The Breakfast Club – #BFC530 – is a 15 minute, 1 question Twitter chat every weekday. We chat in 4 timezones Mon-Fri – 5:30am Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Times. The mission of BFC is to empower participants to make a difference in education by engaging in consistent reflective practice in a supportive community that inspires and challenges one another.
*grumbles under my breath* Good morning, unless you are a Mets fan *grumbles again* How the heck do you blow a 5 run lead in the 8th? *grumbles again* Hey, #bfc530 peeps - it's Tuesday.... *grumbles again*
The best alternative assessment is listening to a student explain her/his project in out #PBL public exhibitions (we always encourage community members to be sure to ask students how they connected curricular topics to their work). #bfc530
*grumbles under my breath* Good morning, unless you are a Mets fan *grumbles again* How the heck do you blow a 5 run lead in the 8th? *grumbles again* Hey, #bfc530 peeps - it's Tuesday.... *grumbles again*
Normally it involves me observing them playing a game that is built around a skill. We played Connect 4 multiplication chart yesterday, and it reminded me yet again how awful our number sense is. I also like creating/answering your own quiz. #bfc530
If every thing you do is alternative than is it considered alternative? I do not give tests ... we write ... ask questions ... do learning activities ... but we don’t sit for an entire class period in silence responding to multiple guess questions unless we are required #bfc530
Indeed! I stopped giving one-size-sits-all tests years ago in favor of 1-on-1 conversations with students to measure their depth of knowledge when they are ready...what Dr. Glasser called "Show & Explains." #bfc530
In conjunction with a field trip to @COcanalNPS we had a canal building assignment that included history, math (size, distance, elevation), science (protecting endangered species), and English (persuading investors) #bfc530
If every thing you do is alternative than is it considered alternative? I do not give tests ... we write ... ask questions ... do learning activities ... but we don’t sit for an entire class period in silence responding to multiple guess questions unless we are required #bfc530
A favorourite “alternative assessment” involves observation and conversations with students...’real time’ assessment that tells me so much about my students’ learning, engagement, attitudes and passions. #bfc530
#bfc530 Thank you for this great question this morning. Another reminder that designing assessments for the #students we know is the truest measure of #learning
I used to write into their notebooks, but I realized they don’t read what I write. Then I learned that if spoken to the child, it carries that much more weight with them AND it is unproductive work for me. #bfc530
I'm all project based so basically everything I do is alternative assessment:) But I do like a good brochure, Poster, booklet and lately Aura:) thanks to @VtheLearner Thinking of doing them in my Personal Finance for Buying Cars:)
#bfc530
Good morning Mighty team! I’m still a tad bitter that I had to spend two hours of my precious time taking an ethics assessment that no one knew I was missing last night...& not a little shocked that people clearly fail it - said you can take it up to 5 times 😳😳 #bfc530
I used to have kids write a persuasive newspaper article explaining 2 public the merits of topic (Ex: Forensic Entomology) Layman must be able to understand & must include what they thought was most important about the topic. S's were SUPER creative!
#bfc530
My favorite form of assessment is chatting with the students ... roaming the room asking questions ... responding to questions ... funny thing is the kids don’t realize that is teaching nor do the realize they are learning #bfc530
I like Socratic seminars, but my favorite is when the kids create a project via Google Slides, Google Drawing, or @WeVideo to show what they've learned. #bfc530
I love all the tweets abt convos. We start every class with a good convo after they journal abt a relevant quote. I always say those convos are usually better than any one I have with adults during the day ! #bfc530
I love the term "show & explains" Our Math teachers are using "show me what you can do" instead of tests. The change in terminology not only makes Ss feel less nervous, but changes Ts attitudes to "testing" & learning #bfc530
My favorite form of assessment is chatting with the students ... roaming the room asking questions ... responding to questions ... funny thing is the kids don’t realize that is teaching nor do the realize they are learning #bfc530
If every thing you do is alternative than is it considered alternative? I do not give tests ... we write ... ask questions ... do learning activities ... but we don’t sit for an entire class period in silence responding to multiple guess questions unless we are required #bfc530
Favorite alternative assessments - yes, conversation and observation for sure. Socratic seminars, of course. I love to use reflections of learning too, whether verbal or written. Also correcting of errors in lieu of creating own work #bfc530
We cover all of our standards ... have pretty cool conversation ... build relationships... learn about our US History and hopefully find where we fit into world. #bfc530
Nice! This approach has indeed caused a shift in student conversations. They know they can't shortcut a S&E the way they could game a traditional test. It also leads to more student-student collaboration. #bfc530
That's awesome. The way we present things to students is so important. Tests are either passed or failed. Showing what you can do sounds like an opportunity! #bfc530
In reply to
@carlameyrink, @engineerteacher, @kathyiwanicki
Not enough! Still want to figure out something to do with @GruntledChalkie since I think it's cool we met FtF and he lives on other side of the world and teaches technology too:)
#bfc530
Indeed...especially in a mastery learning framework, where any student can prove via a show & explain at any time they are ready...not on an arbitrary timeline I set. #bfc530
In reply to
@BrianHerb17, @carlameyrink, @kathyiwanicki
True...I'm sure when we find the proverbial silver bullet that works 100% of the time, we can retire. Key is to try something different, more personalized and to leverage the strong relationship one has with the students. Sounds like your approach does just that! #bfc530
Interesting day to ask about alternative assessments as it’s PSAT day in Chicago Public Schools. Why do we as a society continue to put so much stock into one test, one day? There are so many other ways to assess what kids know... #bfc530
That just it: I haven't quit figured out something we should work on together. But I think it would be very cool for my Ss to work on or share something with your Ss:)
#bfc530
#bfc530 Basically concept mapping learning opps&extending that into all forms of assessment to generate ideas &learnings. See:
Generative Learning and assessment Strategies: An Investigation into Concept-mapping S.M. Brüssow A.C. Wilkinson
https://t.co/Slba709WYh
In LA we've never really used tests & quizzes but my big game changer was allowing Ss choice in how they show they're learning. Once I opened that up most of them did much better work #bfc530
The United States and Britain issued a first-of-its-kind joint warning about Russian cyberattacks against government and private organizations https://t.co/9if99lJw4n
That was our focus in our AEAC/RMS group last semester. The Ts paired up & created activities to assess w/ observations & convos as well as the recording tool. We all learned a lot! The Phys Ed Ts have so much to offer there b/c that’s what they do all the time! #bfc530
You can’t beat the exit card! Something that asks “What did you learn today? What do you still have questions about? What can I help you with tomorrow?” provides a remarkable amount of feedback from students. #bfc530
The silk pyjamas to live in and the bike helmet with a sartorial difference - discover the five things @laurabailey_uk loves this week: https://t.co/oL2P3MWBcp
I love Genius Hour presentations. Every Wednesday, my HS math jrs teach me something. It’s even more awesome that Ss ask each other Q’s bc their curiosity is sparked. Organic Learning. S-Lead. Beautiful. #bfc530
Favorite Lesson: introduction to procedural writing by having student follow a written procedure only given a hammer, ruler, 6” string and 1 rubber band. #bfc530#SiglerNation#siglerlearns
Yes I agree. But when I think about how busy I am facilitating already while they're working on solving problems I can't imagine adding another task to it 😬 #bfc530
Exit or entrance slips are a regular part of our learning-a great way for me to check-in and monitor Ss’ learning.
Documentation and anecdotal observations are also a huge part of my daily “inquiry” into if and HOW my Ss are progressing towards our learning goals. #bfc530
Not alternative assessment, but needed. 1st graders who struggle & Mondays are the worst. I stopped group and asked, "What can I do to help you learn?" I wrote their ideas down, we will start today. #bfc530#KidsDeserveIt#betheone#WhyITeach
