The feedback students receive is how they begin to evaluate and adjust their learning.

If they are not given valuable and authentic feedback they may believe they are successfully engaging in the content or meeting the desired criteria for success, when they are not. The type of feedback students receive should be specific to their accomplishments and work. Throughout this unit I gave students verbal feedback. When communicating with students about their progress I consistently made sure it was specific to their work. For example when students where working individually on their sheets At first it was a triangle, then. I made sure my communication to them was directly related to their written work. If a student wrote at first it was a triangle then, it was a hat. I was hoping that students added richer descriptive details. So I would ask questions such as how did you make it a hat? Did you use other shapes to create this hat? To get them writing more I would say: Could you tell me more about how this hat is shaped like a triangle? I would also give specific praises: I like how you created SpongeBob and then when you wrote about him, you not only talked about the square shape but you added details about the circles on his body and rectangular legs. This type of feedback is not only specific to what they were doing but is immediate. Immediate feedback is needed in the classroom. When students are provided with immediate feedback they are able to adjust and enhance their understanding before practicing it. When students become attached to a learning

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strategy that is incorrect, it can be difficult to alter their understanding or adjust their method of solving the problem if not discussed in a timely manor. I provided immediate feedback through constant communication when working in the small-guided group teacher station. At this station I was able to ask clarifying questions, congratulate triumphs, and decipher any errors. I also provided specific immediate feedback when students were working independently I would navigate the room and answer questions and check on students understanding. I believe that written feedback is also a positive form of feedback that is useful in the classroom. However, with first grade students written feedback is not the best way to inform them of their progress. They have a difficult time reading handwriting and words that they have not seen before. While student teaching in the third and fifth grade, I consistently would give written feedback on students work. Then when I passed back assignments students would have the chance to read any feedback given and ask me any additional questions they might have had. My written feedback was never negative; I used it to ask the students additional questions about their writing or thinking process. Within the first grade when I reviewed students work, I would always leave a big smiley face. This way students knew I looked at their turned in work. I believe it is important that students know their work is valued and I am paying attention to their progress. While looking over their work if I noticed a student was really struggling with a concept, it gave me the opportunity to collect the students who needed additional support and create an intervention group. With an intervention group I provided verbal feedback to the students. Reviewing students work was also

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helpful for me because I was able to adjust my lesson plans based off of any misconceptions or missed concepts the students were struggling with. For example I noticed that the students were having a difficult time distinguishing between a square, rectangle, and a trapezoid. Because of this we spent a mini-lesson day identify the key differences between these shapes by looking at their distinguishing characteristics and charting them. They were then given individual work time to practice. After this minilesson each student made significant progress. Collaboration between parents/guardians and me about student learning is a useful tool. If a consistent stream of communication is occurring between the teacher and the parents, then a stronger support system is built for the child. If a student is struggling with a concept and the parent has been made aware of the situation from the beginning and given additional supports, the parent can work at home to further develop their childs understanding. For example mathematics tends to be a subject most students struggle with. If a few students were consistently struggling with multiplication, I would sent home paper manipulative sets and multiplication so the parent can practice with the student. I believe parents want to be an advocate and have full disclosure of their students progress in the classroom. This is why sending home students work, a homework calendar, and having an open email policy is the methods I plan to use to keep parents informed. During this math unit I worked to collaborate with parents by sending home students work consistently throughout the two weeks. When looking through the students Monday folders parents can identify what their child is learning and how they

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are progressing during the week. When parents volunteered in the classroom I always had them directly involved with the students learning. I believe this is another way parents can begin to understand the expectations we have for their child. I know not all parents have the time or ability to volunteer. The ones who did volunteer I liked to having them involved rather then grading papers. Parents can be a useful tool in helping students progresses but they need to be informed and given ways to be involved with their students school work. When I have my own classroom I plan on having a teacher website where parents can check in on students progress and the assignments given each day in class. I also plan on consistently working on improving the ways I give students consistent immediate feedback. The last thing I hope to implement in my classroom is a place for students to give me feedback. I believe that students are very honest and an excellent source of feedback to help me improve as a teacher.

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