Becoming a master teacher

Learning to teach requires more than mere content knowledge mastery.

To engage learners no matter what form your classroom takes, stay informed of teaching practices that empower both teachers and students. One such example: formative learning.

Incorporating formative learning into classroom prep ensures a dynamic and student-centered learning environment; about 85% of educators in a recent SmartBrief and ETS survey relayed that improving their proficiency when creating formative assessments ranks higher than any other professional development effort.

As ETS Principal Research Scientist Caroline Wylie explains, “Formative assessment strategies … direct teachers’ attention to what students say, do, write and [they] provide teachers with fine-grained insights into what students know and understand.” This process lets teachers “make minor lesson-by-lesson adjustments in response to how students are progressing each day.”

Using formative practices

To add formative practices to your classroom: 

• Identify Formative Practices: Build formative work into your lesson plans. Instead of prioritizing a few major projects, can you work in entrance or exit tickets? Short quizzes? Regular discussion groups? Options like these help create an environment that values continual learning progress.  
• Leverage Technology: Streamline your planning process with online resources like the PlanWise® tool, a browser extension offered by ETS. PlanWise® delivers research-backed formative assessment suggestions as you build lesson plans, saving you time and effort while ensuring effective learning practices. 
• Focus on Students: Remember that all your efforts have one goal: to remain responsive to your students. Cultivate a classroom where students feel safe to share their ideas and develop their collective progress. And with the real-time feedback you receive from formative practices, you can respond immediately to how students are doing, and you can differentiate and scaffold your teaching methods to meet individual needs.

Student-centered learning

Adopting formative learning as a consistent practice can seem challenging.

However, by integrating formative assessment strategies into your classroom preparation, you can create a student-centered and engaging learning environment. For students, formative assessment promotes engagement, deeper learning, and greater confidence over their educational growth.

With the power of formative learning, all educational stakeholders can supercharge education and shape the future of all students. 

Start integrating formative work into your lesson plans.