E-Hints are short, easy-to-read posts that educators may find relevant to their school improvement processes. You might find an E-Hint on the latest research about a topic, a new approach to an instructional technique, or a “what works” tip from another school district. You are welcome to download E-Hints and share them with others within or outside your district.
Check out our recent E-Hints below!
eTip of the Week: Encourage Collaboration and Engagement with Appreciative Inquiry
Appreciative Inquiry is a technique that utilizes questions to guide learners in uncovering strengths and opportunities as a group. By recognizing these strengths, students are empowered to take on a sense of ownership in their learning environment, thereby creating a student-centered classroom with increased learner engagement working collaboratively toward a common goal.
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eTip of the Week: Use Roses and Thorns as a Formative Assessment Tool
Roses and thorns can be used as a student reflection strategy but also as a formative assessment tool. When needing to check in formatively with students, prompt them to write or tell about something they liked or understood about the topic (the rose). Then, ask them to share new information about the topic (the bud). Finally, ask students to share something they are still unsure about or have questions about in regard to the topic (the thorn).
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eTip of the Week: Reflect on Your Growth
As the school year starts to come to an end, educators and students often spend a lot of time reflecting. This week’s challenge is to reflect on your own growth this year! Share this post with how you have grown in your professional practice.
eTip of the Week: Encourage Interaction with Cooperative Learning Structures
Cooperative Learning Structures provide a system for teachers to organize students so they can interact collaboratively in authentic ways. Structures range in size from pairs, teams, to whole group and can be used to introduce, review, or brainstorm content. They also speak to a variety of learning styles and encourage students to work together.
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eTip of the Week: Use Learning Taxonomies to Write Measurable Learning Targets
Your district’s standards are a great starting point, and using learning taxonomies can help add rigor and variety to your curriculum. After identifying the specific verb from the standard, map it to the appropriate level in the learning taxonomy you are using to find an objective that fits well with the subject and content you are working with.
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eTip of the Week: Encourage Participation
Participation in the classroom can take many forms and can vary from student to student. By encouraging participation and sharing different options for doing so, we can collect more feedback from students and better gauge their understanding. From whole group methods to hand signals, or building off of peer responses, letting students know their participation…
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