When learner goals have been articulated in scale format, the teacher and
students have clear direction about instructional targets as well as
descriptions of levels of understanding and performance for those targets.
We are starting our educational journey of using scales in our classroom to help students become more active in their learning and to help them understand how to self monitor where they are at in their learning and what is necessary to move to the next level in their learning. This is a very cognitively complex task and that is why we are starting with a very tangible goal: hallway behavior. Students can see each element on the scale, hands to myself, voices off and traveling in a safe way. They love the idea of being able to check in next week and see if we have moved on the scale. My job is to help students realize where ever you start is a great place to be because the end goal is to move up the scale over time. It is equally important for me to help the students use the scale to see what they need to do to move up and meet the learning goal for that scale.
We reference our scale before we enter the hallway each day as we are just starting out on this adventure. We visualize what a 3 on the scale would look like and then we set out to see if we can accomplish just that. Our goal would be for all learners to get to a 3 on every scale we use in the classroom by the end of the unit. As this is our first scale, we will be checking in this Thursday and each week for a few weeks until students feel comfortable thinking about themselves, being honest with where they are at in their learning and marking themselves on the scale according to that.
We are starting our educational journey of using scales in our classroom to help students become more active in their learning and to help them understand how to self monitor where they are at in their learning and what is necessary to move to the next level in their learning. This is a very cognitively complex task and that is why we are starting with a very tangible goal: hallway behavior. Students can see each element on the scale, hands to myself, voices off and traveling in a safe way. They love the idea of being able to check in next week and see if we have moved on the scale. My job is to help students realize where ever you start is a great place to be because the end goal is to move up the scale over time. It is equally important for me to help the students use the scale to see what they need to do to move up and meet the learning goal for that scale.
We reference our scale before we enter the hallway each day as we are just starting out on this adventure. We visualize what a 3 on the scale would look like and then we set out to see if we can accomplish just that. Our goal would be for all learners to get to a 3 on every scale we use in the classroom by the end of the unit. As this is our first scale, we will be checking in this Thursday and each week for a few weeks until students feel comfortable thinking about themselves, being honest with where they are at in their learning and marking themselves on the scale according to that.
