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: Inform Instruction With Formative Assessment
A quick formative assessment before, during, or after instruction can inform your next steps in planning for your students. Implementing formative assessments allows you to assess where your students are at and plan reteach or enrichment activities as well as determine what level of support is needed moving forward. When you formatively assess students, providing a low-stakes assessment such as an exit slip, think-pair-share, or 3-2-1 summary will engage students and enable them to demonstrate their learning.
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eTip of the Week: Provide Structured Feedback
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
eTip of the Week: Promote Cooperative Learning with the Jigsaw Strategy
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.
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eTip of the Week: Share Your Favorite Instructional Strategy
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.
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eTip of the Week: Create a Local Curriculum
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.
eTip of the Week: Use Performance Assessments
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.
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