Whether working with students or colleagues, providing immediate, structured feedback is an effective method of making connections and facilitating growth and reflection. Consider using the TAG Strategy when providing feedback to others.
T: Tell something you like
A: Ask a question
G: Give a suggestion
The Jigsaw Strategy gives students the opportunity to become “experts” on a section within a topic of study. After mastering their specified topic, students share their material with another group. This continues until a collective, complete understanding is created. This strategy empowers students to take ownership while learning new information and developing collaboration skills.
Using a variety of instructional strategies is an important avenue to reaching all learners. Whether it is a tried and true method, or a newer technique, share your favorite instructional strategy that you use with your learners.
State standards are an integral part of the curriculum, but do not serve as a curriculum on their own. Developing a local curriculum allows the district to include additional skills and content beyond the rigor of state standards that are locally important, as well as organize content into teachable units that are aligned vertically across grade levels.
Performance and Product Assessments provide students the opportunity to connect concepts they have learned, think about them more deeply, and apply them in a meaningful, engaging way such as through projects, presentations, or demonstrations. Students utilize higher-order thinking skills and are empowered with a voice that provides them with a platform to communicate what they have learned.
Connecting content across curricular areas allows for deeper, authentic learning opportunities. Students are able to apply skills they learn in meaningful, relevant ways and in real-world contexts. These connections also allow for increased engagement and speaks to a variety of learning styles.
