I'm joining up with Holly for her Tried it Tuesday linky. It's only the second week of this linky party and I love it already! I love people saving me time by just giving me great ideas and resources!!
This week I am sharing something that I tried this year in my classroom. Well I should mention I tried it reluctantly, very reluctantly. There has been a big push for the last two years in my area to provide descriptive feedback to students so they know exactly how they could improve their work. It could be done in a quick conference with the student, it could be notes on their work, or notes on a checklist/rubric. I enjoy quick check-ins with my students and the 2 stars and a wish strategy (even made up my own stickers using Avery mini-circle labels, click here and here for a copy - of course you need to buy your own labels!!).
This year our principal said we had to have a "Bump It Up" bulletin board in our classroom (and I thought great one more thing we "have" to do). The purpose of the bulletin board is to display a learning goal, checklist for students and sample work with descriptive feedback posted. This is where I struggled - I did not think it was right to display student work with feedback on it for the whole class to see. But we "had" to have one in our class so I googled Bump it Up Boards, looked at some pictures and read a little. Then I made it work for me and my class - and even though I was reluctant to do it - it is working for me.
This is how I use it:
1. post the actual expectation
2. post a student friendly version of the expectation
3. post a checklist of what you need to be successful
4. give students an assignment (we wrote predictions for the book "I Wanna New Room")
5. use student samples that I have typed up and maybe changed a little (to protect the innocent!)
6. as a class we review the checklist and then use the checklist to assess a piece of work - no levels or grades are mentioned - we just give feedback
7. I write up feedback using the categories: consider, start, continue to , stop and do less and post the feedback and the work on the board
8. before students begin the next assignment we review what we learned from the Bump it Up board - they can use it as a reference while working
This bulletin board is working for my class. We use it for writing, reading response questions and math problem solving. The students are very respectful when providing feedback and then actually use the feedback to "bump up" their next assignment (some even want to fix their previous work). They go back and look at the examples and the feedback and the checklist, woo hoo!
I have 2 Bump it Up Bulletin Board sets with subject headings to post learning goals in my TpT store for $1.00 (this one and an owl theme) but it is a super easy bulletin board to create and you could do one that matches your decor/theme.
Some other teachers in my school make up a work example that is a Level 1 or 2 and then work together to bump it up to a level 3 and then bump it up some more to a level 4 and post that example instead of student work.
This is awesome! Thank you for sharing it! Might be trying that next year!
ReplyDeleteJivey
ideas by jivey
I LOVE this! I think I'm going to start working on one. I'm headed over to your shop to check out the sets.
ReplyDeleteBTW I love that you're honest about being reluctant to try it.. I feel like that sometimes, and most of the blogs I read feel like everyone is this SUPER TEACHER that gets it all done. Glad to know you all are human, too :)
What a neat idea. It really shows your students exact examples! Thanks for sharing! I'm going to run over to TPT to see your sets! :)
ReplyDeleteTracey
Third Grade All Stars
Never heard of a Bump it Up Board. Is it part of a program at your school or Common Core? I'm in TX and we don't use Common Core, we use the TEKS.
ReplyDeleteDeniece
It is part of our school board/district focus. We need to post learning goals and provide students with descriptive feedback to improve their work. This is just one way they want us to do it. I think it would work well with any curriculum expectations (mine are the Ontario Curriculum expectations).
DeleteIt seems like the Bump it Up Boards are working very well for your class! I really like having kids give each other feedback. It helps them better understand what a quality piece of work looks like and how to improve their own work. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAmy
Eclectic Educating
So interesting! I've never heard of a Bump It Up board, but this looks awesome! Good for your kids for using the bulletin board to improve their work :-)
ReplyDeleteSarah
MissKinBK
Thanks Sarah! It was rewarding when I saw the kids using it!
DeleteThis looks fantastic! Your story is so familiar... I'm an Ontario teacher as well!! I think I could "tweak" my Bump It Up Wall to include some of your ideas easily! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteErin B
Mrs. Beattie's Classroom
I really like this idea. I have never heard of one before... I'm thinking it would be great for our reading response letters.... hum... the possibilities.
ReplyDeleteI agree with a previous commenter- thank you for being honest. I love to read a good honest blog- which is one reason I love yours so much.
Thanks again!
Kelly
Koonce’s Korner
I would be reluctant to use this at first too. However, I love how you adapted it for your class (although, to be honest it seems like a ton of work and overwhelming like anything new!). That being said, I can see so much value in this for the students! I have it pinned because I would love to do a version of this later this year or next:) Thank you so much for linking up!
ReplyDelete~Holly
Fourth Grade Flipper
Looks great! I have a friend who teaches in New York and has to do something very similar, but with EVERY bulletin board in her room and hallway EVERY month! Yikes! I love your sets and stickers!
ReplyDeleteJoanne
Head Over Heels For Teaching
Huh, interesting idea. Yeah, I'm with you. I would not want to display student work with feedback written (and actually, our principal discourages that very much). But, I can see the value in what you are doing. It does seem like a ton of work.
ReplyDeleteI need to chew on this. Sorry, my comment is not very good. I'm thinking about this. I can't multi-task. ;O)
Amanda
Collaboration Cuties
I have never heard of a bump it up board before but I really love the idea. It always seems hard to put a student's work out there with feedback because it seems like it should be kept private but I think the way that you have posted the work it promotes a community that says "We are all proud of our work but we can all work hard and improve as well!"
ReplyDeletePolka Dots & Teaching Tots
I love this too! Thanks for making this and sharing. I just want to say that I feel exactly the same way - we are doing the same thing at my school where we need to post the learning goals and success criteria and then give descriptive feedback. It's tough for sure!
ReplyDeleteJenn
Doodling Around in 6th Grade