A few months ago I wrote a post about the rubric function in Google Assignments and how you can create them. If you are still unfamiliar with what a rubric is you can read that post (and watch the some exemplar videos) here.
I am pleased to say that since that post was published staff at Denbigh have gone on to create many rubrics to help assess the progress of students and give feedback. These rubrics have had the added benefit of reducing workload in the marking process.
In this blog we will look at three effective ways that rubrics have been used across the school. If you have any other unique ways you are using rubrics please get in touch to let me know.
1) The rubric that 'soft marks' I'll be honest, this is essentially the 'tick and flick' equivalent of marking on Google Classroom (yet slightly better as I'll explain). At it's heart it is a simple rubric that does the equivalent of RAGing a piece of work and has been applied by many departments. Take a look at this example below that assesses 'quality of work' it is so generic it could be applied to almost any subject.
The advantage of a this rubric is that it is quick to set up and generates simple numeric data that is automatically stored in the markbook for every online lesson or homework task that a student completes. The rubric also helps teachers roughly assess, or 'soft mark', work that may not necessarily have a numeric value or be a key point of assessment that requires detailed marking. This type of marking also gives teachers a general understanding of student engagement and attitudes and can keep students motivated and on their toes. The disadvantage is that the feedback this rubric generates to students is not overly helpful in supporting progress, it just lets them know how happy you are with their work.
On a side note here is a great blog in defence of 'tick and flick' by David Didau.
2) The rubric that mimics assessment criteria These rubrics are far more complex as they attempt to reflect the assessment or marking criteria of a particular exam question or a set of KPIs for a particular subject. They may also only apply to a specific task/exam question in a subject area. Take a look at this example from English which provides a rubric for their 24 mark question in the GCSE language paper - it looks like a lot of work went into it!
However, despite the initial effort that is required to create a rubric like this the reward is great. First of all, the time it takes to mark an essay is reduced to a few clicks which automatically generates a score. Secondly, the rubric creates a highly valid bank of data that smartly identifies weaknesses which can in turn help formulate valid targets for a student and also help inform future teaching. The only drawback to this kind of rubric is the danger that a student may not be able to access the language of complex mark scheme or exam criteria if the rubric reflects it too closely. As such when they receive a mark and look at a rubric it may be difficult for students to decipher what it means and therefore not benefit from it. This highlights the importance of either thinking about the language we use when we create this kind of rubric or spending lesson time to help students understand the that criteria - something that is not always necessary or useful.
3) The rubric that provides scaffolding and develops metacognition The weakness of the previous rubric leads on to this final rubric possibility; a rubric that is designed to scaffold a task and develop metacognition. With this kind of rubric there may be a complete abandonment of any complex and convoluted language related to exam criteria and in its place a pupil friendly instructional language which guides students to succeed in a task process or skill.
In History and RE they have been developing rubrics just like this to help students answer longer essay questions and, rather than using the examination marking criteria, they have produced instructional rubrics that provide the scaffolds for different stages of the writing process. Take this example below where the rubric follows a paragraph by paragraph approach detailing what is expected from each stage which ultimately build towards a more complete answer.
The advantage of this rubric is that it helps students develop metacognition skills for a specific task (the process of writing this essay becomes ingrained the more they engage with the rubric) and although it may not neatly match up with an examination marking criteria, by students following the process they will develop consistency and competency in the task to the point that the rubric will barely be needed - as will happen in an exam. Of course personalized feedback can still be created to support progress further (as with any rubric) however, in this example it is the rubric that will underpin the skill.
A well thought out rubric can support progress and build confidence.
I hope you have found this blog useful. If you want further support developing rubrics please have a discussion with your team leader or let me know and I'll be happy to help. Thanks to all the teachers who have contributed to this blog and keep up the great work!
At Denbigh there are some amazing remote learning practices; Loom videos, Mote feedback, Rubrics in assignments and more. But each of these in isolation does not guarantee that our remote learning is delivering the best results. In this blog post we will look at 6 practices that are common in some of the best remote learning at Denbigh. I am sure it will help you recognise your own good habits and also enable you to reflect on how you can further develop your practice.
1 - The quantity of learning is achievable
Too often one of the barriers to learning is knowledge overload. In a remote learning episode we have to be clear and specific on what we expect our students to learn by the end of it. This also has to be achievable and pose the right level of challenge. Great practice would be to include a small number of key takeaways in our pre-records and keep our videos relatively short especially if what they are learning is new. In last weeks blog the example from Tom Davies demonstrates this well.
Look! Here is a relevant visual metaphor.
2 - The curriculum pace is kept slow
Many of us may be concerned about not covering the content in our curriculums or specifications, because of this we may feel the need to move through the curriculum as quickly as we would do when students are in the classroom. This could be a recipe for disaster. We have probably all noticed that student engagement is not at 100% and that many students are finding it more difficult to learn at home independently. As such, we need to give students more time to consolidate knowledge through regular review and rehearsal. We should build this into our remote learning curriculum. Furthermore, by slowing down the pace, students will feel less overwhelmed, feel secure in the knowledge they are acquiring and ultimately be more confident. Going slow also has the added bonus of giving students who have found it difficult to engage the chance and time to catch up.
"Slow and steady wins the race" said the tortoise to the hare.
Obviously, slowing down the pace of a curriculum is a topic for discussion in subject areas. You could consider how year groups may need to be treated differently. For example a year 9 group starting a GCSE may benefit from going slow now, building a secure knowledge base, and then speeding up later when they come back into school. After all there is no point rushing through a curriculum now (during a lockdown) then in year 11 finding you have to teach it all again because they have forgotten it. In KS3 some subjects may even consider reducing the content in their curriculums to ensure what they do learn - they learn well.
For example Maishah Khan has reduced her Year 9 Psychology curriculum considerably to only teach one key theory this term (only four pages of the GCSE textbook). The first three weeks of term students have engaged in small chunks of new knowledge where understanding was assessed using quizzes and short questions. Then, in the upcoming three weeks students are due to consolidate this knowledge into revision resources, exam style questions and a mini-assessment that finally culminates into an evaluation of the theory.
An overview of the remote learning curriculum in Year 9 Psychology.
3 - Only tasks that effectively support and check learning are set
Many of the tasks that we set in the classroom do not translate effectively to the remote learning digital environment. Let's consider a word search or crossword activity. In the classroom it's a reasonable little starter that can settle students and get them to retrieve some keywords with some good questioning. However, set as a remote learning task it can be a nightmare... lots of emails and comments "how do you fill in the word search? How can I highlight the words? I can't do the word search sir! Help!" All of a sudden you may have a large number of students stuck on a task that at the end of the day is pretty meaningless when it comes to assessing the learning. The task can actually become a barrier to learning.
Do this word search digitally and hand it in to me. Then tell me what you learnt.
We cannot recreate remote lessons as a facsimile of how we delivered them in the classroom, it does not work. The best remote learning ruthlessly cuts tasks that will create barriers to student learning and only sets tasks which will support learning and enable it to be assessed efficiently.
4 - Tasks are modelled effectively
Sometimes the tasks we want students to complete are complex and necessary. If this is the case, we must model them. If a student cannot understand the process of a task, they will not engage and they will feel demotivated. How can you avoid this in a remote learning context? Model tasks to students explicitly through video tutorials - and it MUST be in videos. Students respond far better to practical demonstrations of tasks rather than written instructions (NEWSFLASH - they often don't even read them!). We know that when we are in the classroom live modelling is one of the most effective methods that a teacher employs to support students to engage in a task; we can't just replace this with written instruction and expect the same results.
In MFL the team have been superb in sharing a video for every lesson explaining how to complete tasks along with written instructions. You can also look at this example from Eric Adjei's Year 11 History where he models an essay question in his own unique style that is the only task for completion that lesson.
5 - Regular feedback is given
Doing work and getting no feedback is almost the same as doing no work at all. A lack of feedback and acknowledgement of the work completed is intrinsically de-motivating. As teachers, we need to avoid this by offering feedback as soon as we possibly can. This need not be onerous. With self-marking quizzes, rubrics and now the amazing mote, we have several time-saving ways to give feedback. The video below is an example of how you can use google forms to provide automatic feedback that has been developed in RE. You can also check this post here about the use of rubrics.
Whole class feedback is also a great time saving way to keep students motivated. Take a look at this example from Taslima Hannan in English where she gives some group feedback on a poetry task her year 8's have completed.
6 - The human touch is not lost
The saddest part of the remote learning experience is that the relationship between teacher and students can often be lost. In this lockdown the formulaic, almost robotic like routine of plan lesson, post lesson, mark work and repeat, has removed the humanity from being a teacher. The jokes, the smiles, the equally enjoyable nagging and telling offs, the motivational speeches... all the things that make teaching and learning a fulfilling human experience have disappeared!
Well there are ways to keep the human touch going. Why not send a motivational video of yourself to your classes? Do some positive name dropping and bigging up (the students that aren't mentioned might get the hint). Have a watch of my little pep talk to my year 11s this week and see what you think.
We need to remember that these are extraordinary times and that for many of us it is a difficult time too. We need to show understanding and encouragement.
...
Thanks to all the teachers who have contributed to this week's blog. There will be more examples of good practice coming next week. Leave a comment if you have found this useful or interesting - it'll make my day! 😊
At any point in these winter months we may be told to self-isolate. A positive test in our household, a notification from the NHS Covid-19 app or a call from test and trace could result in the instruction to self-isolate. If this happens to us, and we are otherwise healthy, the expectation for teachers is to continue to work from home and also deliver live lessons.
What is a live lesson?
A live lesson is delivered online by a teacher who is self-isolating to students who are in school. For a lesson period the teacher should be available to deliver parts of the lesson through Google Meet or a pre-recorded video and be available to communicate with a cover supervisor and students through Google Classroom.
Setting up a live lesson
The day before you teach a live lesson you should be informed by the cover supervisors who will be taking your lesson (if this does not happen you should set cover as normal - see FAQ). Once you know who is going to cover your lesson it is your responsibility to invite them to a Google Meet.
To do this you need to create a calendar event. Go to your Google Calendar, click create, then set the time and date of the meeting, invite the relevant cover supervisor and then make sure you click 'Add Google Meet video conferencing'. Save this and then you meeting is arranged.
You should also ensure that you invite the cover supervisor into the relevant Google Classroom were you can set the instructions for cover as well as any work that you want your class to complete. Please note you should still send in a cover lesson template to provide a back up.
What should a live lesson look like?
A live lesson does not require the self-isolating teacher to be visible for the entire lesson. Below is a simple infographic on what a good live lesson can look like:
The first part of the lesson does require the self-isolating teacher to be visible. At this point the lesson objectives should be shared and direct instruction can take place. This could be reviewing previous learning followed by delivering new knowledge or modelling a skill. Please note that this can be done live or through a pre-recorded video.
Once direct instruction has taken place students can then engage in an activity. Ideally this would be set up as an assignment in Google Classroom, however it could be a task set that students can complete in exercise books or using another online resource. During the activity the cover supervisor will monitor the behavior for learning and the self-isolating teacher need not be visible.
If the task has been set on Google Classroom, the teacher can monitor the activity and if desired can provide live feedback and respond to student questions or enquiries from the cover supervisor.
Once the task is completed the teacher can then provide feedback. This feedback could be based on work completed in the Google Classroom or through a pre-prepared exemplar. Either way, the feedback should summarize the desired learning outcome.
Depending on the length of the task set you may want to set up a follow up activity following a similar method.
Summary
Evidently there will be a great deal of variation between live lessons delivered in different subject areas, the key thing is to make it simple and achievable for both you as a teacher, the cover supervisor and the students. Following this guidance will help you deliver a successful live lesson if ever you are required to self-isolate. Below are some FAQs that may also support in your delivery of live lessons. If there are further questions please do not hesitate to email me.
FAQs
Why do I need to be seen in a live lesson? Can't I just set an Oak academy lesson?
Evidence suggest that students engage with their class teacher far more effectively than with people they are unfamiliar with. A live lesson with you at the helm will support students make progress and as such would be the ideal way to deliver lessons whilst self-isolating.
Can I speak to students?
No. When you deliver a live lesson you will not be able to see or hear students. Behavior for learning will be in the hands of the cover supervisor. You can communicate with students through the Google Classroom and also instruct the cover supervisor to ask questions on your behalf through e-mail or the Google Classroom.
What if I have childcare issues whilst self isolating which prevent me from delivering a live session?
If you are unable to deliver a session live you can pre-record any direct instruction in advance using software such as Screencastify or Loom and share this with the cover supervisor. You should still be contactable by the cover supervisor through Google Classroom or e-mail.
What if I become ill when I am self-isolating?
If you become ill whilst self-isolating you should inform cover of your illness and set cover as normal. You are not expected to deliver a live lesson.
What if I am self-isolating but have not been informed by cover who is covering my lesson?
This may happen for a variety of reasons that are beyond the control of the cover supervisor. In this case set cover as normal. As an ideal you can still share recordings of direct instruction and set and monitor work through Google Classroom. You should still be available during that lesson hour in case any communication comes your way from a cover supervisor.
What about Chromebooks?
Ideally you would want to use Google Classroom to deliver a live lesson - In year 8, 9, 10 and soon to be 7, the majority of students have chromebooks. If you require additional chromebooks they should be booked in the normal way and the cover supervisor should be informed of this when you submit a cover template. In year 11 where students may not have chromebooks the work you set through the Google Classroom may have to reflect that limitation.
Let's be honest, marking has always been a drag for teachers. Going through books, deciphering the handwriting, giving meaningful comments... it could all take an age. The impact of this incredible effort has also always been a debatable one. I know, from personal experience as an RE teacher, that once I've completed a piece of marking the impact it has on many students is negligible, especially considering the amount of time between them doing the work and then me getting it back to them.
Is there a better way?
Well yes. Marking using Google Classroom.
In GCSE RE we have put a great deal of effort into the use of assignments on Google Classroom - we have used them both in the classroom and remotely. Now, with the introduction of the rubric tool, a revolution is taking place. It is now possible to mark work and give feedback so quickly and efficiently that our marking has becoming a powerful tool with meaningful impact. Have a watch of this video to see how we have designed and used a rubric to improve our marking and feedback.
What do you think of that? Is it something that could work in your context? Consider that using this system means marking can be done anywhere, anytime without the need to go near (or carry) a pile of exercise books, and that the feedback is quick, legible and easy to act upon. There's got to be a way you can use it!
Below is another video with a brief guide on how to make a rubric.
Obviously traditional marking will have it's place (for now). We still want students to complete written work and we will still need to mark this work - and in some subjects requirements are different. Nevertheless, the direction of travel, particularly in light of Covid-19, is that digital learning is the future, and that includes digital examinations. Get ahead of the game and start to experiment with rubrics.
With the likelihood that further Covid-19 restrictions will return in the autumn and winter months the probability that we will have to resort to some form of distance learning is also high (as I write already three year groups have been sent home to isolate). As such we should be keenly aware of developing our ability to provide the best quality teaching and learning for our students through distance learning. We can start this by developing our current technology for learning practices so that, when distant learning happens we will be ready for a seamless transition.
In this blog we will look at a few basic strategies that, if we develop and make them a part of our culture of practice in now, we can make the change to distance learning seemless for our students - it is a blended learning approach.
If you wish to see these techniques demonstrated and ask further questions DEnbigh staff can sign up for the additional CPD session on Wednesday 30th September, led by myself and Emma Darcy; sign up here.
1. Using Google Classroom to share.
One of the simplest things to do with your lesson resources is to share them. Upload your lesson presentations, worksheets, video links and more just with a few clicks. By sharing resources we make sure that all students have access to them whether they are in school or out. You can also provide detailed instructions for what you want students to do with the resources when they are shared.
2. Google Classroom to assess - Summative and Formative
Assessment is now so easy using google classroom. For formal assessments and exam questions it is possible to set assignments which students can complete in school using Chromebooks or at home. Marking these assessments is easy - you can edit students' work to add literacy suggestions automatically, you can create comment banks to give students specific feedback, and for exam questions you can even create generic rubrics that can act as assessment criteria (which you can mark along to). This is time saving and can be done at a great distance or even in the classroom for live marking. If you want to assess speaking you can also have student upload recordings of themselves that you can give feedback too.
AFL can also be built into live lessons using google forms. You can easily set a google form that can contain short, low-stakes, multiple choice knowledge questions that can be marked automatically and give you instant feedback that can be shared with the class. This can also be done remotely.
It is important to note that in both of these examples Google Classroom will automatically create a mark sheet for you that can track student progress. In the context of distance learning this is useful information that can assess how much a student is engaging with work and also how well they are doing -providing evidence for you if you need to call home for concerns or praise!
3. Using Chromebooks for literacy.
Sharing resources is easy. Why not share reading resources? In a live lesson students reading along to an extract that a teacher is reading in front of them is a powerful way to improve the vocabulary of students. Engaging in reading, with a Chromebook at their fingertips, also provides them with the means to build their understanding using online dictionaries or further signposted resources that can illustrate the concepts they are reading about.
In distance learning scenarios you can still share reading as an activity. Then provide them with a google form quiz to assess understanding (multiple choices questions are good here) and then a longer written assignment that assesses comprehension and other desired skills.
4. Using Chromebooks to open the world.
Why not send students on an trip during distance learning? You can! Here is a 360 degree tour of the Holy Sites of Jerusalem and another visit to North Pole. Just two among hundreds available!
The internet is a gateway to the world. So long as we provide them direction, students can see the world in a way that builds their knowledge in your subject. Using resources such as Google Expeditions and Google Poly we can open the world up to our students. For the latest list of expeditions available on Google Expeditions have a look here. I need not remind you that YouTube also has a wealth of educational videos and guided tours of world sites that are also worth a search - here is a 360 degree tour of St Paul's Cathedral in London that could be used in history and RE.
5. Using Screencastify to explain and model.
Screencastify is a recording tool which is an extension added to google chrome. The free version (which we have at Denbigh) enables you to record 5 minute videos of your computer screen (such as presentation slides) with you talking over. My covid video was produced using screencastify and, after a few practice runs, I found it an easy to use.
The impact that screencastify can have for distance learning is powerful.
During lockdown, students reported that one of the biggest things they missed was teachers explaining concepts to them. Reading from presentations can be effective, but that guided pieces of teacher narrative can make the difference. Using screencastify we can record short and concise explanations of the more difficult concepts we deliver in our subjects. We can also model how to tackle exam questions or problems using meta-cognitive speech - a proven way to support student progress that is hard to replicate using the written word.
