Day 4 Blog - Shanna

Video Response:

Critical Friends: Looking at Student Work

     Using a tool like Critical Friends in evaluating their teaching practices is valuable for teachers in reflecting because it makes the teacher stop, listen to feedback from colleagues and answer clarifying questions before diving in to the next unit or topic. I like the idea of receiving feedback from colleagues. They can offer a unique perspective that the teacher may not have considered prior to the protocol. In remaining silent during the feedback, the teacher is forced to listen rather than defend their thinking. It is conducted in a low stress, non-threatening manner which is as important to teachers as it is to students.

     This protocol works because the layout of the room and the teachers' manner is very relaxed. It is informal and non-threatening. The teachers must have a sense of community and trust. In order to be effective, and not a waste of everyone's time, the feedback and questions should be well thought out real, not just fluff and compliments.

     This protocol could certainly be adapted to use with children. I plan to use a very watered-down version at the end of my PBL. First, the teacher would need to establish norms and expectations for behavior. He/she could model what a Critical Friends protocol would look like in action. Students would ask questions and give each other meaningful feedback. This protocol could be adapted for any age.

     I plan to embed Turn and Talk into my PBL. It is a protocol I have used with my students in the past and after I model the process, often in the beginning, I have found it to be a useful protocol in the past. I also plan to adapt Critical Friends to be valuable to kindergarten. I will need to model the process and teach students to take turns but I think it will be a fun protocol to try out this year. Finally, I am planning to use the Speaking Stick. I am planning to use it as a protocol before Critical Friends. It will be a great way to assess students understanding while teaching them to take turns. They may only talk when they are holding the stick. The "Speaking Stick" protocol can be adapted for student-student and teacher/student.