to being successful and confident in learning before a formal assessment ever occurs. The idea of creating numerous alternative assessments would be an excellent addition to students as well. At my grade level, I do many of the checkpoint checks with what I can "let me see what they know after exposure". This allows me to see the success or failure and either go the next step or back up and do a review/revise/relearn/recheck. with the students.

2025-04-16 14:44:07 UTC

What stood out to me most was the first problem. Students stress about test but not because they are worried about knowing or understanding the content. they are only worried abut the grade or passing and moving on. I have been trying to work with a new teacher wanted to just teach to the test. He thought the only important outcome was what the students would earn on the Regents not what they were actually learning. I am hoping to change that attitude with students and student teachers too.

hchontosh2 — 2025-04-24 04:31:57 UTC

"Students should have multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning, even if they made mistakes on a big assessment. " I didn't want to sit down and take the same test again but if I were given a different way to try to learn the content I would" The Key is to have multiple assessments set up ahead of time.

I like the idea of using the word checkpoint instead of assessment.

I also value the idea of feedback. Teachers need to present a student with meaningful feedback always. Also, the students need to give feedback on what they got right or wrong.

2025-04-27 17:16:53 UTC

With our math module work, we have multiple quizzes, breaking the module content into chunks, before giving the final, overall module assessment at the end. I love the idea of changing the language around these quizzes and instead calling them checkpoints; which really, is what they should be used as. These “checkpoints” should allow us to see how each student is progressing with their learning as we move through each “chunk” of the module. I love the idea of creating a very quick assessment reflection for students. Like mentioned, I teach second grade so this assessment would have to be very kid-friendly, but I feel like this could be such a valuable tool for students and for me. Oftentimes, because assessments are so plentiful, feedback gets pushed aside. I think this quick reflective tool could act as a great way for students to take accountability for their work and their learning, and would provide me with a more clear, precise picture of which students feel (or demonstrate based on assessment results) they need additional support in a specific area.

2025-04-28 11:14:42 UTC

As this is all new to me and I love to learn new things which can help me with the students I work and guide now and for the future. I liked the idea of creating a writer's portfolio. I thought this set up would be a great idea and way for the teacher and student to keep informed and easier for the student to personally see the growth. I also liked the idea of retakes to learn growth on the mistakes made and taking the better grade. This I feel may help the student in confidence and learning. This would be the good time to give feedback and help guide the student. I have one student I work with that this may help with. This is a new play with tool for me to try and learn as I am building myself to help the students to become better.

kkellogg3 — 2025-04-30 14:37:55 UTC

I have been seeing this idea come up a few times now with having the students come up with questions for the test. This stood out to me as a way for students to take more ownership of their learning and to build more confidence. This is a good way to get more buy in from the students and to motivate them to take an active role in their own learning. It also reminded me of another book study and learning about the fish bowl activity, where during the unit the students drop in their learning as a way to enhance short term and working memory. This would be a good way to connect that activity to actually using the information the students give in order to write the test questions.

2025-05-04 00:26:15 UTC

One thing that stood out to me in Hack #3 was the idea of “student self-assessment as a motivational tool.” Rablin emphasizes that when students regularly assess their own progress using clear success criteria, they become more engaged and invested in their learning. This stood out because self-assessment is often underused, yet it shifts the focus from performing for a grade to understanding and owning one’s growth. I realized that when students can clearly see where they are and what they need to work on, they’re more likely to take initiative and feel motivated—especially in subjects like science, where progress can sometimes feel abstract or out of reach.

kmoulton14 — 2025-05-06 15:45:41 UTC

I want my students to feel confident. I think the middle school age (which I work with) is a particularly challenging time in so many areas of their lives. I consistently look at my students' assessments with them. I think it shows my sincere interest in them as well as gives me the opportunity to encourage them with feedback. They feel seen.

aaldridge25_1 — 2025-05-06 21:21:16 UTC

Building a reflection assessment tool sounded like a great idea. I think that would be beneficial for students to look back and the whole unit and reflect on what they feel they learned and what they still need to look at. This allows students to take ownership and hopefully to stay motivated in the learning. This stood out to me because I'm always trying to find a new way for our students to feel that the work is important.

Hacker32423 — 2026-05-15 08:55:15 UTC

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2026-05-17 09:48:34 UTC

hello