Do Overs and Second Chances-Helping Students Revisit Reading & Writing
Cris Tovani [email protected]
NTCTELA June 10, 2016
Learning Targets
I can cite the research that supports
the beliefs that drive my practice.
I can collect feedback from students
that informs my instruction.
I can provide feedback that
encourages students to revise and
redo.
Reflection
A Few of
Tovani’s Teaching Beliefs
• Student engagement is more important than content
coverage.
• There is more to teach than time to teach it. Therefore, I
must be careful about what I give my instructional time to.
• The world is an interesting place and the standards are
connected to the real world. My job is to show students
how my curriculum connects to the world outside of school.
• The “need to know” drives engagement.
• Interesting text exists but sometimes it takes time to find it.
• What students have to say matters more than what I have to
say.
• I would rather students be off task than compliant.
• I need to give students time each day to talk and make
something so that I can see what they know and need.
• Doing what I ask my students to do, informs my planning
and my instruction.
• Students need time each day to read, write, and discuss if
they are going to get better at critically thinking.
• Growth and improvement should count more than mastery.
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From Drive by Daniel Pink (2009, Riverhead Books)
Most of us believe that the best way to motivate ourselves and others is with external rewards like money
– the carrot and stick apporach. That’s a mistake. The secret to high performance and satisfaction – at
work, at school, and at home – is the deeply human need to direct our own lives (autonomy), to learn
and create new things (mastery) , and to do better by ourselves and our world (purpose).
Autonomy Our “default setting” is to be autonomous and self directed. Unfortunately, circumstances –
including outdated notions of “management” – often conspire to change that default setting. To
encourage the type of behavior that enables high-performance…people need autonomy over task
(what they do), time (when they do it), team (who they do it with), and technique (how they do it).
Companies that offer autonomy, sometimes in radical doses, are outperforming their competitors. (p.
207)
Mastery Only engagement can produce mastery – becoming better at something that matters. And the
pursuit of mastery, an important but often dormant part of our third drive, has become essential to
making one’s way in the economy. Mastery begins with “flow” – optimal experiences when the
challenges we face are exquisitely matched to our abilities. Mastery is a mindset: It requires the capacity
to see your abilities not as finite, but as infinitely
improvable. Mastery is a pain: it demands effort,
grit, and deliberate practice. And mastery is an
asymptote: it’s impossible to fully realize, which
makes it simultaneously frustrating and alluring. (p.
208)
Purpose The first two legs of the Type I tripod,
autonomy and mastery, are essential. But for proper
balance we need a third leg – purpose, which
provides a context for its two mates. Autonomous
people working toward mastery perform at very
high levels. But those who do so in the service of
some greater objective can achieve even more.
The most deeply motivated people – not to mention
those who are most productive and satisfied – hitch
their desires to a cause larger than themselves.
…From the moment that human beings first started
into the sky, contemplated their place in the
universe, and tried to create something that
bettered the world and outlasted their lives, we
have been purpose seekers. “Purpose provides
activation energy for living,” psychologist Mihaly
Csikszentimihalyi told me in an interview. “I think that
evolution has had a hand in selecting people who
had a sense of doing something beyond
themselves.” (pp.133-134)
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Why do Human Beings Engage?
26 Impulses that Sustain Engagement
What does real and authentic engagement look like- for students and adults? How can we create and
sustain high levels of engagement? Why do people engage in learning something? What are some ways
educators and education leaders can structure learning experiences to optimize engagement? And
finally, what does all the brain research say about engagement?
There are many factors that motivate engagement. They are all context dependent variables and often
act in concert (e.g., safety promotes agency which encourages curiosity). Engagement of any sort starts
with a safe supported climate — if basic needs aren’t met you won’t engage anyone.
Each stimulus is unique for each person and each person responds based on a unique motivational
profile. Nevertheless, it’s worth attempting to identify the root motivations for engagement to become
more intentional about creating sticky experiences.
Following are 26 instincts that motivate a commitment of time and energy:
1.
Compliance.
A sense of duty or obligation; assignments that contribute to a goal; assignments from
an assignor that counts (as a result of affection or consequence). Likely to produce procedural
engagement.
2.
Gap Awareness.
Exposure to high standards or quality performance may motivate improvement;
quantified self data compared to your own performance or top performers. Bob Lenz, Buck Institute,
said, “Once a new group sees the previous bar that has been set they are highly motivated to beat
it not copy it; they have a clear understanding of what they need to learn to do it and their sense of
competition inspires high engagement.”
3.
Curiosity.
Time and permission allow curiosity to flourish. Asking good questions rather than providing
quick answers can bolster curiosity.
4.
Intrigue.
Novelty and variety can spark curiosity. If curiosity is intrinsic, intrigue is an external stimuli
that sparks interest, makes a connection, initiates engagement–and intrigue expert Sam
Horn suggests a good three part question to do all three.
5.
Challenge.
A well constructed task, prompt, or status check can promote critical thinking and
engagement. Periodic performance challenges (e.g., game, race, concert, recital, speech,
demonstration) can produce positive stress and sustained engagement. A well constructed task
promotes conceptual not just procedural understanding.
6.
Craftsmanship.Doing things well, taking pride in quality. The desire to develop a quality product,
driven by a mixture of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, can encourage engagement. Constructive
intermediate feedback on a production task can promote persistence and improve performance.
7.
Contribution.
Creating something of value, beauty, importance for the world. Ron Berger,
Expeditionary Learning, noted that the act of production can yield a combination of craftsmanship
(#5) and contribution.
8.
Authentic.
John Larmer, Buck Institute, discusses the importance of real and authentic work, “Work
has a direct impact on or use in the real world.” That suggests work focused on real problems,
producing real products of real value, for real audiences. Bob Lenz said, “Fostering curiosity through
inquiry and allowing students to choose their topic or product has proven to make a difference in
motivation.”
9.
Reflection. Periodic reflection builds appreciation for progress made. Building a portfolio of
production artifacts, a sash of badges, or a collection of digital tokens denotes progress.
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10.
Consequence.
Stressing why content matters, says game-based learning expert Sasha Barab, can
produce consequential engagement where learners may even develop a sense of pride that that
they used their knowledge and skills to achieve meaningful ends.
11.
Fear.
Related to compliance (#1) and the negative side of consequence (#9), fear can capture
and keep attention. It may be fun at the movies, but it’s not a constructive long-term engagement
strategy.
12.
Burn.
People with a fire lit under them. Dave Potter, VIF International Education, suggested that this
burning desire is a combination of frustration, passion, outrage for a Cause (#24), Consequence
(#10), and Challenge (#5). If too much anger is involved, a burning passion can be corrosive and
flame-out quickly or turn into vengeance.
13.
Collaboration. Encouraging two or more people build, attempt, or learn something together can
boost engagement by creating a shared goal and it can enhance knowledge creation by sharing
experiences and taking on asymmetry roles.
14.
Competition. The observation of growth, goal accomplishment, and competition with others can be
highly motivating for some. Public recognition (on a leaderboard or in article) can motivate
performance and persistence for some.
15.
Flow. Meaningful practice can create what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi called flow, an intense and
focused concentration where time seems to stand still.
16.
Fun. According to a global Nielsen Survey of Trust in Advertising almost half of the respondents said
that humor resonates with them more than any other content approach. Many people enjoy the
challenges, positive associations, and unexpected rewards of games.
17.
Agency. The ability to control some context variables, to direct one’s own experience, develops a
sense of ownership and can be highly motivating through challenge growth progressions. Real voice
and choice can be highly motivating.
18.
Teaching. Extending one’s self to support the growth of another (Scott Peck’s definition of love) can
be highly rewarding. Teaching, modeling, and coaching have the side benefit of reinforce learning
and developing a more robust mental model. Teach Justin Wells has students model Bill Nye and
write a science paper, make a video, and teach a lesson.
19.
Empathy. Most people have some ability to understand or feel what another person is experiencing.
Tapping into this emotion can be an emotional hook to initiate engagement.
20.
Narrative. A great story connects people. It often deploys intrigue (#4), develops empathy (#19).
Storytelling is connecting shared values. Unlocking the power of fiction, visual literacy can be
compelling.
21.
Feedback. Katie Salen, Institute of Play, talks about games as an “invitation with a contract.” Alan
Gershenfeld said designing an effective invitation is a real craft. Once an individual is initially
engaged and starting to make progress, the quality and timing of the feedback (through
technology, peers, teachers, mentors or some combination) can be the difference in whether
someone stays engaged or not.
22.
Affection. The pursuit of affection for a person, place, or thing can yield short-term infatuation or
sustain long-term engagement. In a recent blog, Bob Lenz talks about his experience as an athlete
and how his coaches used structures and high expectations to engage and motivate him. Lenz said
he and his teammates were motivated by the coaches they loved to new heights in performance.
23.
Reward. Compensated contribution is can produce sustained engagement. That’s what
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makes prizes so efficient (but paying students for grades has mixed results).
24.
Cause. Contributing to a cause contributes to a sense of altruism. Reward may be intrinsic and/or
external recognition for contribution (#8). In Drive, Daniel Pink said motivation was a function of
autonomy (#13), mastery (#5) and purpose. A sense of personal mission and goal attainment can
add to a sense of purpose.
25.
FOMO. The “fear of missing out,” a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding
experiences from which one is absent.
26.
Connection. Building a network can be a motivating goal related to a sense of belonging, social
status, and/or interest in monetary reward.
Via: gettingsmart.com
From:
http://elearninginfographics.com/26-impulses-sustain-engagementinfographic/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eLearningI
nfographics+%28eLearningInfographics%29
RESEARCH ON STUDENT ENGAGED ASSESSMENT PRACTICES
Rick Stiggins’ Seven Strategies of Assessment FOR Learning:
Where am I going?
1. Provide a clear and understandable vision of the learning target.
2. Use examples and models of strong and weak work.
Where am I now?
3. Offer regular descriptive feedback.
4. Teach students to self-assess and set goals.
How can I close the gap?
5. Design lessons to focus on one aspect of quality at a time.
6. Teach students focused revision.
7. Engage students in self-reflection, and let them keep track of and share their learning.
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Dear Students,
Forget about any grading labels you’ve been assigned as a student. This class is a new chance for you to
choose the kind of learner you will be. Below is a description of how I will assess and grade your growth
as readers, writers, and thinkers. Below are three main areas that I focus on to help me assess fairly and
ensure that each of you grow as learners:
1. Your attempt to try new learning and your grit to complete the task.
2. Your willingness to grow and improve by considering feedback and doing something about it.
3. Your mastery of necessary skills, content, and processes that demonstrate your ability to work at or
above grade level.
Attempt: When we begin new units of study there will be certain skills that once mastered, will help you
focus more deeply on growing your understanding. I will teach you how to use thinking strategies to help
you recognize and repair confusion. These strategies will help you with any kind of reading and writing
you are asked to do. I will also show you how to annotate, use inner voice sheets, and double entry
diaries. These tools will help you record “snippets” of thinking as you read so that you can go beyond
plot and factual recall to synthesize big ideas.
Initially, you will earn points for attempting to use these new skills. I won’t be asking for “one right
answer.” I want you to show me your thinking. When you take a risk to do this, I can see what you know
and what you need. This helps me to be a better teacher for you. You will begin using these tools
automatically not because I give you points but because they help you hold your thinking so you can
return to it and use what you’ve read to grow understanding. At this stage of grading, the only way you
won’t be able to earn points is if you do nothing at all.
Growth and Improvement: We also need to assess your growth so you can improve. During this phase
of grading, I will give you feedback so you can revise, redo, and rethink your work. For me, this is the
most important aspect of the grading process. My goal is that everyday you grow your understanding
through reading, writing, and thinking about the world. Assignments that reflect growth and
improvement will have points and feedback attached. For these grades, you will have opportunities to go
back and rework and revise your thinking.
Mastery: Towards the end of every unit, there will be mastery grades. These are the “big assignments”
that you will work on throughout the study. It is important that I have a chance to tell you where you are
in terms of mastery. Did you meet the long term learning targets or are you still a ways away? Once the
final date for these grades arrives there will be no “do overs” or extra credit. Don’t worry. I won’t spring
anything new on you. You will be able to tell from “Powergrade” when the assignments are due and what
is required. Throughout the unit, I will model what you need to try and give you lots of opportunities to
practice so that you will be able to do what it takes to achieve mastery.
Come to class, try, ask questions, and you’ll get smarter everyday. Remember no one can be an “A” or
“C” or “F” student all the time. You get to choose the kind of learner you’ll be. This year, when it comes
to achieving, the sky is the limit.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Tovani
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Commentary on War: Describe an effect(s) of war on individuals and/or society. State your position on
the US’s involvement in current foreign affairs. Support your argument with a minimum of three pieces
of evidence and leave your reader with a call to action.
Name:
Final Commentary: Due November 18, 2015
Editing as a Courtesy to the Reader:
__________
__________
10 points: I can capitalize, punctuate, and spell correctly.
____________
____________
10 points: I can cite sources & embed quotes correctly.
____________
____________
10 points: I can demonstrate revision with attached drafts.
Thinking Behind the Essay:
__________
__________
10 points: I can describe an effect(s) of war on individuals and/or
society.
__________
__________
10 points: I can state my position on the US’s current involvement in
foreign affairs.
___________
____________
20 points: I can embed three pieces of evidence that
supports my position.
___________
___________
20 points: I can use narrative and story to hook my reader.
Student total:
__________ out of 90 points
Teacher total:
__________ out of 90 points
Writing Reflection: Here’s what I want Mrs. Tovani to know about my writing process.
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Long Term Learning Target
• Supporting Targets
I can demonstrate how reading makes me
smarter.
• I can reread a chunk of text and
connect new information to
something that I already know.
• I can make a picture in my head of
something I’ve read in order to
remember what I’ve read.
• I can use my background knowledge
to interpret clues left by the author.
• I can go beyond the words on the
page to infer meaning.
I can use my discussion group to sustain my
reading.
• I can discuss with my group members
to clear up my confusion about a text.
• I can discuss with my group members
to expand my knowledge and
understanding of a text.
I can get unstuck and build endurance for
reading to get smarter.
• I can recognize when my mind is
wandering.
• I can reread a chunk of text that I
don’t understand and ask a question
in order to isolate confusion.
• I can read for extended periods of
time.
Assessments
(Most are graded with points, but not all – See “Why I
Grade This Way” for more information)
Annotated text
Double entry diaries
Inner voice sheets
Reading response logs
Exit Tickets
Journal Responses
Final Essays/Products/Projects that illuminate big
content ideas (based on themes, units of study, required
texts, etc.)
Journal Reflections/exit tickets
Group Observation Forms
Scripts of/quotes from group discussions
Response journals
Exit tickets: What is causing confusion?
Sticky notes with questions placed in the text where the
reading becomes confusing.
Annotated text
Double entry diaries
Inner voice sheets
Reading response logs
Stamina chart (over time) in reading journal
I can get unstuck and build endurance for
writing to get smarter.
• I can increase my writing stamina by
producing more than one draft of
writing.
• I can find others who will read my
writing and give me useful feedback.
Drafts in writing folder
Revisions and edits on drafts
List of editors in writer’s journal
Running list in writer’s journal of what I notice other
writers doing
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•
•
I can use published work to mentor
my writing.
I can show courtesy to my readers by
attending to spelling, punctuation,
and grammar.
I can use writing to demonstrate and clarify
Drafts in writing folders with revisions/annotations
my thinking.
Exit Tickets
• I can reread what I’ve written and
recognize parts that don’t make sense.
• I can use conferences with my teacher Journal reflections/writing
and writing group to revise confusing
parts.
• I can re-enter a piece of writing and
make changes that reflect how my
thinking has evolved.
I can use writing as a way to create
awareness and gain access to power in the
world.
• Supporting learning targets vary by
project/product
From: So What do They Really Know?
Final products/projects with real-world purpose and
audience:
• 3-5 minute i-movie that creates awareness in
peers surrounding a contemporary issue
• A commentary sent to the local paper stating a
position on a local issue
• An annotated summer reading list
• Book reviews
• A recommendation to teachers/ departments
about the use of current works students are
reading or should read.
• Letters to various organizations/audiences
Tovani, 2011
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Thinking Strategies Used by Proficient Readers
(Based on the research synthesis of P. David Pearson and Janice A. Dole)
A strategy is an intentional plan that is flexible and can be adapted
to meet the demands of the situation.
Proficient Readers:
• Activate background knowledge and make
connections between new and known information.
• Question the text in order to clarify ambiguity and
deepen understanding.
• Draw inferences using background knowledge and
clues from the text.
• Determine importance in order to distinguish details
from main ideas.
• Monitor comprehension in order to make sure
meaning is being constructed.
• Reread and employ fix-up strategies to repair
confusion.
• Use sensory images to enhance comprehension and
visualize the reading.
• Synthesize and extend thinking.
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IDEAS ABOUT INNER VOICE
ConversationVoice(usefulvoice) Thisvoicehelpsreadersto:
q Relatetothetext
q Makeconnectionsbetweenthebookandthereader
q Askquestions
q Giveopinions
q Talkbacktothetext
q Rememberwhatisread
RecitingVoice(wasteoftimevoice) Thisvoicecausesreadersto:
q Losetrackofwhatisbeingread
q Strayfromthetext
q Forgetwhatisread
q Notcareaboutthereading
Turnofftherecitingvoicebyrereadingandgivingyourselfajoborapurpose
toreadfor.
Reading Purposes
Somepurposesare:
q Askaquestion
q Lookfortheanswertoaquestion
q Makeaconnection
q Lookforcluestohelpdrawaninference
q Retellwhathasbeenread
q Trytovisualizeapicture
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Name____________________________________
Inner Voice Sheet
Title and Author of Text:
Directions: Begin on page__________
Record the conversation you have in your head as you read. Be sure to record at least four sentences per box. If your
mind wanders as you read, stop and go back to the place you last remember. Reread that portion with a specific
purpose in mind. See if you can ask a question or listen to your inner voice with the intent to connect, give an
opinion, or draw an inference.
Inner Voice on page
Inner Voice on page
Inner Voice on page
Inner Voice on page
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StudentEngagementorWorkshopModel:Astructureto
plan&assessstudentwork
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Assessment&AdjustmentOpportunitiesUsingtheStudentEngagement/Workshop
Model
OpeningStructure:
• Atthebeginningofworkshop,theteachershareslearningtargetsandwhat
studentswillmakeordoduringtheclass.It’simportantthatlearnershaveaclear
andunderstandablevisionofthelearninggoalsfortheday.
Mini-Lesson/MicroLecture:
• Themini-lessonisbasedontheteacher’slong-termplanandthestudents’needs
fromthepreviousclass.Itisintendedtoincreaseandsupportstudentworktime
sotheycanpracticecriticalthinkingandengageintheworkoftheclass.
CatchandRelease:
• Catchesarequickinstructionalmovesbasedonpatternsofconfusiontheteacher
observeswhileconferring.
WorkTimeandConferring:
• Duringconferring,theteachergivesfeedbacktoandgetsfeedbackfromstudents.
Sheissometimesre-teachingorkeepingtrackofpossiblemini-lessonsforthe
followingday.
Debrief:
• Studentsreflectontheirlearningandleavetracksoftheirthinking.Oftenthey
makeconnectionsbetweennewandknowninformationandaskquestions.The
teacherusesthestudentthinkingtomakewholeclass,smallgroup,orindividual
instructionaldecisions.
Tovani2016
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