Check for understanding

SBCUSD

14 Dec 201707:46

Summary

TLDRThis educational video script explores various strategies teachers employ to check for student understanding during lessons. It highlights the importance of real-time feedback to address misconceptions and adapt teaching methods accordingly. Techniques such as thumbs up/thumbs down, fist to five, white boards, Rally Robin, and Plickers are discussed. The script emphasizes the significance of early detection of learning gaps to prevent them from escalating, ensuring effective learning outcomes.

Takeaways

📊 Strategy vs. Tool: A calculator is distinguished as a tool rather than a strategy for problem-solving.
📝 Importance of Checking Understanding: Regularly checking student comprehension during lessons is crucial to prevent misunderstandings from becoming more significant.
👍 Non-Verbal Feedback Techniques: Using non-verbal cues like thumbs up/down and fist to five can help gauge student understanding without interrupting the flow of instruction.
👥 Group Work and Strategy Testing: Pairing students for strategy testing allows them to learn from each other and identify those who need further assistance.
🎯 Tailored Instruction: Teachers adjust their instruction based on student self-assessment, focusing on areas where students struggle.
🗣️ Language Learning Strategies: Techniques like Rally Robin, which involves partner discussions, are beneficial for English Language Development (ELD) students to practice communication.
📈 Formative Assessment Tools: Tools like Plickers enable real-time feedback on student understanding without the need for student technology.
🔄 Balancing Equations: An example of balancing equations is used to demonstrate the need for checking understanding during the lesson, not just at the end.
📚 Reviewing Previous Work: Starting math lessons with a review of previous work helps teachers quickly assess if students have retained the material.
👂 Listening to Students: By listening in on student discussions, teachers can identify misunderstandings and address them promptly.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the provided transcript?
-The main topic of discussion in the transcript is the strategies teachers use to check for understanding during lessons to ensure students grasp the material being taught.
Why is checking for understanding during a lesson considered important according to the transcript?
-Checking for understanding is considered important because it allows teachers to identify areas where students may be struggling in real-time, enabling them to address misunderstandings promptly and prevent them from escalating.
What is the significance of using a thumbs up, thumbs down, and 'fist to five' method as mentioned in the transcript?
-The thumbs up, thumbs down, and 'fist to five' methods are significant because they provide a quick, non-verbal way for students to indicate their level of understanding, allowing teachers to gauge the class's grasp of the material without disrupting the lesson flow.
What is the 'Expanded Algorithm' strategy mentioned in the transcript?
-The 'Expanded Algorithm' strategy refers to a method where students are encouraged to look for peers who are proficient in a concept to learn from, as a way to enhance their understanding of the material.
How does the teacher in the transcript use small group instruction to address student struggles?
-The teacher identifies students who are struggling with specific strategies and pulls them into small groups for focused instruction, while other students work independently, allowing for targeted support where needed.
What is the 'Rally Robin' strategy and how does it benefit English Language Development (ELD) students?
-The 'Rally Robin' strategy involves students partnering up and discussing the material back and forth. It benefits ELD students by providing them with more opportunities to practice speaking and listening, which helps improve their language skills.
Why is it suggested to re-teach concepts if students are struggling, even if not on the same day?
-Re-teaching concepts is suggested because it ensures that students have a solid understanding of the material before moving forward. Even if it's not on the same day, revisiting the concept allows for reinforcement and correction of any misconceptions.
What is the 'Plickers' tool and how does it assist in checking for understanding?
-Plickers is an online tool where students answer questions on paper cards, which the teacher scans. It helps in checking for understanding by allowing the teacher to quickly collect and analyze student responses without requiring technology from each student.
How does the teacher in the transcript use word problems on white boards to check for understanding?
-The teacher uses word problems on white boards as a way to quickly assess whether students remember and understand the previous day's material. By observing students' work on the boards, the teacher can gauge their comprehension and adjust the lesson accordingly.
What is the significance of the teacher's approach to checking understanding by observing high, middle, and lower achieving students?
-The teacher's approach allows for a tiered assessment of understanding. By observing students of varying abilities, the teacher can get a comprehensive view of the class's grasp of the material and provide targeted assistance where needed.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Classroom Strategies and Understanding

In this paragraph, Ms. Amberson emphasizes the importance of checking for understanding during lessons to prevent misconceptions from escalating. She introduces various strategies like using thumbs up, thumbs down, and the fist to five method to gauge students' comprehension. The class then tests different strategies, with Ms. Amberson focusing on those where students are struggling. The discussion highlights the need for immediate feedback to address any gaps in understanding. Students engage in a conversation about a character's secretive behavior due to illness, and the teacher uses this as an opportunity to practice communication strategies like Rally Robin, which encourages students to talk and listen to each other. The paragraph concludes with Mr. Tacchia discussing the use of whiteboards for quick understanding checks and the importance of re-teaching concepts if students are struggling.

05:05

🔍 Checking for Understanding in Math Lessons

This paragraph focuses on the significance of checking for understanding during math lessons to catch and address misconceptions early on. Mr. Willemse discusses the use of Plickers, an online tool that allows students to submit answers on paper, which he can then scan and upload to a computer for immediate feedback. Ms. Flanagan uses a story about a friend named Pedro to engage students in a word problem activity, which serves as a review of previous lessons. She also describes her method of starting math lessons with a review of the previous day's work, using whiteboards for students to solve problems, allowing her to quickly assess their understanding. The paragraph illustrates various techniques educators use to ensure students grasp the material before moving on to new topics.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡strategy

A strategy in the context of the video refers to a planned approach or method used to achieve a particular goal, such as teaching a concept effectively. It's a core concept as educators discuss various strategies to enhance student understanding. For instance, 'compensation' is identified as a strategy, suggesting it's a deliberate method to adjust for errors or imbalances in learning.

💡calculator

A calculator is mentioned as a tool, not a strategy. It's a device used for performing calculations and is differentiated from a strategy, which implies a more comprehensive approach to problem-solving or teaching. The distinction is made to clarify that while tools assist in the execution of strategies, they are not strategies themselves.

💡checking for understanding

This concept is central to the video as it emphasizes the importance of educators regularly assessing students' comprehension during lessons. It's highlighted by Giselle, who stresses the need to avoid assumptions about students' understanding and to identify and address gaps in knowledge promptly. For example, she mentions using 'thumbs up, thumbs down' to gauge understanding.

💡expanded algorithm

The expanded algorithm is a method of solving mathematical problems that involves breaking down the problem into smaller steps. In the video, it's used as a strategy that students are tested on, indicating its importance in the educational process. The script mentions looking for a 'five' to help with this algorithm, suggesting a peer-learning aspect.

💡small group

Small group instruction is a teaching strategy where students are divided into smaller units to receive more personalized attention. The video script refers to pulling scholars into small groups based on their proficiency levels, allowing for targeted support where needed, which is a key aspect of differentiated instruction.

💡Rally Robin

Rally Robin is a strategy mentioned in the video where students partner up and engage in a dialogue to reinforce learning. It's particularly beneficial for English Language Development (ELD) students, as it encourages verbal communication and comprehension. The teacher uses this strategy to check for understanding by listening in on these conversations.

💡Plickers

Plickers is an educational tool mentioned in the video that allows for a quick check of student understanding without the need for student technology. It involves students holding up a card with answers, which the teacher scans. This method is praised for its simplicity and effectiveness in gauging comprehension.

💡word problem

A word problem is a type of mathematical problem that presents a real-world scenario and requires students to apply mathematical concepts to find a solution. In the video, Ms. Flanagan uses word problems as a way to start math lessons, allowing her to quickly assess whether students remember previous lessons, as seen when she asks students to solve a problem involving Pedro and aluminum cans.

💡misconceptions

Misconceptions refer to incorrect understandings or false beliefs that students may have about a topic. The video underscores the importance of identifying and addressing these early in the learning process to prevent them from becoming ingrained. Mr. Willemse discusses the importance of checking for understanding to uncover and rectify misconceptions promptly.

💡re-teach

Re-teaching is the act of revisiting and re-presenting a concept or material that students have not fully grasped. The video script mentions re-teaching as a necessary step when students struggle with a concept, highlighting the flexibility and adaptability required in teaching to ensure all students achieve understanding.

Highlights

Standard algorithm is a strategy, while a calculator is a tool, not a strategy.

Compensation is identified as a strategy in the classroom.

Checking for understanding is crucial to prevent misconceptions and ensure learning progress.

Using thumbs up, thumbs down, and fist to five methods to gauge student understanding.

Testing strategies to see where students stand and identify areas for improvement.

Students who are proficient in a strategy work independently while those who struggle receive small group instruction.

Using white boards to quickly check for understanding and adjust teaching accordingly.

Rally Robin strategy involves partner discussions to check for understanding and encourage communication.

Re-teaching concepts when students struggle with understanding to ensure clarity.

Plickers is an online tool used for checking understanding without requiring student technology.

Starting math lessons with a review of previous work to check for understanding.

Observing high-achieving students to quickly assess class understanding.

Adjusting lesson pace based on student understanding to ensure all students grasp the material.

Addressing misconceptions early in the lesson to prevent them from escalating.

Using word problems on white boards to check for understanding and retention of previous lessons.

The importance of immediate feedback and correction to solidify understanding.

Incorporating various strategies to cater to different learning styles and needs.