Structuring Feedback Mini Lessons

Part of the formative feedback loop that is vitally important is the mini lessons which structure your customized feedback for students not demonstrating mastery. These short instructional sessions are best focused on before the formative assessments are given to craft their focus. This is a perfect time for backwards planning, what is it that you want the students to know/ be able to do? How does this formative assessment address standards or performance indicators?

You Are Already Doing This!

I think that teachers do this naturally, but everyone- even those with lots of experience benefit from sitting down and considering these details. In my classroom I devote five to ten minutes each day with students who did not show mastery on the warm up activity providing feedback. This is done while the class breaks into the day's lesson. To be able to provide instructional time to the entire class, I need to be really clear with what I'm saying to students I'm helping one to one. An unintended consequence is that I am able to narrow down my vocabulary and techniques to be really clear with each student, which in turn makes this even more effective. So next time a lesson is created, consider the problems, misconceptions and errors that students will make while engaging with the material. This way you'll be able to better anticipate your response and plan out how you'll be most helpful.