Objectives+&+Feedback

Read and Reflect My current role is slightly different than a classroom teacher's, however I am definately able to relate the reading more to my experiences as a classroom teacher than my current role as a teacher consultant. I have explored the use of classroom objectives and goals in a variety of ways. Ideally, the use of classroom and individual goals can be a great motivator and incentive for students. I used to discuss with my class what our classroom goal would be for an upcoming test (or as I called them "celebrations of learning"). I also asked students to write in a journal everyday, and I would ask them to also write what their goal for the test was. I found that students overall would always set their own personal objective to be better than the class average goal, with limited exceptions.

The reading also got me thinking about timely feedback. We always hear that the benefits of prompt feedback on tests and homework are beneficial to learning, however I struggled with developing a good balanced system for doing so efficiently. I found promptly grading and returning everything to students within a day or two, which research says has the greatest educational benefit, to simply be exhuasting. I continued trying to manage getting everything graded and returned with contructive feedback with the shortest turn around time possible. Sometimes with grading essays, it takes hours to provide beneficial feedback on an entire class's work.

Apply and Reflect I have previously created rubics via Rubistar and used them in the classroom, however I really only created and used them for projects being turned in or presentations. In visiting the site (which I haven't used in at least 3 years), I found that it makes the process of creating rubrics much simplier than I remembered from past experience. I would definately start using the tool again!   