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Students Stop and Think

Mar 25

Students assessing their own work can take many different forms in the classroom but the purpose remains the same; for students to become actively involved in the learning process. Rather than relying on feedback from one person, their teacher, students learn to monitor their own learning. It is important that they begin to see the parts of their assignments that meet the criteria that are set out and the parts that need more attention.
When students self-assess, it allows teachers to see the gaps between what they have taught and what students have learned. Giving time for students to self-assess allows teachers to slow down the pace of their teaching to better match the speed of student learning. This process also allows students the time they need to process new information.
Pause and think activities are times where students ‘think’ about what they are learning. Some teachers use exit or entrance slips, reflection cards or learning logs. Students are required to make a list of things they have learned and tell the teacher about something that is still difficult for them. Teachers may also ask students to show ‘evidence’ of learning. This requires students to select a sample of their work as their evidence. Teachers also ask students to refer to their criteria checklists and determine whether or not they have met the requirements for an assignment or not.