Teaching Tips
May tips for student engagement and collaboration!
John Hattie's Barometer of Influence
John Hattie introduced the concept of effect size to measure the impact of various influences on student learning. An effect size of 0.4 is considered to be the "hinge point" for significant impact.
250 + Influences on Student Achievement (Click on picture to view)
Rubrics for Assessment
Rubrics are powerful tools that make assessment clearer and more meaningful—for both teachers and students. Here's how:
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Clear Expectations: Rubrics outline exactly what success looks like, helping students produce higher-quality work.
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Objective Grading: With specific criteria, grading becomes more consistent and transparent.
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Targeted Feedback: Students receive precise feedback on strengths and areas for growth.
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Student Reflection: When students use rubrics to self-assess, they build ownership and critical thinking skills.
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Instructional Alignment: Rubrics help teachers plan and adjust instruction to meet learning goals.
Tip: Share rubrics before an assignment begins and use them during peer/self-assessments to boost engagement!
Use Magic School AI to help create your next rubric and assessment!
Assessment Reflection
This strategy is a post-assessment reflection completed individually first and then shared in a small group. After an assessment, the teacher provides a list of questions so learners can reflect on their assessment experience. During group discussion, ideas are collected as new information to support students to better prepare for and engage in future assessments. Consider the following or similar questions. You might also use strategies such as Plus, Minus, Interesting, or Plus/Delta.
- How engaged were you with this assessment? Why?
- What did you feel most confident about? Why?
- What did you do that led to your success or confidence?
- What was the most difficult part of this assessment? Why?
- What would you do differently next time?
- What was the most confusing? Why?
- What do you know about the topic that the assessment didn’t allow you to show?
nwea: Teach Learn Grow: The Education Blog
Questions about strategies in this newsletter? Contact:
Tonya Swavely
Staff Development Facilitator
Email: swavelyt@cliu.org
Carbon Lehigh IU 21