Embedded Files
Learning Objectives
To benefit all learners, I provide learning objectives within the daily calendar. These calendars are posted on the class blog. Providing learning objectives provides explicit transparency for students. They are aware of the daily objectives and what activities align with them. Formative and summative assessments are aligned to the objectives. Students have a clear understanding of what they will be assessed on and have the resources to focus on specific objectives that they find challenging. For clear communication with parents and students, the assessments are rated and entered into the grade book by objective.
Strategies and Modifications
Screen-casting is a useful tool to provide support for students. The videos to the right provide examples of how I used technology in order to improve student learning. The first video is an example of an extra resource that I provided for students who struggled with balancing equations. I have learned that creating short videos that focus on specific concepts or skills are highly effective in improving student understanding. Students are able to watch the videos as much as needed and develop a list of questions regarding the concepts that we could discuss. The videos provided a concrete context, or framework, to initiate individual discussions with students. In this video, I was also able to use a real life example of making s'mores to teach the concept of chemical reactions and conservation of matter.
The second video was made as a resource for students who were not in class to observe the "egg in a bottle" demo. This way the students still had virtual access to the experience and the material discussed in class. It also served well as a reference later on in the year when students were reviewing for the final.
The videos also provide examples of how I modified instruction and provided a structure for students to solve mathematical concepts in a series of steps. After teaching chemistry for 14 years, I am able to identify concepts that students struggle with and provide the necessary material to correct misconceptions. The video I made for lesson 12 was meant to point out specific items that I wanted the students to identify in order to better understand the material.
The last video is an example of a series of review videos that I have made for students who needed help to synthesize and put all of the material together. Rather than provide an answer key, I created a video to talk through and explain the concepts in the answer key.
Retakes
"Is the purpose of education to make sure kids learn or is it that they learn in a specific way at a specific time?"- Rick Wormeli
About five years ago, I really wrestled with the above quote from Rick Wormeli. The purpose of education is for students to learn. The pathway may be different for every learner, but as an educator I must provide an environment that nurtures a culture of learning. Adopting a culture that allows students to redo or retake, sends the message that learning is important.
The conversations that I have with students are about learning the objectives and finding strategies that help to improve their understanding. I embrace a learning environment where it is OK to make mistakes and fail the first time we try something new. I tell my students that they would not be learning if they got the answers right the first time they attempted them. If they did, it meant they already knew the material.
As an educator, I want my students to learn and take the initiative to relearn material. Therefore, students have the ability to continue to work and provide evidence of what they have done in order to retake quizzes or tests. Over the years my retake policy has evolved and I am sure it will continue to improve.
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