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Showing posts from January, 2023

101. The Transformative Power of AI

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Folks, let’s face it. Our classrooms are going to look a little different this year. AI, specifically ChatGPT, is going to change the way we design learning experiences and assess student mastery. I’ll be honest, when I first explored the ChatGPT platform I was terrified. As I have dug deeper into the technology and its capabilities, I realized that while it does pose significant challenges — it also presents us with some pretty amazing opportunities. In this series, we will explore what AI is capable of, its implications in the classroom, and how it can benefit both teachers and students. Let’s start by examining where we have been, where we are currently, and looking forward to where we are going. Whether this is a trip you wanted to go on or not, the AI train has left the station and it is time for all of us to jump on board. From Card Catalogs to Artificial Intelligence I belong to the micro-generation called Xennial. Xennials are considered to be a “bridge” between Generation X a...
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#92: Providing Feedback: What's the Path Forward?

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This is Part 3 in a series about providing meaningful feedback for students in a way that is sustainable for teachers. In this post, we will explore ways to reorganize the assessment process to make it effective and efficient. In my previous post, we looked at how to move feedback and grading out of your living room and back into your classroom. We explored how Side-by-Side grading and Flash Feedback can help provide meaningful feedback to students in a way that is sustainable for you! In this post, I will share two more feedback strategies that I love to use in my own classroom. The Purpose of Work I began this series by asking the question, "Why am I grading this?". I learned that my "why" really depends on the purpose of the assignment. The following diagram was developed by Catlin Tucker. Tucker breaks the types of assignments down into three categories; (1) practice , (2) progress work towards a project, and (3) the assessment or finished product. The Purpo...
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91: Providing Feedback: What's the Process?

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This is Part 2 in a series about providing meaningful feedback for students in a way that is sustainable for teachers. In this post, we will explore ways to redesign the feedback process to ensure that it is effective, efficient and sustainable.  I know we all have different grading loads based on our respective classes, but does anyone ever feel truly caught up? I know I don't. Sometimes my desk looks an awful lot like the teacher's desk in this cartoon. In my previous post, I shared how the purpose of an assignment can inform the type of feedback that should be given to students. Is it practice, progress or product? In this post, I will share two strategies that helped me move the feedback process back into the classroom where it can have the greatest impact. Reframing the Feedback Process Feedback is a necessary part of the learning process. Students need to be able to identify their progress towards learning goals. For feedback to be most effective, it must be provided re...
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#90: Providing Feedback: What's the Purpose?

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This is Part 1 in a series about providing meaningful feedback for students in a way that is sustainable for teachers. Confession time . I will do just about anything to avoid grading. Fix the copier? Done. Emergency sub needed? I've got you covered. An IEP meeting? Sign me up. Grading should be one of the most rewarding parts of my job. The students get to show what they have learned and how they have grown as the result of my class. It doesn't get much more meaningful than that! But, it isn't always rewarding. It's stressful and it gets crowded out by everything else on my to-do list. Time is a Finite Resource It's not that I hate reviewing my students' work. It can be one of the most rewarding parts of my job. I am continually amazed by their creativity, talent and hardwork. But, it can also be a logistical nightmare. Let's say an average high school teacher teaches 150 students per day. If that teacher were to grade one assignment for each student ever...
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89: Building Academic Tenacity: It's All About Belonging

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This is Part 3 in a series about building academic tenacity in our students. Throughout this series, I will explore empirically-validated interventions shown to promote long-term learning and achievement. This post will focus on the importance of fostering a sense of belonging in the development of academic tenacity. Academic tenacity consists of the mindset and skills that allow students to focus on long-term or higher-order goals and withstand challenges in pursuit of these goals. It's about working hard, working smart, and working for a long time. It allows students to look past their immediate wants and needs and focus on long-term goals. It gives them the will to withstand challenges and persevere in pursuit of their goals. In this post, we will dive into how a student's sense of belongingness can positively impact their academic tenacity and overall well-being. Belongingness Belongingness is a fundamental human need. It was recognized by Maslow as being essential to one...
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#88: Building Tenacity: It's All About Self-Regulation

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This is Part 3 in a series about building academic tenacity in our students. Throughout this series, I will explore empirically-validated interventions shown to promote long-term learning and achievement. This post will focus on the development of self-regulation skills. Academic tenacity consists of the mindset and skills that allow students to focus on long-term or higher order goals and withstand challenges in pursuit of these goals. It's about working hard, working smart, and working for a long time. It allows students to look past their immediate wants and needs and focus on long-term goals. It gives them the will to withstand challenges and persevere in pursuit of their goals. In this post, we will dive into how self-regulation skills, like self-control and grit, can positively impact a student's academic tenacity and overall well-being.  Perhaps one of the most well-known experiments on self-control and delayed gratification is Walter Mischel's famed "Marshmall...
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