REVIEW OF STUDIO THINKING 2: THE REAL BENEFITS OF VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION

BY LOIS HETLANDM. SHERIDAN, ELLEN WINNER, SHIRLEY VENEEMA, & KIMBERLY SHERIDAN

MAKING A STRONG CASE FOR THE ARTS: WHY ART EDUCATION IS NOT JUST A LUXURY!

-BY DANIEL SERIG; THESE AUTHORS MAKE A STRONG CASE FOR ARTS EDUCATION FOR EVERY CHILD BASED ON SOLID RESEARCH. THEIR INITIAL

ANALYSIS OF ARTS EDUCATION RESEARCH SETS THE STAGE FOR THEIR IN-DEPTH, IMMERSIVE INQUIRY INTO THE PRACTICES OF HIGHLY-SKILLED,

PROFESSIONAL TEACHING ARTISTS. THE BLENDING OF THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES WITH 'IN-THE-TRENCHES' DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS AND

SYNTHESIS SURROUND THE TYPES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING OCCURRING IN THE VISUAL ARTS STUDIO CLASSROOMS. SELECTING SUCH

QUALIFIED TEACHERS WHO ALSO HAVE VIBRANT ART PRACTICES STRENGTHENS THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE IDEAL PROFESSIONAL WHO IS

AN ARTIST, EDUCATOR AND RESEARCHER. THE PRACTICAL EXAMPLES WILL MOTIVATE TEACHERS AND THE THOUGHTFULLY BUILT ARGUMENT FOR

THE ARTS IN EDUCATION WILL PROVIDE A VALUABLE SOURCE FOR ANY ADVOCATE AND POLICY MAKER.

-BY N QUINN; STUDIO THINKING PRESENTS A CLEAR IMAGE OF WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR BUILDING A "ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT" IN AN ART

CLASSROOM. THE AUTHORS USE INFORMATION GLEANED FROM ACTUAL OBSERVATIONS AND COMBINE IT WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF ART

EDUCATION THEORY TO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR EXCELLENT INSTRUCTION AND LEARNING. IT IS EASY TO ABSORB AND IS FULL OF EXAMPLES

AND ANECDOTES THAT ENGAGE THE READER. THIS BOOK HAS VALUE FOR THOSE JUST BEGINNING THE TEACHING JOURNEY, AND THE ONES WHO

HAVE BEEN ENGAGED FOR A LONG TIME!

BY KATHYRN; IF I HAD A PRE-SERVICE ART TEACHER PROGRAM I WOULD REQUIRE THIS BOOK AS IT IS A GREAT WAY TO THINK MORE CAREFULLY

ABOUT YOUR CLASSROOM AND HOW YOU TEACH.

-BY LARISSA; CAREFULLY EXAMINES THE WAYS THE ARTS ENCOURAGE CRITICAL AND TRANSFORMATIVE

THINKING AND ACADEMIC GROWTH WITHIN DIFFERENT FIELDS.

EDITORIAL REVIEWS''CHAPTER ONE SHOULD BE DISSEMINATED TO ALL DECISION-MAKERS IN EDUCATION. STUDIO THINKING IS A MAJOR

CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELD.'' --ARTS & LEARNING REVIEW, WINTER 2008, VOL. 3, ISSUE 1

''HETLAND AND HER COLLEAGUES REVEAL DOZENS OF PRACTICAL MEASURES THAT COULD BE ADOPTED BY ANY

ARTS PROGRAM, INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL. THIS IS A BOLD NEW STEP IN ARTS EDUCATION.'' --DAVID R.

OLSON, PROFESSOR EMERITUS, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

''THIS BOOK IS VERY EDUCATIONAL AND WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ART TEACHERS IN PROMOTING QUALITY TEACHING

IN THEIR CLASSROOMS.'' --SCHOOL ARTS MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2008

''THE RESEARCH IN STUDIO THINKING IS GROUNDBREAKING AND IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS ANCHORED IN THE

ACTUAL PRACTICE OF TEACHING ARTISTS. THE IDEAS IN STUDIO THINKING CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A VEHICLE WITH

WHICH TO NAVIGATE AND UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX WORK IN WHICH WE ARE ALL ENGAGED.'' --TEACHING ARTISTS

JOURNAL, VOL. 7, NO. 3 2009

WILL BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST OF ESSENTIAL TEXTS IN ARTS EDUCATION. I KNOW OF NO OTHER WORK IN ART

EDUCATION WITH THIS COMBINATION OF AUTHENTICITY AND INSIGHT. -LARS LINDSTRÃM, STOCKHOLM INSTITUTE OF

EDUCATION

THE FRAMEWORK: STUDIO THINKING BASED UPON THE RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN 5 DIFFERENT-EXEMPLARY ART CLASSROOMS, THE

AUTHORS CAME UP WITH STUDIO THINKING, A FRAMEWORK THAT DESCRIBES TWO ASPECTS OF THE

ART CLASSROOM: 3 STUDIO STRUCTURES AND 8 STUDIO HABITS OF THE MIND.

HOW IS THE ART CLASSROOM STRUCTURED?

THIS IS WHAT THE AUTHORS HAVE COINED THE STUDIO STRUCTURES.

1. DEMONSTRATION-LECTURES; TEACHERS DELIVER INFORMATION ABOUT ASSIGNMENTS,

PROCESSES, AND TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE IMMEDIATELY UTILIZED BY THE STUDENT;

INFORMATION IS CONVEYED QUICKLY; USUALLY INVOLVES USING LOTS OF VISUAL EXAMPLES.

2. STUDENTS AT WORK; STUDENTS ACTUALLY MAKE WORKS OF ART IN CLASS BASED ON

TEACHERS ASSIGNMENTS; ASSIGNMENT SPECS ARE GIVEN REGARDING MATERIALS, TOOLS, AND

TECHNIQUES; POSSIBLE CHALLENGES ARE DISCUSSED; OTHER WAYS STUDENTS WORK IN THE

CLASSROOM ARE WHEN THEY BRAINSTORM IN GROUPS, COLLECT RESEARCH FOR PROJECTS,

CREATE EXHIBITS AND FRAMING OF THEIR ART, PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY ART ACTIVITIES,

ETC…; WHOLE GROUP INSTRUCTION VS. SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION

3. CRITIQUE; A TIME FOR INFORMAL SELF AND PEER ASSESSMENT; A TIME TO OBSERVE, REFLECT,

AND TALK ABOUT THE LEARNING AND ART MAKING PROCESS; WORKS CAN BE COMPLETED OR IN

PROGRESS.

WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT IN THE ART CLASSROOM?

THIS IS WHAT THE AUTHORS HAVE COINED THE EIGHT STUDIO HABITS OF THE

MIND.

Criteria Beginning

1

Developing

2

Accomplished

3

Develop Craft

Have you used all tools and materials in a responsible manner? Have you developed adequate

skills and techniques?

Engage and Persist

Have you engaged with the materials, processes, and techniques? Have you made a commitment

to your project and is complete? Have you given it your all?

Envision

Have you completed any preliminary work for your piece? Have you thought about different

options/possibilities for your piece? How will your piece evolve?

Express: Meaning Making within Art

What ideas, feelings, or emotions, if any , are being conveyed through your piece? How does your

piece make the viewer feel? How does it make you feel?

Observe: Learning How to See

Have you looked closely at the composition? Have you made significant observations about your

piece, your peers piece, that move beyond the surface?

Reflect: Critique

Did you participate in the critique and have you evaluated your own work/your peers work? What

frustrations or concerns do you have?

Stretch and Explore: Creativity and Imagination

Did you take any risks? Have you used tools and materials in an innovative way? Is your solution to

the problem unique and has it evolved? Based upon peer and self-assessment have you made any

changes/improvements?

Understanding the Art World

What contemporary/traditional artists can you relate to in terms of your work? What art periods or

movements do you make connections to? What techniques, practices, or skills can you relate to

and from what culture?

Assessment Rubric based on the 8 Habits of the Mind

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN ARTBY HEATHER L. R. FOUNTAIN

VARY THE MEANS TO AN END!

AT ITS MOST BASIC LEVEL, DIFFERENTIATION CONSISTS OF THE EFFORTS OF TEACHERS TO

RESPOND TO VARIANCE AMONG LEARNERS IN THE CLASSROOM. WHENEVER A TEACHER

REACHES OUT TO AN INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP TO VARY HIS OR HER TEACHING IN

ORDER TO CREATE THE BEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE, THAT TEACHER IS

DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION.

TEACHERS CAN DIFFERENTIATE AT LEAST FOUR CLASSROOM ELEMENTS BASED ON STUDENT

READINESS, INTEREST, OR LEARNING PROFILE:

• CONTENT – WHAT THE STUDENT NEEDS TO LEARN OR HOW THE STUDENT WILL GET

ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION.

• PROCESS – HOW WILL THE LEARNER ENGAGE WITH AND MASTER LEARNING CONTENT?

WHAT ACTIVITIES WILL THE STUDENT PARTICIPATE IN? HOW WILL INSTRUCTION BE

ORGANIZED?

• PRODUCTS – CULMINATING PROJECTS THAT ASK THE STUDENT TO REHEARSE, APPLY, AND

EXTEND WHAT HE OR SHE HAS LEARNED IN A UNIT OR ABOUT A PARTICULAR TOPIC;

OFTEN THE EASIEST AREA TO DIFFERENTIATE.

• LEARNING ENVIRONMENT – THE WAY THE CLASSROOM WORKS AND FEELS.

THE FRAMEWORK: DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN ART

THERE IS NO PRESCRIBED SET OF STEPS TO FOLLOW TO CREATE THE IDEAL CLASSROOM

ENVIRONMENT ALTHOUGH DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IS AN APPROACH TO TEACHING

INFORMED BY A VARIETY OF BEST PRACTICES AND BELIEFS SUCH AS:

• ONGOING, FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: TEACHERS CONTINUALLY ASSESS TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS’

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES SO THEY CAN MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE AND HELP THEM MOVE

FORWARD; EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WHEN DESIGNING STRONG CURRICULUM.

• RECOGNITION OF DIVERSE LEARNERS: ALL STUDENTS LEARN DIFFERENTLY, HAVE DIFFERENT LEARNING

NEEDS, AND START THEIR LEARNING AT DIFFERENT POINTS. THEREFORE, EFFECTIVE TEACHERS AND

EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL THESE FACTS.

• GROUP WORK: STUDENTS COLLABORATE IN PAIRS AND SMALL GROUPS WHOSE MEMBERSHIP CHANGES

AS NEEDED. LEARNING IN GROUPS ENABLES STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS AND

TO OBSERVE AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER.

• PROBLEM SOLVING: TEACHERS EMPOWER STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY AND MAKE DECISIONS

ABOUT THEIR OWN LEARNING.

• CHOICE: BY NEGOTIATING WITH STUDENTS, TEACHERS CAN CREATE MOTIVATING ASSIGNMENTS THAT

MEET STUDENTS’ DIVERSE NEEDS AND VARIED INTERESTS; TEACHERS OFFER STUDENTS CHOICE IN

THEIR LEARNING EXPERIENCES, TASKS, AND PROJECTS THEY COMPLETE.

IMPLEMENTING DI WHEN LESSON PLANNING“ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL.”

• CONTENT –CAN DIFFERENTIATE BY FOCUSING ON PRE-ASSESSMENT, SUBTOPIC

EXPLORATION, OR READINESS MATCHING (PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH BASIC

AND ADVANCED RESOURCES THAT MATCH THEIR CURRENT LEVELS OF

UNDERSTANDING)

• PROCESS –CAN VARY MEDIA CHOICES FOR A PROJECT; GROUP STUDENTS

ACCORDING TO LEVELS OF READINESS; SET UP DIFFERENT WORK STATIONS

• PRODUCT –FINAL PROJECTS CAN TAKE DIFFERENT SHAPES AND A TEACHER MAY

OFFER 2 OR 3 DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR EACH PROJECT; I.E.- CREATE AND DRAW

AN ORIGINAL CARTOON CHARACTER, CREATE A DIGITAL ANIMATION OF AN

ORIGINAL CARTOON CHARACTER, OR CREATE A SCULPTURE MADE OUT OF CLAY

OF AN ORIGINAL CARTOON CHARACTER ; STUDENT WILL NATURALLY CHOOSE AN

OPTION THAT MATCHES THEIR INTERESTS AND LEARNING ABILITIES AND

STRENGTHS.

In what ways do you already pre-assess your students for readiness, prior knowledge, interests,

background, learning styles, and learning strengths? If you do not, what has kept you from doing so?

THE COGNITIVE SCHOOL OF THOUGHT• COGNITIVE THEORISTS ARE CONCERNED WITH THE ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE

RELATIONSHIP OF LEARNING TO INTELLIGENCE, PROBLEM-SOLVING, AND CONSCIOUS

THOUGHT.

• LEARNING IS DEFINED AS A “BEHAVIORAL CHANGE BASED ON THE ACQUISITION OF

INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.

• COGNITIVE THEORISTS ARE CONCERNED WITH INFORMATION PROCESSING AND CONSIDERS

CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS ATTENTION, SHORT AND LONG TERM MEMORY, AS WELL AS

REMEMBERING AND FORGETTING.

• MEANINGFUL LEARNING FOCUSES ON HOW LEARNERS CAN BEST ATTEND TO, RECOGNIZE,

TRANSFORM, STORE, RETRIEVE, AND USE INFORMATION IN THE MOST MEANINGFUL WAY.

• EXPOSITORY TEACHING (RECEPTION LEARNING), AUTHENTIC LEARNING (KNOWLEDGE IS MOST

MEANINGFUL WHEN IT IS RELATED TO REAL WORLD-DIRECT EXPERIENCE), SCAFFOLDING

(PROVIDING MULTIPLE LAYERS OF SUPPORT FOR LEARNERS), RECIPROCAL TEACHING, AND

PROBLEM SOLVING ARE ALL PRACTICES SUPPORTED BY COGNITIVE THEORISTS.

IMPLEMENTING THE COGNITIVE SCHOOL OF THOUGHT WHEN LESSON PLANNING

• PLAN LESSONS AND PRESENT INFORMATION IN A WAY THAT ATTRACTS AND HOLDS LEARNERS ATTENTION. FOR EXAMPLE, USE

HOOKS WHEN INTRODUCING A NEW LESSON OR UNIT.

• USE VISUAL CULTURE AS A VEHICLE TO HOOK, ENGAGE, AND MOTIVATE STUDENTS AND WELL AS FOR SELF-DIRECTION WITHIN THE

LEARNING AND ART MAKING PROCESS. MAKE LEARNING RELEVANT TO YOUR STUDENTS!

• BUILD LESSONS AROUND STUDENTS INTERESTS, NEEDS, AND PRIOR KNOWLEDGE.

• MAKE LEARNING MEANINGFUL FOR YOUR STUDENTS!

• PRESENT INFORMATION IN A CLEAR AND ORGANIZED WAY.

• VARY THE WAY INFORMATION IS PRESENTED OR OBTAINED.

• AVOID MONOTONY IN A LESSON AS WELL AS DISTRACTIONS. MAKE SURE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO KEY POINTS BY REPEATING

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS EITHER VERBALLY OR VISUALLY.

• HELPS STUDENTS SUMMARIZE AND APPLY WHAT IS LEARNED. FOR EXAMPLE, MAKE HANDOUTS THAT SUMMARIZE KEY POINTS

WHICH STUDENTS CAN KEEP AND REFERENCE AS THEY NEED.

• INCORPORATE MORE GROUP ACTIVITIES.

• USE TECHNIQUES SUCH AS SPIRALING. BY SPIRALING LESSONS STUDENTS ALSO USE RECURRENT PRACTICE AS THEY REVISIT A

LOT OF THE SAME INFORMATION OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WHICH HELPS INCREASE LONG-TERM RETENTION AND REAL

WORLD APPLICATION.

CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORYCONSTRUCTIVISM IS DEFINED VARIOUSLY AS TEACHING THAT EMPHASIZES THE ACTIVE ROLE OF THE LEARNER IN BUILDING

UNDERSTANDING AND MAKING SENSE OF INFORMATION; LEARNERS CONSTRUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE AS THEY ATTEMPT TO

MAKE SENSE OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT; AND LEARNING THAT OCCURS WHEN LEARNERS ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN A SITUATION THAT

INVOLVES COLLABORATIVELY FORMULATING QUESTIONS, EXPLAINING PHENOMENON, ADDRESSING COMPLEX ISSUES, OR

RESOLVING PROBLEMS

• BOTH CONSTRUCTIVIST AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATORS MAINTAIN THAT KNOWLEDGE DERIVES FROM ACTIVE

LEARNING AND STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN CONSTRUCTING MEANING THROUGH EXPERIENCE AS OPPOSED TO

PASSIVE LEARNING. THEREFORE, CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING MODELS SUGGESTS STUDENTS BE PROVIDED WITH

AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACTIVATE AND ACTIVELY REFLECT UPON PRIOR KNOWLEDGE, SYNTHESIZING IT WITH

NEW INFORMATION AND MAKING CONNECTIONS TO REAL LIFE SITUATIONS AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES. OVERALL

STUDENTS SEEM MORE INTERESTED IN AND MOTIVATED TO DISCUSS BIG IDEAS AND ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS WHEN

THEY CAN IN SOME WAY RELATE TO THE LEARNING CONTENT/MATERIAL. CONSTRUCTIVISTS BELIEVE THAT

STUDENTS LEARN BY DOING.

• ALMOST NATURALLY INFLUENCES DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION.

• ALLOWS ART TEACHERS TO MAKE CONNECTIONS, GAINING A GENERAL SENSE OF THEIR STUDENT’S INTERESTS,

KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCES PRIOR TO DEVELOPING CURRICULUM IN ORDER TO MAKE INSTRUCTION MORE

RELEVANT AND TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION. IN SUCH LEARNING SITUATIONS TEACHERS BECOME MORE LIKE

FACILITATORS OF KNOWLEDGE RATHER THAN PRESENTERS OF INFORMATION PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH

OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT NEW KNOWLEDGE TO THAT WHICH THEY ALREADY KNOW.

• ALLOWS FOR CREATIVE SELF-EXPRESSION AS WELL AS CRITICAL REFLECTION, ALL OF WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO A

MORE AUTHENTIC AND RICHER LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEACHERS1. MOTIVATING PERSONALITY- EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ARE ENTHUSIASTIC AND PASSIONATE ABOUT THE SUBJECT

THEY TEACH. THEY SPICE IT UP BY CHANGING THE TONE OF THEIR VOICE WHEN THEY SPEAK, BY FREQUENTLY

MOVING AROUND THE CLASSROOM, AND BY ALTERING THEIR BODY LANGUAGE. EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ARE

NOT MONOTONOUS AND WELCOME INPUT FROM THEIR STUDENTS.

2. ENTHUSIASM- EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ARE WARM AND HUMOROUS. THEY GREET YOU AT THE DOOR AND

WELCOME STUDENTS TO CLASS. THEY SMILE OFTEN, ARE APPROACHABLE, AND OFFER HELP WHENEVER

NEEDED. AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER WILL BE THEMSELVES AND ARE OFTEN SPONTANEOUS.

3. CREDENTIALS- AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER IS HIGHLY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE. THEY SET

THE BAR HIGH FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN HIGH EXPECTATIONS. EFFECTIVE

TEACHERS SET BOUNDARIES AND HAVE GOOD REPORT WITH THEIR STUDENTS. THEY ACT PROFESSIONALLY

AND ARE OPEN AND HONEST.

4. FLEXIBILITY- EFFECTIVE TEACHERS USE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY. THEY ASSIGN

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS IN WHICH STUDENTS CAN SUCCEED. EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ARE

FLEXIBLE AND CAN ACCOMMODATE A WIDE RANGE OF LEARNERS AND ENCOURAGE MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION.

EFFECTIVE TEACHERS CAN MAKE LEARNING FUN AND INTERACTIVE.

5. FEEDBACK- EFFECTIVE TEACHERS PROVIDE TIMELY, EFFECTIVE, AND ONGOING FEEDBACK AND CONSTANTLY

MONITOR STUDENTS BEHAVIOR, LEARNING, AND UNDERSTANDING. EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ALLOW STUDENTS

TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LEARNING. EFFECTIVE TEACHERS PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.

POINTS OF INTEREST:GIVING STUDENTS EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK

• PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH CONSISTENT, ONGOING, TIMELY, AND

CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK REGARDING THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. GOOD

FEEDBACK IS GOAL/OBJECTIVE REFERENCED, TANGIBLE, ACTIONABLE, PERSONALIZED,

DESCRIPTIVE, SPECIFIC, USER-FRIENDLY, NOT TOO TECHNICAL, NOT TO LONG, AND IS

WRITTEN USING AGE APPROPRIATE VOCABULARY. .

• EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK IS MOTIVATIONAL AND WILL LET STUDENTS KNOW WHAT THEY

ARE DOING WELL. ADDITIONALLY EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK WILL ALSO TELL STUDENTS

WHAT THEY AREN’T DOING WELL AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO IMPROVE AND MOVE

FORWARD IN THEIR OWN LEARNING. STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO

“REDO” THEIR WORK BASED ON FEEDBACK.

• TYPES OF FEEDBACK- FORMATIVE(IN PROGRESS AND LESS FORMAL) VS. SUMMATIVE(AT

THE END AND MORE FORMAL SUCH A LETTER GRADES) ASSESSMENT; I.E. RUBRICS,

WRITTEN COMMENTS, INDIVIDUAL MEETING/CONFERENCE, GROUP TALK, STUDENT

MONITORING; INFORMAL CLASS ACTIVITIES, WRITING PROMPTS, IN CLASS QUESTIONS,

Area of Improvement Essential

Questions

Purpose Examples/Techniques Current Practice Benchmark

Student Monitoring Are students learning and

on track?

What can teachers do to

ensure that all learning

objectives are being met?

Student monitoring provides

teachers with information

regarding short term learning

objectives so instruction can

be modified as needed.

It also allows teachers to

provide students with

immediate feedback regarding

desirable learning and targeted

learning objectives.

Advance organizers

Call on students by name

Move around classroom

frequently

Stay in close proximity to

students

Allow time for questions

Rephrase, repeat, or modify

instruction as needed

Maintain eye contact

Be open and available

Observe all learners

Frequently record, chart, or

graph student performance

-Students hand in quarterly portfolios in which

grades are returned on a teacher made grading

sheet for projects and class participation. Students

are assigned a final letter/quarterly grade based on

their participation as well as performance.

-Continual teacher observations

-Continual questioning

-Collect and correct projects upon completion and provide more

immediate written feedback.

-Record grades more frequently and periodically.

-Conduct periodic reviews with students to confirm their grasp

of learning material.

Assessment What do we want students

to know?

How do we assess what

they know?

Assessment is used for a

variety of purposes, such as

keeping track of learning,

diagnosing learning difficulties

and disabilities, determining

eligibility for programs as well

as evaluating programs,

evaluating teaching, evaluating

learning, and reporting to

others.

Pre-assessment

Formative assessment

Summative assessment

Can be both formal and informal

-Continual teacher observations and questioning.

-Summative/Quarterly/Assessment-Students hand

in quarterly portfolios in which grades are returned

on a teacher made grading sheet for projects and

class participation. Students are assigned a final

letter/quarterly grade.

-Poor work notices are sent home mid-way through

each quarter regarding academic performance as

well as behavior.

Formative/Frequent

Self- Assessment- Students evaluate their own as well as their

peers progress at the end of each project by self-grading using a

teacher made rubric with criteria specific to each lesson/unit.

Teacher will take into consideration students own assessment

before assigning final grades.

Feedback What are students doing

well?

What areas can they

improve upon or in?

Overall, how are students

progressing in my class?

Provides students with

information regarding their

academic performance

regarding specific learning

goals/objectives.

Written

Oral

Peer

Students receive letter grades for completed

projects on quarterly grading sheet as well as

specific written feedback regarding both desirable

and undesirable academic performance and

behavior.

Ongoing performance discussions- Have frequent

discussions with your class providing them with

corrective feedback regarding what they are and

are not doing correctly at the end of a project/unit.

Offer corrective guidance as soon as you notice

misunderstandings on an individual as well as

class basis.

Provide students with more timely and immediate feedback on

an individual level and keep it going at the end of each project

as opposed to at the end of each quarter.

Self and Peer assessment using a rubric- formative- used to help

students check their own understanding, knowledge, and skills

and allows them enough time

to make corrections before turning in for a final (summative)

grade.

EFFECTIVE TEACHING CHART

OVERALL TIPS FOR BECOMING A BETTER, MORE EFFECTIVE TEACHER

• MAKE LEARNING FUN AND ENJOYABLE!

• MAKE LEARNING RELEVANT.

• GET TO KNOW YOUR STUDENTS.

• BE KNOWLEDGEABLE. KNOW YOUR

SUBJECT.

• BE YOURSELF.

• BE PRESENTABLE AND RESPECTABLE.

• ACT PROFESSIONALLY .

• PRAISE YOUR STUDENTS.

• CHALLENGE YOUR STUDENTS.

• INCORPORATE ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT FOR

ALL STUDENTS ALONG WITH HIGH

EXPECTATIONS.

• LET YOUR STUDENTS KNOW THAT YOU

CARE ABOUT THEM.

• HAVE GOOD CLASSROOM AND BEHAVIOR

MANAGEMENT SKILLS.

• CREATE A WELCOMING CLASSROOM

CLIMATE.

• COMMUNICATE WITH ADMINISTRATORS,

CO-WORKERS, STUDENTS, AND PARENTS.

• DIFFERENTIATE INSTRUCTION AND

ACCOMMODATE ALL LEARNERS.

• MAKE SURE STUDENTS UNDERSTAND

BEFORE MOVING ON.

• PROVIDE TIMELY AND ONGOING

FEEDBACK AND ASSESSMENT.