GoFormative

So here I am on a Tuesday night, exhausted.  My children are sick but I feel motivated to Blog.  So this year I am a Digital Learning Coach, supporting 11 teachers to integrate technology in order to improve instruction.

Of all my fellows, my math fellow is my most challenging in many ways:

1. She teachers math (I am a CORE teacher)
2. She is AMAZING and already "techie"
3. She always asks "why", "is this really going to support the students", "will this really improve my instruction"
4. She has the right pedagogy 

Isn't she amazing, what does she need me for is what I ask myself all of the time...  But that is why I like supporting her because it is a challenge for me.  It takes me out of my comfort zone and gives me perspective.  

One tool that I have introduced to her that she has been using is GoFormative.

GoFormative is one way for teachers to collect data on the spot and use it to inform their instruction.  Some of its highlights:

• You can give students a show your work problem and you can see them as they are doing their work

• You can give them immediate feedback
• You can take one student's response and show it on the board for error analysis
• You can collect multiple choice responses or short answers

So I have challenged my fellow to use this tool to flip her classroom.  I really hope that she takes me up on the offer and that we try it at least once.  The idea is to record herself presenting part of the notes.  She can then embed her own video into formative and include 2-3 practices.  This will allow her to look at students' answers to be able to do error analysis and determine what she needs to review/teach and it will save class time.

Flipping is not easy, but I think it would be worth a try for her and me!  Challenge yourself, it helps you grow.