Students Grow With Formative Assessment

This post was originally published at: http://blog.cue.org/students-grow-with-formative-assessment/.

Formative assessment is the ongoing process of evaluating student learning. Unlike it’s formalized, standardized testing counterpart, formative assessments are not used for grading but are focused on providing students opportunities to monitor their own learning and self-assess one’s mastery of content and skills.

As a former special education teacher who didn’t rely on formal standardized testing data to determine student growth or achievement (because, really – what good was the CAASPP for except for making my poor kiddos cry?) – I used more formative assessment pieces in my planning and instruction to help me establish if my students were really getting the instruction I was presenting in class. It also showed me which concepts I should probably go back and reteach for student mastery.

And, because we were lucky to have 1:1 devices in the classroom, I was able to pull in some educational technology to help me gather valuable data on my students. Here are some of my favorite applications that I used when teaching SPED and that I continue to use now in my TOSA position with my TK-5th grade classrooms.

Padlet: Padlet is a web-based platform for creating online bulletin boards that allow teachers and students to share and collaborate, from any device. Users can post text, links, files, photos, and videos. I started using Padlet with my younger TK and Kindergarten students who weren’t logging into Google Classroom yet. Because the boards can be password protected (and private), students were able to collaborate through this online discussion board, much in the same way that they would have done in Google Classroom. The only caveat to this program? Under a free account, you are only able to create three padlets at a time.

Pear Deck: Pear Deck is a web-based formative assessment tool that allows you to create interactive lessons using Google Slides. Pear Deck offers a library of free templates that you can use to create interactive assessments in your slides, with everything from math templatesto critical thinking questions to slides on social emotional learning – and more! Pear Deck has a paid and free version. Although I get by quite nicely with the free version, if you have the funds to pay for a subscription, I would highly recommend it. If you’re looking to try Pear Deck Premium, click here for 3-months of premium access!

Edpuzzle: Edpuzzle is a great tool that allows users to turn videos into quick assessments, through the use of strategically placed questions. It’s as simple as choosing a video from YouTube (or uploading your own), trimming the video, inserting a question anywhere and then tracking your students progress. Edpuzzle does offer a premium account but most educators I know (myself included) use the basic version.

Kahoot!: If your students love game-based learning (and, really – which kid doesn’t?), Kahoot! should be your go-to for free engaging quizzes that will get all of your students actively participating. While you can create your own quiz, Kahoot! also offers an extensive library of games. Students can play as individuals, groups, or pairs.

Flipgrid: If you haven’t gotten #FlipgridFever yet, now is the time! Flipgrid is a free site that allows students to post videos in response to questions and topics posed by their teacher. It also gives students an opportunity to reflect, collaborate, and receive and respond to constructive feedback offered by their peers.

Google Forms: Google Forms is a great tool for creating quizzes or forms to collect data from your students. Forms allows users to use a variety of question types (multiple choice, short answer, paragraph, check boxes, drop-down, linear scale, etc.) – along with the ability to upload pictures and videos for students to view and answer questions on. I use Forms throughout the school year, across subject areas and is a quick and easy way of collecting information from your students.

Quizlet/Quizziz: Both Quizlet and Quizziz are web-based platforms that allow students an alternative to the traditional methods of studying new vocabulary terms. While I have used both platforms (and both are reputable, in my opinion), I will say that Quizziz has some perks that Quizlet currently does not offer. First, Quizziz makes it easy for me to important classes from Google Classroom. I also appreciate that Quizziz offers me data on my students after each quiz – making it a bit easier for me to determine who needs some additional help with certain topics.

Are You a Weekend (PD) Warrior?

This post was originally published at http://blog.cue.org/are-you-a-weekend-pd-warrior/.

I am one of “those” teachers - you know the kind. The one who comes in early and stays later than most. The one who takes work home and is up late working on new ideas and activities for her students. And the one who spends her weekend attending conferences and professional development opportunities.

You, like me, might even be a teacher like this, too.

I had a colleague ask me recently why I would give up my weekend to attend events I’m not compensated for - why I would give up time with my family and kids to go to weekend PD. And the answer came easily...

It’s my job.

Since transitioning into my new role as a Technology TOSA this past year, I’ve learned a lot about myself - and the kind of teacher I need to be, not only for the hundreds of students I serve, but also for their teachers. I considered myself pretty tech savvy before starting this position. But what is considered tech savvy one year could be obsolete the next as I've learned in the 8+ years I have been using 1:1 technology in the classroom. And I don't claim to know it all...which is why I like to spend my time learning from others who know a lot more than I do.

So, yes...I am one of "those" teachers that actively look for professional development opportunities. I jump for joy when I find events that are free and willingly bite the (financial) bullet for those that are not. If I'm going to be the best teacher I can be, I HAVE to know what's going on in other classrooms, see what other teachers are doing, and take my new knowledge and apply it to my own classrooms. If I want to continue to be a source of inspiration or information for my school sites, I need to give up a part of my weekend (every once in a while) to build that knowledge base and hone the skills I already have. It's the kind of thing that comes with the territory...and I'm happy to do so if others benefit from it.

For those interested in sharpening your skills, here are some upcoming professional development opportunities:

Computer Science Community Summit: FREE; Riverside County Office of Education, May 11th

Computer Science Fundamentals – Deep Dive Workshop: FREE; Los Angeles County Office of Education, June 8th

CUE Rock Star Big Bear: $179; North Shore Elementary School, June 17th-18th

CUE Rock Star Roxnard: $179; Rancho Campana High School, August 6th-7th

Math Standards Say Draw...Then Let's Use Google Drawings

In third grade students begin to learn the concept of multiplication and division - including a variety of strategies that show how to solve a word problem.  Our standards state that they should be able to represent equations using arrays and equal groups through drawings.

Hhhmmm...Drawings??

So, this year I introduced students to Google Drawings through a lesson where they created images of an assigned multiplication sentence.  During this mini lesson students used a resource I found on TPT: Multiplication Give Me 5 - FREE Poster and Worksheet to design their image on first (we work on the skill of transferring).  

In the past, the final product would be on index cards and together we would put together an over-sized multiplication chart.  This time I thought I would try something different…

The first multiplication strategy that I modeled/guided was ‘Arrays’ - I thought this was simple enough to begin teaching the use of the toolbar and alignment (those cool red lines and cross hairs).  But of course there was a teacher fail...some students had equations that required MANY icons.

*note to teacher self for next year: keep equations small*

I began this mini lesson right before the Spring CUE conference.  When I returned, the next step was to develop their Google Drawing for equal groups.  This task was much easier to accomplish since they were now familiar and comfortable with this platform.  However, there was that *teacher fail* I mentioned…

At Spring CUE, I learned in Matt Miller’s session: Educational Eye Candy, a hack that I had to take back immediately - on that Monday I showed my students how to use “Control D” to duplicate icons.  Their minds were blown and their vocabulary enhanced!

When Skills (Not Product) Are the Focus

Eric Curts post that inspired the lesson

I recently introduced an activity in my 2nd-5th grade classrooms that involved making mosaic art via Google Drawings. It was a great activity that I first saw on Eric Curts' blog, Control Alt Achieve. I was excited to be delving into a lesser-used app among my teacher colleagues and was looking forward to seeing some of the creative pieces my students would be producing as a result of this study.


I readied my presentation (complete with some background information about mosaic art, examples, etc.), set the parameters of the assignment (every student in the class would have to pick a picture from a given topic; while the topic had to be the same, they had creative license to pick a picture they wanted to recreate), and then waited for the masterpieces to take form.

It didn't happen during that first lesson.

Now, the students were on task, dedicated to choosing the right image. They were using keyboard shortcuts that we had discussed in previous lessons, manipulating shapes (also discussed in a previous lesson), and using the polyline tool (where was this glorious tool when I was growing up?) in Drawings - something new. They were asking questions, exploring the app, clicking around and finding out what worked...and what didn't. Everything that a teacher of technology hopes students will do during a lesson.

Student samples from Julie Lyle's classroom

But masterpieces take time. I understood that (which is why I had planned on dedicating a few lessons to this endeavor). However, some of my teaching colleagues did not. They wanted to see the product. Like, RIGHT. NOW. They wondered aloud if it was too hard for their students...too complicated for them. One teacher gave me a look that I couldn't quite identify - something along the lines of confusion and "Good Lord, honey...you're in way over your head." And their doubt took me aback. 

I think as teachers we sometimes forget how resilient our students are and how capable they can be when given the time to just create and explore - and truly be students and inquirers. (I've been reminded of this quite a few times already this year in my new role.) I often remind myself that - despite what the naysayers say (or not say, through non-verbal cues) - I want to challenge these kids. I want to expose them to things they may not get to see or participate in otherwise. I want them to explore and get excited about the things we do with technology. I want them to learn things that four or five lessons later they remember and say, "Hey, I know a shortcut for that" or "I know how to do it better." I value the skill practice, refinement, and mastery of said skills over any product that might look good for Open House.

And - not one of my students (including those in the special education classrooms I visited) ever said that it was too hard for them. They persisted...and isn't that what we want as encouragers of a growth mindset?

I know some of my colleagues won't understand this approach. They will think that these activities aren't worth much in the long run. But I will know better. I know that my little Michaelangelos are well on their way to creating their own Sistine Chapels...in time, once they refine their technique and learn how to use their paintbrushes.

To Share or Not to Share...or to Sell?

This post was originally published at http://blog.cue.org/to-share-or-not-to-share-or-to-sell/. 

Education Week recently published an article on their website that touched upon some issuesTeachers Pay Teachers sellers had or were experiencing with the selling of their products on the TPT platform. The author also delves into the “ethics of selling vs. sharing” – which reminded me of a blog entry that I had started quite a few months ago and thought I would revisit for this week’s blog post.

I’ve had a few conversations recently with various colleagues about sharing versus not sharing materials and documents that teachers – myself included – have created. What is OK to share? What isn’t? Here are some thoughts to consider…

I’ve been a Teachers Pay Teachers seller since about 2012 – six years! Now, I don’t run a store that’s making me enough money where I can retire from my day job and stay home and focus on my TPT making (although I wish I did!) I don’t even make enough annually to pay for a nice family vacation. I started my TPT store with the intention of putting products up that I made for my own classroom use – products that other teachers might find useful and that might earn me a couple of extra bucks on the side. I did not start my store with the goal of leaving the classroom or making more annually than I do as a teacher (which, some TPT sellers do!) I was simply working my side hustle.

With that being said, I have invested in my TPT store and purchased commercial fonts, clip art, and the licenses that go with those in order to sell products that are pleasing to the eye and that fellow teachers would be proud to use in their classrooms. Fonts, clip art, and commercial licenses are NOT cheap – especially if you don’t sell tons of stuff! But I did it – and continue to do it – because that’s what a responsible seller does.

So when it comes to teachers sharing TPT purchases without purchasing the additional licenses – as a seller myself – it irks me and I try to encourage my colleagues to see why additional licenses are important (and why sellers aren’t just doing it to make an extra buck!) We aren’t trying to swindle you…but we also shoulder costs for our products that may go unnoticed or unknown to buyers.

Now, my take on products I make in the G-Suite is a little different. I tend to want to share what I make with other educators! Things like graphic organizers, newsletters, Docs templates – fairly generic items that any teacher could manipulate and use in his or her classroom. I know that there are teachers out there who do put more effort than I do into my G-Suite creations and subsequently feel the need to sell their products (and I totally get that). But, I tend to be of the “sharing is caring” mentality when it comes to my G-Suite products.

This leads us to the bigger question – when do (or should) we share? And what do we share? With the way we teach constantly changing and the need for lessons to address the 4 C’s of 21st-century learning, teachers should be actively trying to work with and collaborate with other teachers. (That’s kind of the whole point behind the collaborative component of the G-Suite apps – getting “collaborators” to work on documents TOGETHER). I think this also means the sharing of valuable resources that other teachers could use in their own classrooms and inspire their colleagues to use.

I know that lessons can be a beast – and that many educators want to put a price tag on their hard work and upload it to TPT as soon as possible. (Again, I get it…I’ve been there.) But I also think of all the educators who post their hard work to share with others – Eric Curts (Control Alt Achieve), Lisa Highfill and the HyperDoc girls (HyperDocs), and the entire#TeachersGiveTeachers movement – without asking so much as a penny (just a simple “give credit where credit is due”). If educators were more open and willing to share their QUALITYresources and templates, can you only imagine the effect it would have on our students?