Teaching Strategies - Exit Slips

Sooner or later I will actually talk about strategies that I did not learn in EDCI 747, but until then let's keep the review going.

The third strategy we learned was Exit Slips. If you are in your teaching career and haven't tried this strategy yet I highly recommend it!

What are Exit Slips?

Exit slips are a very quick and easy activity that help teachers understand how their students are doing at the end of a lesson or unit. They require very little effort and time. At its basic level, exit slips are a student's ticket out of the classroom - they cannot leave without handing in a slip of paper. 

How do Exit Slips Work?

Exit Slips involve anonymous writing - this gives the students the opportunity to express concerns, comments, and or questions about the lesson and/or unit they are studying. Because it's anonymous, it should not be part of a permanent record of learning - it is simply a way of bringing closure to what was learned.

A lot of the time, Exit Slips may require students to:

• Summarize
• Synthesize
• Evaluate 
• Project

Examples of Exit Slips:

• “The three best things I learned today.”
• “What was confusing about…?”
• “What problems did you have with this lesson?

 

Why Exit Slips?

Exit slips can be very useful and revealing about the day's lesson. If the students are retaining knowledge, the exit slip will demonstrate the learning. If the students are not learning, or are having difficulty with the concept or lesson, they are given the opportunity to express concern without feeling "stupid" or embarrassed in front of the class. Exit slips can also establish the direction for the next class. Based on the exit slips and student input you receive, you can modify or change the class you are about to conduct, or review the previous class in order to reinforce or clarify the topic/concept.

Reflection:

 

I really like this strategy. I was first exposed to it in EDCI 747 (English Methods) last term and I still think that it’s a great idea. I really like the aspect of anonymous writing, especially because I was one of the quiet students who didn’t like asking questions when I was confused. The exit slip provides students with the opportunity to share their thoughts, concerns, and questions without feeling stupid of threatened. It also provides the teacher with an opportunity to see if the students were in fact paying attention and learning.

I will definitely be using this strategy in my own classroom.

Teaching Strategies - Gallery Walks

The second strategy we learned was "Gallery Walks." This strategy allows students to show case their work, receive feedback and view their classmates' work.   

What are Gallery Walks? 

Gallery Walks can arguably be considered a type of visual organizer. They require students to express their ideas and answers on chart paper, then showcase their work to the class. If used effectively, Gallery Walks can encourage creativity and collaborative group work. Students are required to demonstrate their learning as well as teach their fellow classmates about their topic/question. This strategy is definitely cross-curricular and can be adopted and adapted into every classroom.  

Students move around the classroom during a gallery walk to: view, read, and respond classmates writing and other projects. They can be displayed on walls or placed on desks or stations. Students write comments on self-stick notes and attach them to the edge of each project or a “graffiti board” (a sheet of paper) posted next to each student’s work.

Gallery walks might include items such as posters, maps, letters to the editor, pictures, collages cartoons, poems, stories, songs, etc.

How do we Prepare Gallery Walks? 

Materials: chart paper, markers, push pins or tape

Procedure:
1. For this strategy, students usually work in small groups and are given a specific task.
2. Have students complete the task on the chart paper
3. Pin or tape the finished products around the classroom whether that means on the walls, at desks, perhaps create stations
4. Be sure to set a time limit
5. Have students walk around the "gallery" to look at each others' work 
6. Model how to view, read, and respond. Use 1 or 2 projects as an example
7. Direct flow of traffic to make sure all students’ work is viewed, read, and responded to and that comments are supportive and useful
8. Bring closure to the gallery walk: ask students to move to their own project. Have them look at the comments, questions, or other responses they’ve received 

Variations: 

Gallery walks can be used in two ways: 

1. They can be used during class time. Students can use the time to brainstorm or complete an activity, work on an assignment etc. and then showcase their progress at the end of class. This is a great way for students to receive immediate feedback on their progress from both the teacher and their classmates.

2. They can be used to showcase the final product. Once the assignment is complete, students can showcase their work to everyone.  

Additions: Beside the original piece of work, add an additional piece of paper for students/teachers to leave comments (Graffiti paper)

Why Gallery Walks

•  Gallery Walks provides an immediate audience for student’s projects. 
• The activity can be completed much more quickly than if each student were to share his or her work in front of the class.
• Students become more motivated when they know they are sharing their work with a broader audience than just the teacher.
• Supportive feedback is provided and students learn new ideas they can incorporate into their own writing projects.

When should I use a Gallery Walk?

• A good way to introduce a gallery walk is to post pictures and have students move around the classroom
• They write what the picture makes them think of on post-it notes. 
• They attach these under the picture.
• This first experience isn’t threatening because students’ work isn’t being critiqued.
• After this experience students need to respond to classmates’ projects because having an audience for their work is the purpose behind the gallery walk.
• After students learn to make positive, supportive comments about classmates work, they can also try writing questions after reading classmates’ rough drafts to assist them in revising their writing.
• Students read the rough drafts and then write questions asking classmates to clarify, rephrase, or extend an idea. 
• Questions like these provide direction for students as they revise their writing.

Below are photographs of a gallery walk, photos were taken from Google Images.

 
Reflection:

 

I first encountered Gallery Walks in EDCI 747; we used them during group work in order to quickly share ideas. It was also a really popular activity during our “mini-lessons.”

I really like the idea of providing an immediate audience for student’s projects. A lot of the time, especially in high school, students put a lot of work and a lot of effort into their projects but they are never given the opportunity to share it with anyone. Perhaps this has to do with the whole “growing up” and becoming “mature” and showcasing work just isn’t “cool” anymore.

Gallery walks also provides students with motivation. When they know their work will be displayed and shared, they are more inclined to put more into it. Motivation and engagement are becoming increasingly difficult in school culture today, especially since the introduction of cell phones, and the internet. Students today are constantly on the move and they have very little patience. They want everything and they want it NOW. I think that gallery walks, if used effectively, will provide students with the opportunity to stop, think, and slow down.They will be given the opportunity to look at their classmates' work and see how they tackled the same assignment. Gallery walks provide an opportunity for students to share their ideas with each other and hopefully enrich their own projects.

Teaching Strategies - KWL Charts

In EDCI 352 we are required to keep an up-to-date double entry journal about class events, strategies, and theories behind reading and literacy in the classroom.  

The first strategy we learned was the KWL Chart. I was first exposed to the KWL chart last term in my English methods class (EDCI 747). 

What is a KWL Chart?

A KWL Chart is a type of visual organizer which allows students to discuss what they already know about the topic, what they want to know about the topic, and what they learned about the topic. In order for this strategy to work well, the KWL chart should be easily accessible to the students so they can refer to it often.  This strategy is a fantastic pre-unit strategy.

How do the students create a KWL Chart?

Materials: paper, pen

Procedure:

1. Fold a blank piece of paper into thirds so there are three columns for the students to write in

2. Each column will have a different title: Know, Wonder, Learn

3. Have students brainstorm what they know, what they wonder or want to know in their respective columns

4. The "Learn" column will remain empty - this column will be filled out during the course of the unit and completed at the end of the unit because it represents what the student has learned about the topic

There are obviously many variations to the KWL chart. Below are photographs of a KWL Chart that I created for EDCI 352:

Reflection:

I particularly like this strategy simply because it gives the students a chance to engage in the subject matter. They are given the opportunity to show case what they already know, inquire about what they want to know, and then go back at the end of the unit/class to make sure all of their questions are answered.

I would definitely use this strategy in both of my teaching areas (English and Social Studies) to start a unit; it would give the students a starting point as well as provide them with a chance to return full circle at the end of the unit. A lot of the time we start units and plan lessons that build solely on the previous class without every creating meaning or returning to the starting point, which makes testing the beginnings of units arbitrary and kind of mean. 

Let's Catch Up...

Well ladies and gentlemen, first term has been over for quite some time now and second term is well underway. I can't believe that it has taken me this long to update my blog, but clearly without ICT class I can't stay on top of it.

So to catch everyone up, first term, I think, went swimmingly! I really feel that I will take a lot of first term with me through my teaching career and I'm very thankful to the professors, teachers, and colleagues for making it so awesome.

On to second term!

So far, second term has been a completely different experience. I think I can contribute a lot of my serious lack of posting to the enormous work load this semester holds. I'm finding this term to be a lot more academic and a lot more work. I actually have to read textbooks, take notes, memorize and write essays! I really shouldn't  be complaining, but compared to last semester, it's as if I'm back in my undergrad years.

Courses this Term:
EDCI 431: Educational Philosophy
ED-D 406: Adolescent Psychology
ED-D 337B: Assessment
EDCI 448: ESL
ED-D 420: Exceptional Learners
EDCI 352: Multiliteracies.

Impressions so far:

EDCI 431: Educational Philosophy  with Shane Goodridge is quite an interesting class. I definitely do not have a philosophy background and a lot of the concepts and vocabulary he uses goes way over my head, but I still think that I'm learning something. He has successfully created an environment where our opinions, comments and questions are welcome so long as we back up our assertions and argue them. By nature it seems that Shane is an argumentative person; it's nothing personal, he simply likes to argue - even if he agrees with you. This may be construed as "hostile", "unwelcoming", or "mean", but in fact he's teaching us a valuable lesson. It seems that over the course of our own schooling we have been trained to be submissive, to believe that the teacher or adult is always right; in Shane's class, it's as if he's breaking that wall down, and forcing us to make an opinion, create a philosophy and stick with it, no matter what the differing opinions are. Not everyone will agree with everything, and it's important to voice your opinions and stick with them - it's a valuable lesson to be learned and one that we should teach our students.

Here's a clip of sounds poetry about the "Uncoolness of Having an Opinion" watch it - it's awesome!




ED-D 406: Adolescent Psychology with the amazing Cindy Brown, is a lot like Adolescent Psychology last term. She's funny, and engaging and makes psychology interesting.

ED-D 337B: Assessment with Lisa Starr is one of the courses that I'm not quite sure about yet. I like the class, and I understand the purpose of it; however, I think that assessment, and assessment practices should have been taught in our methods class last term and then just have had methods all year round.

EDCI 448: ESL is my elective this year and it takes place online. So far, I'm not that enthused about it. I really want to learn about teaching ESL but I find that the online nature of the course doesn't serve its best interest. Moodle is definitely not the most user friendly interactive site, but it is what we have to use.

ED-D 420: Exceptional Learners with Jen Morgan is turning out to be quite interesting. She is super knowledgeable and definitely wants us to learn. I think that this course will definitely be one of the more useful ones simply because it's not about when we'll have an exceptional student in our class, it's about how many we'll have in a given class. The reality of the situation is that learning and cognitive disabilities are becoming more and more prevalent in the school system and as future educators we need to know how to incorporate and include these students in the classroom.

EDCI 352: Multiliteracies.with Kirk Longpre, I've heard, is a lot like the cross curricular class that many of my colleagues had last term. I have two teachables so I did not take the cross curricular class, and I'm finding this multiliteracies class to be very useful. We're learning a lot about various strategies that encourage students to read and understand what they are reading. I will start posting these strategies on the blog as soon as I can.

Spring Practicum:

BIG NEWS! I'm heading to King George Secondary for my five week practicum! I'm very excited about this placement for a few reasons:

1. I have been told that it's a great community with great kids
2. It's located in Vancouver which means I get to live at home with my family
3. I've been told that I will be teaching grade 8 English!

I can't wait to start!

Ok, that's all for now, I'll try my best to stay on top of posting.

LC