Backward Design Template with Descriptions (click link for template with descriptions).
I feel like a teacher could make a similar template for students to fill out over the course of a lesson. The questions could be similar to the sections under stage 1. You could have students write down the goal of the lesson, what they need to understand, their essential questions, prior knowledge, etc. -AS
Term papers. Short-answer quizzes. Free-response questions. Homework assignments. Lab projects. Practice problems. Group projects. Among many others…
It seems these are all formal ways to assess a class. I wonder if you can use informal ways as well- AS
The figure above illustrates the three ideas. The first question listed above has instructors consider the knowledge that is worth being familiar with which is the largest circle, meaning it entails the most information. The second question above allows the instructor to focus on more important knowledge, the knowledge and skills that are important to know and do. Finally, with the third question, instructors begin to detail the enduring understandings, overarching learning goals, and big ideas that students should retain.
I love this graphic. It just shows how although we will tech them a lot of different things and details, the main goal is getting them to take away the main idea, or the most purposeful lesson. -AS
eliminates the possibility of doing certain activities and tasks for the sake of doing them
This also will help with time management. Eliminating the possibilities of "busy work" allows time for more purposeful activities, or activities on concepts that students are struggling with. -AS
“In teaching students for understanding, we must grasp the key idea that we are coaches of their ability to play the ‘game’ of performing with understanding, not tellers of our understanding to them on the sidelines.”
Reminder to guide and coach them through the lesson, not just lecture and them expect it all to click. We must teach, them give examples and demonstrate, and then guide them through it on their own. -AS
student learning and understanding. When teachers are designing lessons, units, or courses, they often focus on the activities and instruction rather than the outputs of the instruction. Therefore, it can be stated that teachers often focus more on teaching rather than learning.
This reminds me of the 1st year teacher handbook I am reading in my internship sced 499 class. It said in order to have a successful classroom we must have the classroom be student-based and not teacher-based. Therefore, we must track the students' progress, create goal-oriented lessons, and show them the purpose behind the lessons. -AS
“Our lessons, units, and courses should be logically inferred from the results sought, not derived from the methods, books, and activities with which we are most comfortable. Curriculum should lay out the most effective ways of achieving specific results… in short, the best designs derive backward from the learnings sought.”
This concept is so important while teaching. I remember so many times in school while sitting in class thinking "why are we learning this?" and "will I ever use this in the future?". By using backwards design the teachers are starting with the purpose. When students know the purpose of their lesson and understand how it can benefit them, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged to learn. -AS