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Checking For Understanding
Checking For Understanding
Our students LOVE Mr. Brinkman. We hear his name chanted at every school assembly. The kids smile when they talk about him and his class. That is because he is 100% dedicated to his students and athletes. I only had to spend a few minutes in his room to see evidence of this unwavering dedication. Mr. Brinkman had a plan for teaching new math concepts the day I visited, but like all good teachers, he's learned to be ... FLEXIBLE.
Before he could move on to a new concept, he knew he needed to check his students' understanding of yesterday's homework. He had a feeling that students may have struggled with the assignment, so he started by taking a poll on how many students finished and truly understood the assignment. Mr. Brinkman's instincts were correct. The students quietly let on that they did not get the homework. Instead of moving on, Mr. Brinkman knew it was important to review the assignment with the class.
Good teachers gauge their students' level of understanding at all times. They use feedback (formative or summative, informal or formal) to determine the next steps in instruction. Even if it means going off the timeline or moving back deadlines, sometimes reteaching has to take place. Mr. Brinkman had his students pull out the homework and began going through each step. He has a smartboard in his room. Using multiple colors to highlight and break down each step in a difficult word problem, Mr. Brinkman guided students through the thought process of solving the problem without giving away any answers.
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He discussed the importance of learning how to problem solve; it's not just a process that is limited to math. Breaking down a big problem into smaller steps helps us find the final solution to lots of things in life. Students took notes and soon imaginary lightbulbs shone over many heads all over the room. When they grasped the concept, you saw it on their face or heard it; "Ohhhh, I get it". Mr. Brinkman is kind and patient with each student, making time to address individual needs while roaming around the classroom.
The coolest thing I saw in Mr. Brinkman's room was on my way out the door. I almost missed one of the best techniques used in his classroom. The popsicle sticks. Right by the door, is a hanging cloth of numbered pouches. In each pouch is a popsicle stick with a number as well as a student's phone. The numbers correspond with every student in Mr. Brinkman's math class. Before exiting the class, students drop off their assigned popsicle stick in one of three buckets. It's easy to remember, because it also holds their phone. Seventh and eighth graders would never leave their phone behind, right? The buckets have different colors and different meanings.
Green = I understood the lesson, I can do it on my own.
Yellow = I understand some of the lesson, I still have questions.
Red = I lack understanding, I need help.
Mr. Brinkman reminds students to pick up their phones and move their popsicle sticks on their way out the door. He has placed these buckets strategically. "With the moving taking place during a busy time of the period with everyone coming/going between classes, students do not pay attention to where others are placing their sticks, leading to less peer pressure and judgement. This is a quick and simple way I am able to gauge student understanding, as well as pin-point students I need to focus on."
"This is a quick and simple way I am able to gauge student understanding, as well as pin-point students I need to focus on."
"This is a quick and simple way I am able to gauge student understanding, as well as pin-point students I need to focus on."
At the end of each period, Mr. Brinkman records sticks that didn't get moved, as well as those placed in the red and yellow buckets. He uses this data to make adjustments for intervention time, and before and after school help sessions. "Keeping track of the daily responses allows me to track which lessons and concepts are more struggling for students. I have found it has led to more students being honest about their level of understanding."
Math is a continuing spiral. One concept builds on another. It is hard to move onto a new concept if a student doesn't have complete understanding of the base knowledge for that new concept. Mr. Brinkman's strategy for gauging where his students are in their level of understanding is fantastic. He knows how to use this data to help his students and to guide his instruction. I love the anonymity of the popsicle sticks and the ease of collecting data. I don't use exit tickets or simple checks for understanding often enough; I found some great new ideas for simple ways to check student's understanding in the article below.
Here's a great article for possible options to check for student understanding at any point in your lesson. Check it out!
Thanks, Mr. Brinkman, for letting me visit!
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