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December 6, 2023
4 min
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In the virtual independent study space, it is sometimes hard to know what is going on in the Zoom Rooms of our colleagues. The Ripple Effect’s Teacher Spotlights move that velvet rope aside to offer VIP access to our colleagues’ work with students. This week, Mr. Steven Reno shows us how he offers students multiple ways to demonstrate mastery in his high school social studies classes. Differentiating learner demonstration of mastery Taking on UCScout this school year, social studies teacher Steven Reno noticed that there were a lot of writing assignments. After digging deeper, he discovered there is a lot of essay writing in ELA, too. Steven finds that some students get burned out with so much writing in multiple subjects so he offers the opportunity to show mastery in ways other than essay writing for his social studies classes. In the assignments for his social studies class, Steven gives his students choice in how they would like to show mastery. He communicates the expectations of the assignment but opens the door for how students might communicate those expectations. Some examples that he has accepted in the past include: essays, slide shows, newspapers, videos, Minecraft models, and more! Providing students the freedom to choose how they demonstrate their mastery of a subject is an important part of supporting students’ voice and agency in the learning process. By offering various options for assessment, teachers can engage students and differentiate to meet students’ diverse learning styles and preferences. This approach encourages creativity and self-expression and, more importantly, allows students to take ownership of their learning. Teacher Steven Reno gives us an example of how to successfully implement this strategy. He effectively communicates assignment expectations while giving students the flexibility to express their understanding through various mediums. By offering such choices, Reno fosters a dynamic and engaging learning environment that empowers students to showcase their knowledge in ways that resonate with them. Here is an example of an assignment with options for demonstrating mastery:
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Would you like to offer students choice in how they demonstrate mastery in your classes? Below are some steps to consider as you get started:
- Start with understanding your students- what are their learning preferences, strengths, and interests? You might already know the answers to some of these questions or you can send out a survey, include some questions in an exit ticket, or speak with them 1-1.
- Get clear with the learning objectives you want students to show mastery with and make sure to communicate those with students clearly, so they understand what is expected of them.
- Develop a menu of assessment options that align with the learning objectives and include a variety of choices, but be open to ideas students have to show their mastery.
- While the format may vary, the expectations for quality and content should remain consistent. Clearly outline the grading criteria, ensuring students understand how they will be assessed.
- Give students the guidance, resources, and support to succeed in their chosen formats. Check in regularly on progress and understanding, guiding students to review the expectations as they work on their mastery assessment.
- Maintain consistency in grading across the different options based on the established criteria.
- Once you’ve had a chance to implement student choice in demonstrating mastery, take time to reflect on what worked well and what could be improved. Gather student feedback to round out your reflection.
Source- https://www.edutopia.org/article/differentiating-offering-choices
Your Method Instructional Coaches want to support you!
Have you practiced some of these strategies/skills with a student or in one of your live sessions?
We would love to see a recording to share with others!
Want to chat about how to incorporate some of these strategies/skills with your students?
We would love to meet with you!
Want an instructional coach to support you with teaching students some of these strategies/skills?
We would love to model alongside you in a live session with your students.
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Your Instructional Coaching Team,
Awara VanSumer and Jen Johnson
