There’s around one month of school left and it feels like the home stretch. The next month is full of changes. The weather changes from chilly temps to sunny days (at least in the Chicago burbs), class lists and sections are starting to take form, driving to/from school with the windows down is the norm, and planning for that final month is in full swing. The majority of my math classes just finished a unit assessment and there’s one unit remaining. So often I find that students perceive the end of a math unit to “close out” the learning on a particular skill set. I observe that this idea often gets pushed out as grade deadlines approach.
As my classes start a new unit I’m pausing to reflect on how my practice has changed. Last year I read How to Make it Stick and I intentionally planned to use more retrieval practices. This year I’ve incorporated more review opportunities through online formative quizzes and by trying to make implicit connections to past learning. I’ve often asked students how today’s objective connects to this week’s learning.
While digging through my resource materials early this year I found optional mid-year and cumulative assessments. Generally, I find that there’s not enough time to complete all of the assignments/tasks in the resource so these particular tests aren’t used frequently. This year I decided to use them to help with spaced retrieval practice. Instead of using a mid-year and cumulative assessment directly following a unit I decided to space out these assignments and take off the grading emphasis. These types of assignments take multiple days to complete and I often have students work with partners to reflect on their progress. So far I’ve seen positive progress as students this year are referring back to past skills more quickly and bridging the connections on a frequent basis. I’m looking forward to using a similar strategy next year.
Educational Aspirations 