How can teachers bring past and future learning to life?
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
Benjamin Franklin
Planet AFL . . . Mr Castor’s favourite planet!
AFL (assessment for learning) is an approach to teaching and learning. It will provoke and provide teachers with essential feedback.
Learner: Why are we learning this, sir? Teacher: Because you need to know it.
It took me a long time to master the art of questioning: using questions that would allow me to bring learning to life. Timing is essential; however, I often planned questions at the weekend or during the evening. This meant that I was unable to know the best time to ask the questions I was framing. Rarely did I ask all the planned questions, and many of them had little effect on the actual learning that was taking place. The best questions are the ones inspired by the student’s own thinking.
Undeterred, I did devise a sophisticated system for keeping my students’ questions alive: giving out memo cards, and asking them to record their thoughts or questions on them. The problem with this method was that by the time I had returned home I had acquired a pocketful of cards and a series of Post-Its concerning jobs that I needed to do. I was in desperate need having a canvas that would allow me to begin the planning process not just at home but also as and when the learning was taking place. Planet Castor’s signature planning canvases accomplish just this. They will enable you to tap in to your own students’ minds and gain the necessary knowledge to help you to continue driving their learning forward.
Many of our AFL resources are intertwined, each one enhancing the other. By making effective use of our Planet AFL resources, your time and energy now spent on employing different formative assessment strategies will ultimately show in any future summative assessments that your students do. Should they approach these summative assessments as an athlete would on competition day, with the right growth outlook, they too are sure to apply themselves fully as they set about shining in any assessment or test that they may be given.
Our Planet AFL resources engage and enthuse all learners, and in the process the feedback gained will ultimately improve each student’s performance. Our inclusive approach empowers all students to take part in the processes, and from this they will gain confidence in what they are expected to learn and to what standard.
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