Give feedback to each of the following Prompts using the RISE Model for Meaningful Feedback. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f18f806c8fc704bb1677e3a/t/5f56a9f36993cf0a0fed9ddd/1599515124548/RISE-Model-Peer-EmilyWray.pdf
Prompt 1: Being a passionate educator goes beyond just being knowledgeable about a particular content area. A passionate teacher invokes a thrill (and frustration) of learning within themselves and their students through deliberate practice of their craft and learning from their own teaching (Hattie & Zierer, 2018 ). I equate this passion to being a lifelong learner who is constantly re-evaluating myself and my abilities. My passion for education drives me to be a lifelong learner which impacts my students immensely. When I know better, I do better which all of my students can benefit from.
Math is one of the subjects I receive the most groans of disdain for in my classroom. I have very few students who look forward to working on math related tasks and activities. One of the biggest takeaways from this reading that I can apply towards my math instruction is to make sure that I develop a range of teaching strategies. Knowing that my students dislike math but being able to construct meaning and meaningful experiences in light of this knowledge is important for me as an educator (Hattie & Zierer, 2018). Being adaptable to their perceptions and feelings and being able to align our goals with where they are at mentally and emotionally is a challenge.
Our school currently uses iReady to assess our students in math and reading. Data from math assessments and lessons provide me information on where my students may be struggling. When I review the results with my students and have a conversation with them about their performance, I can often determine where they are struggling. Some students are unfamiliar with the academic language behind math (as it’s a language all itself) which can be difficult for all students, especially EL students who may be struggling just to learn English let alone the language of math. Students may understand the numbers portion of math but might need more direct instruction on associated vocabulary.
Of the strategies presented by Hattie & Zierer (2018), I would like to incorporate paying closer attention to the domains of discussions we have as teachers during meetings, understanding more the attitudes and dispositions of my students to use those qualities to enhance instruction, be more clear about the criteria of success to my students and look to jointly create lesson plans with other teachers. I see the value in having a united approach to education and engaging with my peers strengthens our efforts in impacting student learning through common goals. Capitalizing on my student’s strengths helps keep them engaged though lessons and providing them with clearer success criteria helps them see the value in what they are doing and can help them gauge on their own their success in meeting educational goals.
Prompt 2: What are some key points presented in Visible Learning for Teachers about being a passionate educator?
One of the key points presented in Visible Learning for Teachers that stood out to me was that being a passionate teacher includes the ability and tenacity to practice the art of teaching and to grow in the various skills that teaching entails (Hattie, 2012). Educators should always strive to be reflective on their delivery of the content and search for ways to improve. We have to continue to be students. It is imperative that I search and identify the areas of my teaching that I struggle with and find ways to improve.
How can you maximize your impact on student learning for EL students? All students?
I can maximize my impact on student learning for all populations of students by continually creating a positive learning environment that encourages mistakes and a platform where all students can express themselves and their opinions freely. Making my students feel comfortable, welcomed in the classroom, and important is something I try my best on doing every day. I have to remind myself that every child is different and their backgrounds are even more diverse. Therefore, I treat every student with grace and respect. I’ve noticed that developing this learning environment has resulted in my students not only trying their best but willing to make mistakes.
How can you apply what you learned in the reading to your daily math instruction?
Hattie (2012) explains that teaching is a practice that can be done in various ways. Every teacher is different and can always improve on the practice of teaching. Math, though there is always a concrete answer, can be taught in various ways. Therefore, in a math lesson, I want to try my best in presenting multiple avenues for a student to come up with an answer to a problem. This can be done by conducting a math talk activity. During a math talk, students are presented with a math problem and are given a few minutes to solve the problem using every strategy they can think of. Once they finish, students will be called up to solve the problem on the board or explain to the teacher how they solved the problem. By using this strategy, students are able to see that there are multiple ways a problem can be solved. Presenting information in a variety of ways such as the use of videos and powerpoints can also help the student understand different math concepts.
How can you utilize state and formative assessment data to improve your math instruction for EL students?
One way that I can utilize both state and formative assessment data to improve my math instruction for EL students is to identify the standard where the students struggled the most and deconstruct that standard. What are the key skills embedded in this standard that I need to reteach in order for my students to be successful? What are the common misconceptions that students will run into? Can I use these skills in other content areas to further establish comprehension? These are questions that I would ask myself as I’m using such data. For formative assessments, whiteboard practice can give me enough information about the student’s progress and mastery of the skill. Such information can either encourage me to continue the lesson or send out red flags in order for me to reteach a skill.
What four specific strategies or actions, learned from the text, do you plan to incorporate into your classroom practice? Why?
Four strategies or actions that I would incorporate into my classroom practice are being flexible, target setting, sharing success criteria with students, and implementing more peer-to-peer interaction. My first year teaching, I was stuck on “this is what I planned for this week” and not adjusting to the learning of my students. I clearly remember having formative assessment evidence that indicated my students needed more guided practice, but completely ignoring such feedback because we had other tasks planned. Being flexible is so important. Setting target goals not only drives the instruction, but it also helps the students have a clear picture of what they will eventually master. Setting goals directly correlates to sharing success criteria with students. At the end of the lesson, I have my students reiterate the learning objective. I then ask them “did we meet our goal for today?” I have them answer that question and then they tell me how. How do you know that we did meet the goal today? Finally, peer-to-peer interaction is one of the best ways a student can learn and express their opinions. It is scary to implement because the teacher slowly but surely releases the responsibility to the students. It is very uncomfortable but I will try my best to strategically implement these interactions throughout the lesson.
Each Prompt feedback should be formatted as:
R: _________
I: __________luv
S: ___________
E: _____________