Dealing with Failure by Emily

Open Ended Questions

emily_hardwicke — 2015-10-29 07:13:19 UTC

Tasks where there is no right answer might be easier in some subjects but pushing insightful or abstract thinking can sometimes show students that they don't always have to be 'right'. Sometimes the process is more important.

Only mark on effort

2015-10-29 23:51:50 UTC

Even if students achieve target grades it reflects the effort that they put in. Good effort is generally good grades

2015-10-29 23:52:00 UTC

2015-10-29 23:52:02 UTC

Review assessments before giving result.

Using positive language - 'yet'

HistoryBSG — 2015-10-29 23:52:05 UTC

If a student says something along the lines of 'I can't get an A' or 'I don't understand' - encourage them to add 'yet' on the end ('I don't understand this yet').

LTHC Tasks

2015-10-29 23:52:26 UTC

Use of tasks with Low Threshold and a High Ceiling. Allows quick access and gives students the opportunity to excel.

More language

2015-10-29 23:53:00 UTC

In responding to negative comments from students "I can't do this," "This is too difficult." ask students for 3 action points on how to achieve what they want. This could be where to look; who to ask, things along those lines etc. Encourage students to focus on the 'how' and practical solutions to dealing with difficulty. Avoid vague, abstract comments such as, "try harder," or "think about it again."

DIRT

Jone — 2015-10-29 23:53:12 UTC

Allocate 15v mins to actively reflect and improve marked work so that students engage with it.

Language during questioning

kevin_mcdaid — 2015-10-29 23:53:15 UTC

When a student answers a question wrong or inaccurately, respond by saying, for instance, 'who can build on that point' meaning the student isn't in the mindset that they have got something wrong, rather they have laid a foundation for the correct answer (and in doing so get the correct answer from other students).

Go through weak answers before the assessments are given back

2015-10-29 23:53:32 UTC

Differentiated L.Os/resources

2015-10-29 23:53:34 UTC

Allowing for more personalised routes within a lesson linked to ability- reduced fear of failure.

Success criteria

nick_mckenna — 2015-10-29 23:53:47 UTC

Before a task, give a tick list of success criteria. This allows students to know what they need to access/ do to avoid failure/attain success.

Scaffold

stephen_bowman_jones — 2015-10-29 23:53:52 UTC

Break tasks down into more manageable chunks with structured progression. Building on progress and successes.

Box & Bubble

Jone — 2015-10-29 23:53:52 UTC

Box is feedback in bulletpoints (WWW) the idea is to keep it very short and simple.

Bubble is things to improve. Again the idea is to keep it brief.

Teaming up

2015-10-29 23:54:13 UTC

When students have completed an exam paper or similar, team them up for improvement.

Student A helps Student B to improve on Q3

Student B helps Student A to improve Q2

This way both students focus on both their strengths and weaknesses in a collaborative way.

Feedback lessons

2015-10-29 23:54:21 UTC

At my previous school we built in feedback lessons after students completed a significant piece of work. This was focused on Keystage 3, when marking a student's piece of work we would make comments only and not worry about levels. The feedback lessons would be focused completely on giving students the opportunity to read their comments and targets and act on them. We found that there was always a significant improvement in their levels after they had worked on them in that lesson.

After an assessment use 'Ask an expert'.

2015-10-29 23:54:22 UTC

Display numbers representing the questions from the assessment. Give pupils 4-5 strips of post-it notes and get them to write their names on them. Starting from the back of the assessment pupils stick up their post-its on the last 4-5 questions they got full marks on. Pupils then use this to go around and ask peers for help on questions they didn't get right. After you can review with pupils how many more marks they are now able to achieve and what grade they could now get.

WWW and EBI

2015-10-29 23:54:40 UTC

Asking students to comment about the positives of their work first through a What Went Well and the getting them to set themselves an Even Better If after getting feedback from the teacher or fellow student.

2015-10-29 23:54:41 UTC

SECOND CHANCE:

Allow students to resubmit work after feedback and grade the second version

go through test without handing back the students test

2015-10-29 23:54:43 UTC

No Success Criteria

john_joyce — 2015-10-29 23:55:01 UTC

Instead of calling a checklist a 'success criteria' I rebranded this as 'essential ingredients'. Some students think if they include all of the different elements then they are guaranteed success -- they are not!

Only mark on commitment

2015-10-29 23:55:29 UTC

Creativity

2015-10-29 23:56:10 UTC

Imagination and originality are always rewarded in creative subjects, but in order to create anything original, students need to put themselves in a position where they may fail. Making it clear to them that exploring what doesn't work and why is just as important as what does work in creative subjects. Often, following on from things that have 'gone wrong' the most creative ideas happen. If they understand this, then the pressure is reduced to constantly produce quality material, this in turn makes them feel more free and ultimately releases their creativity.

Positive wrong answers

2015-10-30 00:10:52 UTC

If a student answers the question wrong - say "excellent wrong answer" and give praise for getting it wrong. It will encourage others to attempt to answer hard questions as they will get praise and reduce anxiety of answering. They will hopefully remember the feedback as negative too and not make the same mistake again!!!!

2015-11-12 03:37:47 UTC