Help Learners Teach Each Other
Helping Learners Teach Each Other NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Spark Collaboration Course Leverage cooperative learning strategies in which learners teach each other something. In these learning experiences, each learner has a unique piece of information that they share with a group. This helps teach collaboration skills, especially active listening and…
Lead Guided Discussions
Lead Guided Discussions NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Spark Collaboration Course Guided discussions are group conversations that use a structured protocol and usually a variety of sentence stems to support learners with the conversation. These build collaboration skills that can be used in larger group projects. Bright Spots Gain inspiration from…
Provide Peer Feedback Protocols
Provide Peer Feedback Protocols NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Use Assessment as a Tool for Learning Course Introduce feedback protocols to students that provide a structure for giving high-quality peer feedback. Example protocols include: Warm & cool feedback 2 stars and 1 wish 1 glow and 1 grow I like, I…
Strategically Group Learners
Strategically Group Learners for Collaborative Learning Experiences NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Spark Collaboration Course When assigning group work you can assign groups to learners or allow them to choose their own groups. Research has shown motivation is higher when students select their own groups, and many students prefer this method.…
Create Group Roles
Create Group Roles NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Spark Collaboration Course When learners are working in groups, they need to have clear roles and expectations that support the group’s success. In smaller collaborative learning experiences such as a group discussion, those roles may include timekeeper, scribe, reporter, facilitator, etc. In more…
Group working norms with learners
Create group working norms with learners NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Spark Collaboration Course Creating group norms as the outset of any collaborative learning experience supports learners to work well together and provides the teacher with an anchor for providing feedback to learners on their collaboration. These norms should be co-created…
Make Group Progress Visible
Make Group Progress Visible NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Spark Collaboration Course Create a way to display group progress during collaborative work blocks to keep track of progress as a class. A few ways that you might do this include: Create a physical or digital timeline and plot student groups using…
Using Exit Tickets
Exit Tickets NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Use Assessment as a Tool for Learning Course Formative assessment is meant to provide information during the learning process. Exit tickets are a way to know if learners “caught what you taught” by simply asking them a question or two before they leave the…
Cooperative Learning Strategies
Leveraging Cooperative Learning Strategies NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Spark Collaboration Course Cooperative learning strategies, often called Kagan strategies, are low-lift and low-risk ways for students to engage with each other while learning. They are structured ways to break up a direct instruction lesson and ask students to collaboratively process information.…
Checks for Understanding
Checks for Understanding NOTE: This Strategy is part of the self-paced User Assessment as a Tool for Learning Course Checks for understanding quickly measure whether learners have mastered the material they are learning. They highlight the process of learning for both the teacher and the learner and provide a safe space for the learner…
Conferencing as an Assessment
Conferencing as a Method of Assessment NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Use Assessment as a Tool for Learning Course Teacher-student conferencing is a one-on-one conversation between a teacher and a learner to discuss the learner’s learning progress. It allows teachers and learners to gather information about what learners know and understand,…
Use Art to Get to Know Learners
Use Art to Get to Know Learners NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Nurture a Meaningful Learning Community Course Research consistently shows that when students have supportive relationships and feel known at school, learning accelerates. Making consistent, strategic efforts to deeply see and know your students will provide a powerful foundation for…
Teach Self-Regulation Techniques
Teach Self-Regulation Techniques NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Nurture a Meaning Learning Community Course The concept of self-regulation does not just apply to a child’s emotional health; it also influences a child’s cognitive ability. The ability to notice and name feelings and then regulate emotions to be more in control of…
Nurture Gratitude
Nurture Gratitude NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Nurture a Meaning Learning Community Course Gratitude is a powerful tool for teachers—both for personal and classroom applications. It can be used to help establish a healthy classroom culture as it increases feelings of optimism and joy, decreases anxiety and depression, and helps students…
Give Classroom Feedback Surveys
Give Classroom Feedback Surveys NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Amplify Learner Voice Course Provide a feedback loop for learners to share their input with you. It’s important to understand the experience that learners are having in your classroom. By creating your own surveys you can get personalized feedback based on recent…
Interview Learners
Interview Learners NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Amplify Learner Voice Course Feedback from learners is a gift and although surveys provide valuable information, an interview is an opportunity to ask open-ended questions and truly listen. Different from surveys, interviewing learners, whether it be in a 1:1 setting, as a small focus…