Non-traditional way to assess student understanding and readiness in any content

Teachers make countless on-the-spot decisions daily that change the course of the day's lesson plans, let's face it. They monitor and adjust to meet the needs of the students in their classrooms. Teachers who know their students can react and intervene quickly. A slight tweak to the way students turn in work might be a simple solution to unlocking student understanding...and it begins at a bargain store.

When teachers assign a task, imagine having students reflect on how comfortable they are with the content upon completion before turning in their work. Dream about how, according to how they perceive their level of understanding, students select the appropriate basket to leave their work. (Of course, this requires a classroom culture of risk-taking, growth, and safety.) There is a great deal of power in student reflection and being a self-regulated learner!

One small adjustment that teachers might make is offering a few turn in baskets for student work.
Turn-in baskets in Mrs. Scott's classroom at Grapevine Elementary School

Reflective turn-in procedures like this give a teacher instant data, not just about students' understanding of the content but also on students' attitudes and self-perceptions. Teachers get a chance to monitor student progress in the moment and have data to support the need for small group instruction during that class period or next day.

So, with a quick trip to a bargain or big box store and a few labels that indicate readiness, teachers can be on their way upping their formative assessment game, and students can be challenged to be open and reflective about their work and understanding.

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