Saturday, March 09, 2013

Feedback Focus: Look What You've Accomplished!

I like a focus for each learning leg of the year.  Now that our ELA test prep is wrapping up and the testing will be here, I want to focus on feedback.

Students have amassed a large number of positive learning products, certificates and results over the year.  Sometimes those positive results escape me because we're so involved in new learning challenges.  Also, many of our results are new--not something I'm used to responding to such as online learning results and certificates, progress monitoring and student-student coaching gains.

Hence, while students test and I look on, I'll focus on looking at the data of students' gains and accomplishments, and organize that data in a way that I can present to students with meaning and positivity.  These feedback forms will include notation of knowledge gained and challenges that remain with regard to the following learning constructs:
  • Xtra Math results with regard to mastery of facts in all operations.
  • Symphony Math level attainment and levels to go.
  • Lexia level attainment and levels to go.
  • Writing pieces completed and included in ePortfolios.
  • Projects completed, learning attained, and included in ePortfolios. (Poetry, Personal Narrative, Culture Project, Global Share)
  • SumDog reports highlighting students' strengths and challenges.
  • Dibels progress monitoring/benchmark growth/challenge.
  • Reading/Math gains on standard assessments.
  • Independent reading strength, focus and need.
  • Reading response strengths and challenges.
  • Math problem solving and open response strengths and challenges.
  • Math large number computation strengths and challenges.
  • Math knowledge, concept and skill attainment. 
We collect a lot of data these days online and off, and it's imperative that we organize this data in ways that help us offer positive and productive feedback to students.  While we work to strengthen the challenges, we can't forget to find time to celebrate and acknowledge the significant accomplishments students make every day.  This is a good focus for test prep/testing legs of the school year.