This GIFT is another one from me to you. It came about during an interview I had with one of my administrators last year after a classroom observation that I needed for my Level 2 License renewal. He asked me how I knew EVERY DAY that my students learned the things that I had planned for them to learn that day. I guess the very first task in that question would be to ask myself if they even knew what I expected them to learn that day before I could really analyze whether or not they learned it! In my own mind I know my objectives, but I realized maybe I was not clear with THEM about what I expected them to learn throughout my day-to-day lessons.
This past summer, in an effort to clarify my own lesson objectives and align them with the state health curriculum standards and objectives, I came up with some statements that I refer to as "I Can's" (for example: "I can identify the top three causes of death throughout all ages in the U.S."). This process was also part of my efforts to help advance our school administration's plans to establish a Professional Learning Community (PLC). So all summer I came up with 3-5 "I Can's" for every single lesson I teach. Now, every single day, my students come in and see what they need to be able to DO at the end of the day.
This brings me to my GIFT. Maybe the "I Can" idea is already a GIFT, but you are probably all very "with-it" teachers who post lesson objectives on your board every day just as you been taught in college. Shame on me. Gold star for you!
Anyway, at the end of the lesson, before I set them loose for their independent learning time (remember, layered curriculum???), I check their understanding of the "I Can" statements. I do this through my "Get It Digits." It's kind of a mouthful, which is why I like the name of the method. It's nothing new. It's nothing fancy or extraordinary. But it's a little more specified as feedback than the usual, "Who doesn't get it?" especially since how many teenagers are really going to raise their hand and risk feeling stupid in front of their peers?
SO I designed a poster which hangs on the side wall for everyone to see. A "high five," FULL hand of fingers up when ask "Show me your 'get it digits'" means 'I could be the teacher.' Four fingers means, 'I get it, but maybe need a little more practice.' Three fingers means, 'I think I get it.' Two fingers means, 'I need some help still.' One finger means, 'WHAT????'
It's fun to come up with phrases like that to bring a little humor into the method, and I think it also helps students really relate to their own assessment process of whether or not they really understand the concepts I've tried to teach in class. It's a really quick way to scan the class, look at hands, and even assess your own teaching effectiveness! Maybe you can quickly re-teach something if you see a majority of index fingers pointing up at you!
Anyway, fun little GIFT. I like it. It works for me. Try it. And make your own fun phrases!
