Assessment FOR Learning (Growing Success, 2010)
The ongoing process of gathering and interpreting evidence about student learning for the purpose of determining where students are in their learning, where they need to go, and how best to get there. The information gathered is used by teachers to provide feedback and adjust instruction and by students to focus their learning.
What can I do in my classroom to know and engage my learners?
Teaching & Learning Together 
I can survey them to find out what their interests are, and then incoroporate their interests in my lesson.
Hands on activities, ask questions, promote conversation, choice on projects that reflect their interests, multi-media…etc!
It is interesting to note that the instructor’s learning style will most likely be reflected in his/her teaching style.
In order to know my students, I can talk to them and show interest in what they are saying. In order to engage my students, I can incorporate what I’ve learned they’re interested in into my lessons.
I would have the students introduce themselves to eachother at the start of the year and then would have them maintain a buddy like system for the rest of the year.
You can have students make something out of playdoh that reflects who they are. Then that student can share it with the class.
Having a good hook.
Knowing the personalities and strengths of your students.
Conduct surveys on learning
Observe students & achievements in relation to methods of teaching.
As an educator we need to understand how the students learn. We need to resort to Gardners theory on multiple intelligences in the sense that all students are not the same and vary on levels of ability. Our lessons should incorporate different approaches to learning to differentiate the learning environment.
Allow students to do hands-on activities, and allow them to contribute their ideas and perspectives about the topic being discussed.
Try to tap into all the different intelligences within the classroom.
I will take into consideration the different learning styles of each student. I will facilitate my lessons in a way that meets the needs of each student and in return, they will obtain equal understanding of the subject. I will combine the stronger and weaker students together in the classroom groups in order for the students to offer assistance to each other. I will offer choice for my students, seeing as some may learn better in one area, whereas the other students may not. Therefore, choice is needed.
1) Engaging learners intellectually
Examples include:
-Communicating clearly & organizing the subject
– Aligning the subject to other elements/relevance
– Stimulating thinking, excitement
2) Engaging learners personally
Examples include:
-Establishing rapport
-Fostering teacher-learner interaction
-Fostering learner-learner interaction
3) Engaging learners dramatically
Examples include:
– Set the stage: prepare for a dramatic presentation
– Know and use the devices and skills of dramatic
Get to know them and focus on teaching from their interests with a flavour for the curriculum tied in.
do a likes and dislikes survey with your class
Hey Mark – Did you attend Windsor University? This is Dave – first year roomate. Send me an email when you have a chance. Dave.
I think it’s important to take the time at the beginning of the year to learn about student’s interests. Use these in the classroom and engage your students!
Assess often with Tickets Out the Door, Student-Teacher Conferences, and other forms assessment that will show you where the student’s strengths are.
– Ice breaker
– Ask them in what they prefer to see in lessons (visuals, audios, manipulatives)
– Ask fellow colleagues who may have had the student and use resources such as Learning Support Teachers, Educational Assistants, Special Education Teachers, etc.
– Design different centres focused on visuals, audios, manipulatives
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I can get to know and engage my learners by: taking interest surveys, using technology EFFECTIVELY (if you don’t use it effectively your students will tune you out because they are frustrated and distracted by the technology mess-ups), etc.
Name games! You need to know your students as well as the students have to know eachother!
All about me boards or booklets, personal portfolios, Using students personal interests(books, music, etc) to incorporate into lesson, show and tell, a “facebook/myspace” type of tool to express personal likes and dislikes
An activity one can do to get to know the students is to have students write in their journals about what they like to do. After you read these journals, you can try to incorporate these things into your lessons.
For example, if more of the students are Toronto Maple Leaf fans, use the Leafs in math problems about scores of games, period times, etc.
Have a class blog where students can post and comment on current events and activities in their own lives.
Ask questions. Keep the ‘lecture’ part to a minimum. Bring ‘examples’ of the lesson in the class.
Use the kids personal interests
we can have a group discussion after the kids fill out a brief handout about Who they Are!
Getting a sense of who the students are and where they are at in their learning. Allowing students to have choice allows teachers to get to know their students and activities they prefer to engage in.
send home a questionaire for the children to fill out with their parents. This will allow you to get to know who your new students are. During the class, have a class discussion allowing for the kids to answer questions that they did with their parents. THis will allow class interaction while the kids get to know each other!
Empower and encourage the students to monitor their behaviour, homework, etc. Get the students in the habit of critiquing their own work. For example, correcting their tests before they hand it in. It is important to make this a routine so they do it at school and transfer the skills to their outside world.
In math, think about an open-ended question that provides multiple entry points for all students and base it on the previous grade’s expectations. Tell the students to solve it collaboratively (homogeneous groups) and in more than one way. Allow students to share their solutions and ask questions and as the teacher, use the student work to highlight key concepts.