#DITCHbook was created by Ditch That Textbook author Matt Miller. The chat focuses on innovative teaching ideas and disrupting standard textbook education.
Hey #ditchbook! Louie from Lancaster, PA! Middle School Social Studies teacher here. Super excited to be talking about this topic tonight. Thanks @jmattmiller for having me!
Vanessa Heller: #inquiry#pbl & #GiftedEd trainer and middle school humanities teacher ditching from SoCa. I also serve as a “NexTech” which is an encourager of others at our school to try out cool tech. #ditchbook
The books -- or movements -- that make the most difference often make some waves ... and #DitchBook can be that kind of book for some people. I wear it as a badge of honor! :)
I gave someone @jmattmiller’s “Ditch That Textbook” tonight. They threw it away & said the textbook would always be the central teaching tool in the classroom. I didn’t know whether to laugh at him, weep for him, or weep for his students. #TeachSC#Ditchbook#tlap
Hi #DitchBook friends! Matt here, DTT / DTH author from Indiana.
Can't wait to talk assessments ... there are so many cool options available to use these days!
Brrrrr ... it's pretty chilly out here, too! Northern Indiana is getting POUNDED with snow. I was up there earlier today but ran for the hills when my workshop was done! :) #DitchBook
A1. Assessment is anytime you are gauging for student understanding either at macro or micro level. Assessment can and should be done as often as possible formally or informally! #ditchbook
A1 Assessment can be a measure or gauge of achievement/mastery/progress/understanding, etc. The trick is to match assessment to the task or desired goal. It can be formative (ideally) or summative, positive or punitive... #ditchbook
A1: Assessment is an opportunity for your students to shine and show off all of the knowledge they worked to hard to acquire! It comes in many forms, but it has a common goal; inform teachers about student progress and allow students to gauge their understanding! #DitchBook
A1: assessment is simply a way you measure student progress. How you measure it is completely up to you. Be creative and innovative in your approach. #ditchbook
A1: Anything from informal check-ins to formalized standard assessments I suppose. Really any tool or task that helps me know what my Ss know/understand/can do #DitchBook
A1: Assessment is a way to gauge where students are in order to provide them with the proper learning experiences moving forward. Assessment is NOT a grade! #ditchbook
A1: Assessment is a way of checking in to see how your Ss are doing on a certai topic. Either along the way, at the end or (preferably) both💜 #ditchbook
A1: Assess: evaluate or estimate the nature, ability or quality of.
I guess that means assessment is estimating the quality of student learning. #DitchBook
A1: What is Assessment or what should Assessment be? #DitchBook
Mike Shunneson checking in from Philly. Out here attending the National Title I Conference. The city was crazy today. #Liberty2Learn
A1: What do I want my students to know, and how do I know that they know it? Assessments can be done in SO many creative, student centered ways. #ditchbook
A1: A measurement of student learning based off material presented in the class, done in a manner that is reflective rather than evaluative. #ditchbook
A1: Assessment is seeing where your kids are. It's something we should be doing on a daily basis, be it through formal or informal assessments. #DitchBook
A2. On a daily basis, I use low stakes retrieval practice to measure understanding of basic ideas, terms, etc. I love to have students create products to show their learning. (Screencasted tours using #Tourbuilder, Documentaries using @AdobeSpark or @Flipgrid, etc) #ditchbook
A2 Variety of assessments: work itself, ol’ fashioned multi choice (assess recall/foundational knowledge), written response (to explain thoughts/concepts/processes), projects to demo understanding (a fave), but ideally action &/or application to real world (#1 fave) #ditchbook
A2: sitting next to a kid or group of kids and having a discussion is my favorite way to check for understanding. Also, tons of tech tools to get quick data #ditchbook
Q2) Informal assessments happen on the daily, but my varied formal assessments include collaborative simulations, socratic seminars/structured academic controversies, and document analysis w/ writing tasks. #ditchbook
A2: Frequent conversations while students are working on their engagements in our Lab. Allowing them space to talk is a great tell of what they know and where we need them to get to. #ditchbook
A2: 1-1 conferring; listening to peer talks; district required/expected assessments; informal check ins; any and all things #gsuite that can help; quizziz #ditchbook
A2: @Flipgrid for the win. I also love using @breakoutEDU at the end of a unit. Applying what they know to solve puzzles. I'm also big on @quizlet and getting back to Sorcrative and it's all @jmattmiller fault. #ditchbook
A2: I really enjoy using the "reflection" assessment. I have the flexibility of doing that now, which has been much more beneficial. In my opinion, the students respond to it better when they can reflect and evaluate themselves and classmates. #ditchbook
A2: Formative is constant...Exit tickets should dictate tomorrow's lesson...Love using @edpuzzle to get formative assessment from home/flipped lessons #ditchbook
A1: Assessment is an opportunity for your students to shine and show off all of the knowledge they worked to hard to acquire! It comes in many forms, but it has a common goal; inform teachers about student progress and allow students to gauge their understanding! #DitchBook
Ways to assess student learning in class:
- watching
- listening
- reading
- walking around
- formal assignments, quizzes, tests
It doesn't have to be graded to serve as an assessment. #DitchBook
#DitchBook A2 I feel like I still have one foot in "traditional" assessments and one foot in "nontraditional" Ultimately I still have report card grades to give and state tests to prepare for..it's a Catch 22...
I do wish we could help new Ts understand that assessment and a quiz/test are not necessarily equivalent. Test are subset of assessment, but they are not the only element in that set, and a test without feedback is the null set of learning #ditchbook
A2: we do a little something everyday - variety of exit tickets/written responses/illustrations/charts - but also exams and projects/presentations at the end of units #ditchbook
A2: Assessments should be done in a variety of creative ways. 3,2,1 exit tickets, socrative, using lego's, students responses in flipgrid, edulastic, how many characters do I get? #ditchbook
A2: My Ss self-assess at the end of each lesson by rating their understanding on a scale of 1-5. We have more structured assessments, but I find this daily assessment most valuable; it instills Ss with the ability to size up their own progress and adjust accordingly! #DitchBook
A2: Providing students with multiple ways to show what they know has been essential! Tools like @Flipgrid and @Seesaw have helped to assess what students think, rather than what they can spell or write #ditchbook
A1: Anything from informal check-ins to formalized standard assessments I suppose. Really any tool or task that helps me know what my Ss know/understand/can do #DitchBook
A2: The vast majority of my assessment is formative using digital tools like @GoFormative@nearpod@wizerme. I try to use student created, authentic products (with rubrics for grading) as summative assessments as often as possible #ditchbook
Ways to assess student learning in class:
- watching
- listening
- reading
- walking around
- formal assignments, quizzes, tests
It doesn't have to be graded to serve as an assessment. #DitchBook
A2: Too many to list!! Observations, Ss work, conversations, Ss reflections, exit slips. So many options so it doesn’t even feel like you’re assessing! #ditchbook
A2 I always got the most from conferring. That 1:1 conversation is so revealing abt student understanding. Now we can add tools like @flipgrid@Seesaw@DoInkTweets + GSuite apps to the mix! #ditchbook
I love Written Conversations & Silent Graffiti are conversations on chart paper (no verbalizing) with a group responding to a prompt or article, etc and connecting their responses to each others', adding more. It's an assessment that builds & changes in front of you #ditchbook
Ways to assess student learning in class:
- watching
- listening
- reading
- walking around
- formal assignments, quizzes, tests
It doesn't have to be graded to serve as an assessment. #DitchBook
A2: I’m currently redoing how I assess students. Trying to get away from all paper “must pass” timed tests. Also, it’s hard when the new curriculum wants online tests (in addition to state mandated online tests) I’m open to suggestions! #ditchbook
A2: Conversations with students, walking over and checking their work, lots of informal assessments help me really understand where my students are at. #ditchbook
A2: Tech is making this so much easier (and more possibilities for creative assessment). I'm using Nearpod for instruction and embed Draw Its, open-ended ?s, and surveys/quizzes and can see where all students are instead of just the ones I would call on otherwise #DitchBook
I use so many different tools but I always want quick feedback for my student and differentiation to reinforce afterwards. My favorite is using google forms in a non traditional dungeons and dragons format. #ditchbook
A2: I really enjoy using the "reflection" assessment. I have the flexibility of doing that now, which has been much more beneficial. In my opinion, the students respond to it better when they can reflect and evaluate themselves and classmates. #ditchbook
I have been incorporating more "student meetings" in class this year to understand their understanding. I have enjoyed having conversations with my students about history and their creations. #ditchbook
A3. As recently as last year, I predominantly gave students TESTS. I've learned this does not harness their full capability, nor truly reflect the learning of all. I prefer my students to CREATE a product sharing their learning. #ditchbook
A2 many ways, observations, conversations, use blogging, lots of diff tools avail, #edtech , no tech, Ss choose how to show learning, a lot during stations #ditchbook
A2: Assessing continuously by asking questions to students and having them reflect! ❤️ using a quick @GetKahoot@PearDeck@quizlet at the beginning of class to retrieve previous days learning! #ditchbook
A3: Going from admin to enrichment to full time classroom teacher again. I have gone from seeing if they made the grade to DOK and really applying what they learn from me to real world and not just what you can google if you need the answer quick. #ditchbook
A3: When I was young... it was quiz/test and that was it... oh how wayward twas I... now I am much more heavily invested in formative/daily checks etc. #DitchBook
#DitchBook A3 Trying to incorporate more choice-letting go of whether or not I actually "care" how they show me what they know as long as they show me!
So powerful when we can offer Ss *choice* in their assessment. Involve and engage them in their learning journey, including their assessment 👊🏼 #ditchbook
A3: Over the years, my assessment has sifted from more summative early on to more formative now. I've also shifted to more authentic assessment because they provides a more accurate picture of what Ss really know. #ditchbook
A2 I talk to them and have them show their knowledge via Google Forms, slide presentations, @Flipgrid , entr/exit tickets, 3-2-1 reflections, G Classroom question posts, @padlet . #ditchbook
Only 3 years in the classroom, but such a change! Year 1: 100 question scantrons and multiple essays...Year 2: 3 Exams w/ mc & essays...Year 3: Projects and Digital Portfolios. #DitchBook
A3: In the past, little student voice and choice. More worksheets and tests. Now, more technology to demonstrate understanding connected with student passions. #ditchbook
Many of us are right there with you, Kristen! @mlarson_nj was talking about this earlier. We must reflect how to coexist in a paradigm where grades are required but still assess real learning. #ditchbook
#DitchBook A2 I feel like I still have one foot in "traditional" assessments and one foot in "nontraditional" Ultimately I still have report card grades to give and state tests to prepare for..it's a Catch 22...
a2 there are 2 large groups-formative and summative. formative is ongoing and drills down to an finite as minutely. summative is essentially EOY. Feedback, listening, questioning, and Ss thinking about their thinking #ditchbook
A3: Still new to teaching (3rd year), but I have noticed I have varied the types of assessments I use. Paper and pencil tests just don't always cut it! #ditchbook
I think that could come from a new T's master teacher, no? I'd hope the teaching credential programs don't push testing over formative assessments and non-test choices for summatives. #ditchbook.
A3: I used to be in the multiple choice, short answer, teacher-centered boat. But, I've ditched that one and become more reflective with blogs and @Flipgrid and am seeing major benefits of a more student-centered classroom. #ditchbook
A3: amazing to see how easy it is now to get feedback from students w/tools like Google Forms or Quizlet Live; and easier to work with that data #ditchbook
A3: Used to give a lot of pop quizzes...Thought some stress was good for my APUSH students & wanted to push my class to be high on their list. Backed off tremendously as I realized the detriment of those gotcha moments #ditchbook
A3 Way fewer paper quizzes and huge tests. More exit tickets, @goformative s , @flipgrid choice boards game like quizzes. Assessment doesn't have to be daunting anymore #ditchbook
A3: I've come to believe more and more in self assessment.
Students assessing themselves can be abused pretty easily. But the up-side is HUGE ... self-directed, self-aware learners. #DitchBook
used to give tests from the programs without even checking or vetting them. Not enough feedback. Now I give tons of feedback, Ss have opportunity to retake/fix mistakes, I ask Ss if they're ready to assess and if not I work with them. I carefully vet assessments I use #ditchbook
Yes Stanford! Easy variation I try is 4 Corner Debate. Give students 4-6 value statements on topic. Then have them decide whether they agree/disagree backing opinion w/ evidence. Then have kids stand on the sides of the room to hash it out. #ditchbook
A3: This year is a major change. No tests, projects have more choice, main grades are their reflections they write each week. I want to know what they learned, not what year Kennedy was shot. #ditchbook
It may, but more often we resort to our years of school and I see that so much, not to mention it is easier and familiar. So it happens a lot, heck I did for many years, didn't know better #ditchbook
A3) Assmt *used* to be 25 MC ?s, 2 ORQs and silence the whole period. Now, it's videos of the Ss "teaching" their friends how to solve a problem. Formal tests are much shorter and formative assmts are def more self-assmt. #ditchbook
A3: As a newer teacher, "fifth day quizzes" were my go to...finding different ways to assess learning throughout the year has made our classroom more enjoyable and our learning more authentic #byebyeworksheets#ditchbook
A3: My view on retakes on assessments have changed dramatically. I went from "this is the dumbest idea ever" to "man, I was stupid" in the span of a few years. #Ditchbookhttps://t.co/oZNhL5dkH9
A3: Now as a teacher I am always assessing. Everything I do is an opportunity to assess and improve my teaching. Early in my teachijg career I just saw quizzes and tests as assessment #ditchbook
A3: Growing up assessment meant the evil 4-letter word... TEST. Now I realize that assessment can be SO many different things and all Ss don’t have to do the same assessment to show their understanding. Makes it so meaningful! #ditchbook
A3: it’s shifted from using assessment to see what Ss know to gathering data to guide instruction to fill in the gaps of what Ss still need to learn #ditchbook
A3 thankfully a lot! I got rid of the nightly homework, everything the same, worksheet, textbooks, and quizzes, give more choices, doing #pbl and using #hyperdocs and blogging, make more time for conversations #ditchbook
A3: “When you know better you do better”- Assesment doesn’t mean “test”- so many other ways to see into our kids’ thinking. Voice/choice are now honored. #ditchbook
A3 I remember being handed a binder of curriculum & chapter tests so we could all be lock step (& low level)…. No more! I use more CFUs & give fewer tests. I also ask for more written explanations & multimedia demos (projects, models, you name it) Show what you know! #ditchbook
right there with you. having Ss speak and share ideas on @Flipgrid and using tools like @goformative@nearpod makes it more interactive and can be student driven #ditchbook
In reply to
@DMooreSpanish, @goformative, @Flipgrid, @Flipgrid, @goformative, @nearpod
Only 3 years in the classroom, but such a change! Year 1: 100 question scantrons and multiple essays...Year 2: 3 Exams w/ mc & essays...Year 3: Projects and Digital Portfolios. #DitchBook
It's been amazing! Essentially, I have my students create their own website using Google Sites. Then, one of their pages is titled "Reflections." Then, they insert a text box, answer a given prompt and voila! The blog is born! #ditchbook
When I first hear people were giving retakes, my reaction was like most parents. Then I realized how it put focus on learning instead of single grades. #ditchbook
I always struggled with this a little, because student self-assessment seemed to vary wildly, I think you have to start with very clear goals/targets and make time to conference individually with those who are off the mark. #ditchbook
A3: This year I am having students create a digital portfolio using Google Sites to reflect on their learning. At the end of a unit, they set up a new page, upload artifacts they created and reflect on what they learned and what learning still needs to occur. #ditchbook
That evolution is so reflective of the times. Our students can do so much more now with the availability of tech. I hated essay tests as a kid... Ugh. #ditchbook
The first part of my career was spent teaching music ed - most of the assessments I did were formative - continuously listening to the Ss, adjusting as you go...we could use more of that in general ed #ditchbook
SAME! I even assigned extra homework as a punishment for not performing their best in class... so silly of me. Completely contradicts everything I wanted my classroom to be about... #hindsight#ditchbook
Side Q: As you evolve into using more non-traditional, more authentic, meaningful assessments how do you "market" this shift to the parent community or even your admin? #ditchbook
A4. I've decided that deeper learning and longer retention is more valuable, therefore I love for my students to spend time creating. For example, dramatizations on Flipgrid, documentaries, Tourbuilder, etc. Hoping to add more to repertoire! #ditchbook
Yes, I think that definitely helps, Sarah. I think kids don't know how to self assess. It's not intuitive, but if we help them develop that skill, it'll serve them their whole lives. #DitchBook
I don't think self-assessment can be the only assessment... but do see huge personal value for Ss when they are, like you said, given clear outcomes/goals to shoot for and progress monitoring on their own and through 1-1 conferring w/ T #ditchbook
A4: @breakoutEDU has been one of my biggest as it is based on our entire unit and applying that knowledge to solve the puzzles. The Ss involved and the time to solve those puzzles is a big change in how I assess. #ditchbook
That's a great question. I'd think of the process I would use to honestly assess myself and make suggestions based on that approach. Then maybe see how others do it. #DitchBook
I've been using Google Drive Assignments in @Schoology this year, but next year I want to make things more public. Also, publishing GSites to specific groups is coming SOON. #ditchbook
In reply to
@emosier3, @AriMarucci, @Flipgrid, @Schoology
A4 have done multi-level, collaborative projects with Span 1 through 5, and also #pbl and finding ways for the Ss to create more based on what they want/are interested in #ditchbook
Right!? We all have that T or two that we remember for both negative and positive experiences, I just hope to make more positive models than negative ones #ditchbook
That's wonderful! I use this in much the same way. Another page is Projects, where they are able to embed their creations from the class. Then, they have a digital portfolio with reflections already integrated when the class is finished. #ditchbook
A4: learners show their learning through service and meeting a need of others. This may mean designing a lesson for another class or creating their own breakout experience. #ditchbook
Flipgrid and Seesaw have been game changers this year! It’s allowed students to also monitor their own growth and also assess their own learning #ditchbook
A4: I use a lot of ideas from #PlayLAP with student projects. Students still demonstrate content knowledge but do so in a more creative way that's more fun for all of us. #DitchBook
Glad you stayed up, Rachelle! I feel ya! This is such an incredible PLN that it's a great day/week when I mae it up this late on a THURSDAY! haha #ditchbook
A4: I've gone as simple as fists of five to authentic projects like student created lessons. Students did poems, music videos, paintings, etc. They enjoyed it and were able to demonstrate learning in a way that made sense to them #ditchbook
Do you want your child to be a problem solver in life or a great test taker? When was the last time as an adult you took a test? When was the last time you had to solve a tough problem? I want your child to grow up solving tough problems. #ditchbook
A4: My class last year LOVED using our green screen and @DoInkTweets to make news casts or to create how to videos in math. If they could teach a strategy, I knew they had it nailed! #ditchbook
I'm lucky enough to have full support/encouragement of my admin. Ps... I give them a letter at Open House and try to stay in constant communication during that first nine-week period. Then, they catch on and appreciate the opportunities given for their S. #ditchbook
A4: comics, skits, diary entries, songs, mock interviews. Would do so much more now, if I was in the classroom. When we have students start with creating in mind- they must have deep understanding. #flippedblooms#ditchbook
To do this well, I think we need to start w involving our Ss in the learning goals themselves. Include them in the process/ discussion/ brainstorming about how they will show what they know. Once they own it, the reflections will be more authentic #ditchbook
A4: Lots of project/collaborative learning. My Business MGMT students created a product from scratch and had to market it to the class for unit assessment. #ditchbook
A3) Assmt *used* to be 25 MC ?s, 2 ORQs and silence the whole period. Now, it's videos of the Ss "teaching" their friends how to solve a problem. Formal tests are much shorter and formative assmts are def more self-assmt. #ditchbook
One of my favorite assessments from last semester was a smash of Screencastify and Flipgrid. Students made some awesome 90-second history videos. #DitchBook
A4: I've had students create websites for one of the 13 colonies, digital portfolios to reflect on learning in a unit, or blog as though they were living through the Middle Ages. #ditchbook
A4: Love using video feedback; @Flipgrid is so flexible & @Screencastify is perfect for writing feedback. Open Doc, record as you review, paste link right back in the Doc. Think I learned that from @jmattmiller & #gttribe#ditchbook
A4: A quick one is thumbs up, thumbs middle or thumbs down... after encouraging Ss to be "brave and bold" they usually will give an accurate indication of how they're feeling on new tasks we're working on #DitchBook
A4: PBL critiques I’m talking how student reply to others work as the assessment. If they can grade a rubric and give feedback like like a teacher I think they got the content in spades, and digital breakouts just for fun #ditchbook
Great idea...most families at our school not only know 'who' I am by now but also 'how' I am as a teacher.... it helps smooth the transition for families but information up front and often is huge. #ditchbook
#DitchBook A4 I also struggle with having kids take the "alternative" assessments as seriously as a traditional one. Many come to me only having experienced the traditional so they see the alternative as a "game"
A3: Growing up assessment meant the evil 4-letter word... TEST. Now I realize that assessment can be SO many different things and all Ss don’t have to do the same assessment to show their understanding. Makes it so meaningful! #ditchbook
I'm lucky enough to have full support/encouragement of my admin. Ps... I give them a letter at Open House and try to stay in constant communication during that first nine-week period. Then, they catch on and appreciate the opportunities given for their S. #ditchbook
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