TL;DR: Formative assessment is vital for effective teaching, offering real-time insights into student progress. Tom Schimmer advocates for diverse approaches, including thoughtful questioning, Socratic seminars, and one-on-one conferencing. Peer reviews, interactive technology, and strategies like think-pair-share enrich formative assessments, promoting collaboration and critical thinking. Tapestry of Formative Assessment Formative assessment is a tapestry and the heartbeat of effective teaching, offering … Read More
Show 146: Instructional Upgrades with Quizizz
Kyle Niemis, now a former teacher, comes back to the podcast and works for Quizizz. He joined us to provide an in-depth look at this fantastic online tool, highlight its best features, and share some big updates. We trust Kyle, and we endorse the use of this fantastic online tool. Kyle provides countless examples of fantastic instructional practices that Quizizz … Read More
Reflections on Teaching & Learning
TL;DR: This post shares reflections on teaching and learning through a career in K-12 education. Poverty impacts a student’s ability to perform at school. School staff ultimately determines opportunity to learn. Formative assessment is the silver bullet. Provide opportunities for students to inquire. It’s no longer important to focus on what the teachers can do with the content. The goal … Read More
5 Game Changers in Education
TL;DR: Each day, when we enter schools, we have the opportunity to create a game-changing moment for students. 5 game changers in education include formative assessments, learning targets, personalized learning, writing, and student-led questions. When school staff focus on these five game changers, they will begin to see self-directed learners, contributors, and problem solvers. Have you ever witnessed a game-changing … Read More
Using Formative Assessments to Guide Instruction
TL;DR: Formative assessments help teachers effectively plan and guide instruction. It also helps to understand students better in terms of whether they are on track, need support, or a challenge. Likely, you’ll need to plan for differentiated instruction to meet the needs of your students, individually or as a class. There are many formative assessment options: Do-nows & bell ringers, … Read More