Pros & Cons of Grouping

Statistics show that students learn better when they work collaboratively.  Often times it can be a positive experience or a negative one.  When students are all participating and on task, it can be rewarding.  Students have a way of re-wording concepts that make it easier for peers to understand. Classmates will ask a question of their classmate when they may not ask it of the teacher in front of the class.

Grouping can be difficult when students fail to participate.  Often times, a single student or two end up doing most of the work.  This makes higher level students dislike group activities because they feel that other students benefit from them without contributing.

How are your classes going? Feedback

Feedback based on picture :

a sleeping kid slaving on desk - tired, you are boring, etc.

a group looking & laughing - engaged, focused

a girl looking lost or uninterested - walk in close proximity, in the students line of vision

a class picture of students - some appears to be really engaged and others do not

Students give teachers feedback by their mannerism in class, their attention or lack of attention.  How can teachers use this information to improve feedback or re-structure what is taking place during the lesson.

Brainstorming Academic Feedback

• dry erase boards 
• written quizzes & exams
• oral feedback
• Check for understanding/active participation
• Explanation of most missed questions
• Where answers could be found to correct a wrong answer
• Actively monitoring w/individual feedback
• Smiling & thumbs up at individual students
• Commenting on students blog or use of Moodle
• Provide analysis score of exams - ours versus the other teacher!!!!
• Pair-Share to justify answers

# 7 is one that I think that I will try using the Blog

• Assign students the task of summarizing the previous day's class content in one page or less.  Then, have them write three quiz questions and hest a neighbor's knowledge. (Excellent way to get students to provide information to each other)

Journal Entry 10/5

How can teachers use academic feedback to help students experience success in any classroom situation?

• It provides an opportunity for teachers to clarify information that students mastered
• Indicates students level of success
• Indicates areas that need improvement
• Recognize improvement
• Use whiteboards for immediate feedback from students allows teachers to see who has it & who doesn't.
• Encourage reflection
• Allows for individualized feedback
• Strengthens the teacher-student relationship

Academic Feedback

• developing new activities for the use of technology in preparation of our first EOC state test