Please join fellow WBT educators in a lively discussion of Chris Biffle's latest book, "Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids"! Earn WBT Certification points in the Official WBT Book Club! Points will be awarded to Whole Brainers who regularly post thoughtful, energetic posts, 700 points possible during the summer session! Book Club Guidelines 1. Become a member of this site. Scroll down on the right and click "Join this site". Only members are able to post. 2. Enter your email address in the box on the right (just below the Members section). This will allow you to receive messages from Coach B regarding new discussion topics and important info. 3. Click on the Chapter links on the right to see questions related to each chapter of the book and post a comment with a thoughtful reply. Try not to exceed 250 words. 4. Feel free to ask questions and answer others' questions using the "Questions Page" on the right. Don't hold back! But dress appropriately; the weather in Teacher Heaven is electrified with funtricity so it can sizzle. 5. Please sign all of your posts with your real first and last name. 6. Big Important Note! Please use college level literacy in your assignments. Avoid spelling errors, typos, awkward sentences, incomplete answers. Sorry, no rewrites!
Whole Brain Teaching Certification Points (CP) will generally be awarded as follows: Perfect, fully developed, assignment: 25 CP 1 error: 20 CP 2 errors: 10 CP 3 or more errors, 0 CP. An outstanding, insightful assignment will earn (gasp!) a 5 POINT BONUS! Awarding of points may vary from the above, at the discretion of WBT staff members.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Chapter 25: Smart Cards
Smart Cards are a new addition to WBT strategies. Evaluate their effectiveness.
I think Smart Cards are an inexpensive and powerful tool for assessing students. I agree that the problem of students blurting answers can be handled; however, I’m not so sure about the second problem (students attempting to copy their neighbor’s response). I believe some students will still hesitate to answer, but the critical thinking piece (Prove It) will address this behavior perfectly. I have implemented similar ideas (yes/no cards, thumbs up/down, labeled cards or fingers raised to signal answer choices a, b, c, or d, cards with vocabulary words written on them, etc.) with great success. I have not used Smart Card SuperSpeed yet, but am excited about trying it. I think the speed of the game will also address the second problem.
Jamie, I agree, the speed of the game will keep the students on their toes! It will motivate them to make their own decisions quickly rather than trying to peek at someone else. Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards are readily available for any teacher who needs a cheap method of evaluating student comprehension. They don't entirely eliminate the problems we run into when a student who is struggling manages to copy his neighbor's work, but because the cards are a silent answer, this student will not be embarrassed by his lack of knowledge. However, as mentioned in this chapter, the student who is accustomed to looking at his neighbors answers will surely be looking at his neighbors' Smart Card as well! While the "Vote" and "Unvote" procedure helps somewhat, there are those students that will still manage to steal a glance. I absolutely love the idea of "Prove it!" posed in this chapter as it allows for those students, who may have guessed or looked a neighbor's Smart Card, to hear the reason for why the Smart Card they held up is correct and it helps to develop higher order thinking skills in all students. What a powerful exercise in critical thinking! -Rivky Greenberger
Rivky, Smart Cards are another great method of quick evaluation, and I agree, "Prove It" helps us develop those critical thinking skills too! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards are highly effective because they are inexpensive and easy to use. Teachers can evaluate student comprehension quickly. When a method is cheap, easy, and quick, teachers are more likely to use it! Since Smart Cards are adaptable to any subject, teachers can use them several times throughout the day. There is an issue of students looking at another student’s cards; however, as long as other critical thinking methods are being used in the Whole Brain classroom, teachers will be able to detect who knows what. For example, if students are asked to explain their Smart Card answer with a brain toy, a cheating student will be recognized quickly when he or she is unable to explain their card choice. If students are provided with a multiple-choice question, teachers can follow up the question by asking students to disprove the other answers. Smart Cards are an excellent way to engage students and provide teachers with vital feedback! -Madeline Mahan
Smart cards are an inventive strategy for determining student comprehension of various parts of the routine and content. These are effective methods in making sure the teacher understands the student’s level of understanding so the teacher knows if he/she can move on with a topic or if the students need re-teaching. While there are problems inherent with this system, the benefits outweigh them and if the teacher gets to know her students, she will likely be able to see if another student is struggling and copying other student’s answers. The technique used in this system of taking those lower order thinking skills of the yes/no questions and transferring those to higher order skills using "Prove It" allows students to demonstrate that they do understand the concept at a deeper level and also allows them to peer teach a student who might be struggling as well. I love the vote and unvote portion as well as some students might just tune out everything and keep answering yes. This process prevents this. Smart cards are a simple and inexpensive way to determine student understanding which every teacher has access to, regardless of district funds.
Amanda, Allowing the students to use these cards as a building block to deeper level thinking and peer teaching is a wonderful perk! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards are a fast, easy, and inexpensive way to determine student understanding. In order to encourage honest responses, I am going to diligently use a WBT strategy; practice the incorrect behavior and reinforce it as incorrect. I will also use the “Vote” and “Unvote” procedure that will help struggling learners become more independent. I really do believe that I will get good feedback from my underperforming students when my students have learned the proper way to use the Smart Cards. Proper usage of the Smart Cards will prevent my fragile learners from blending in with the crowd. Smart Cards will also be a versatile tool. I will eventually implement all of the “General” ways to use the Smart Cards, but I will immediately use the #2 suggestion “assignments/instructions”. My students will enjoy evaluating me. I will also use #6 suggestion “ critical thinking” in order to develop higher order thinking skills. After our vote, we will have to prove our responses. Smart Cards will definitely be effective and enjoyable in our classroom.
“Does everyone understand?” Every time I ask this question in my class they answer yes, and then I have a handful of students that seem to approach me unsure, but yet responded YES!
My gifted students are very competitive and extremely embarrassed if they get something wrong or do not understand directions in front of their peers. Smart Cards are a wonderful way to stop the embarrassment of getting something wrong. I stress to them that we can learn from our mistakes. They are still hesitant to respond, fearing they may get an answer incorrect. Smart Cards will allow them to answer silently, and keep the embarrassment to a minimal for the class.
Due to the high stakes we all are experiencing with the Common Core Standards, it is very important that we teach our students critical thinking tools to succeed.
I do stress one important rule in my class, “Never Say The Word CAN’T” because it means Certainly Am Not Trying! Prove It is an excellent learning tool that allows students to "Teach” and share with others who might be having difficulty with their reasoning. Fast and simple is what I need in determining that each student understands the lesson!
Julia, Yes! I love to see that these will help those gifted students find a way to let you know they need help, while also keeping from being embarrassed. It is so stressful to them to feel that they can't allow themselves to make a mistake! I'm quite sure these will be a useful tool as you prepare for testing! Here are 25 certification points!
The Smart cards chapter had me running to my colored index cards with JOY! As soon as I read this chapter I was gluing green and red index cards and sending them through lamination. I have always been a huge thumbs up, thumbs down teacher. This is such a great way to facilitate the concepts of checking student’s understanding throughout lessons.
In order to begin this task, you will need 3X5 index cards, for your students, with yes/no written on opposite sides or green and red construction or cardstock paper. I chose index cards that were red and green (I just happened to have some on hand.) Once glued together, lamination helps to keep them together.
Smart cards are used in the classroom for voting or showing comprehension of taught lessons. I plan to use them in whole group, small group, and seat work. When I ask a question, students quickly show their color in front of their body so that others around them cannot see very well. This can be used for true/false, agree/disagree, yes/no and many other variations. I also see using this as students are working at their desk. As I walk around, I can see the color cards on their desk either red or green. Green means they know what to do and are independent, red symbolizes they need help or are confused. Within partners, if students don’t agree they can discuss and play Prove-It to finalize a solution. Smart cards can also be used from the student’s standpoint when partners are retelling, summarizing, explaining their thinking… to their partner. If one student doesn’t understand what the partner is saying they can flip over their card to red and then flip to green when they understand. The possibilities are endless!
We are indeed fortunate to have a SMART Board in our classroom; having the technology is wonderful; we have many interactive lessons, we can read stories (and have stories read to us!), we can view films, even motion pictures-- we can travel virtually anywhere the Internet can take us! However, without a SMART Response system (student clickers), there is one thing our SMART Board is unable to do: it cannot assess our students and provide immediate feedback.
The cost of the SMART Response system is prohibitive, upwards of two thousand dollars! Smart Cards, on the other hand, are a wonderful, inexpensive form of student assessment that provides immediate feedback! Smart Cards are available to all, since they cost mere pennies to make. When using Smart Cards, the teacher knows at a glance who does or does not understand the question that was asked.
Having a Smart Card in their hands gives students a physical, tangible reason to remain engaged because the student knows the teacher will be asking a question, and he or she will have to raise their card in response. Again, as with most (if not all) of the Whole Brain Teaching techniques we have thus far learned, Smart Cards involve the entire brain (including the limbic system!), so that whatever we are learning (or reviewing) has a better chance of being stored away in a student’s long-term memory.
From a student perspective, Smart Cards add to the “funtricity” in the classroom. In a world filled with technology (with which, we, as teachers, have to compete) such as iPads, iPods, gaming systems, handheld electronic games, and so forth, the Smart Cards offer something different to the student. Smart cards are tangible; the student can hold it in his or her hands. The student and class can interact with the teacher simultaneously: the Smart Card is the “ticket” to the game!
Of prime importance is teaching students how to use Smart Cards, and allowing for practice and rehearsals. With many rehearsals and repetitions, students will learn to refrain from blurting out their answer.
Smart Cards are a highly-effective, cost-effective teaching tool. Smart Cards are a smart choice to have in any classroom. Here in teacher heaven, it’s all about making smart choices.
Jacqueline, One of the joys of WBT is its availibility to all learners and educators no matter the financial funding. Smart Cards are another example of this as you pointed out in your post, "Smart Cards are a highly-effective, cost-effective teaching tool." Nice job! Here are 25 points for you!
I think smart cards are a great idea. I have used this technique before with multiple choice questions and true or false questions to get a visual of students’ understanding. Because so many students copy, it’s hard to know when students are having trouble with the lesson or when they’re just being lazy. So, smart cards give me a better idea of who understands and who needs more practice. I have some colored foam hands on which I’ve written A, B and C that students use to answer questions. They hold up the hands to answer and sometimes quickly change them when they see everyone else with a different color or they hold up two hands when they are not sure. Students love using the hands because it’s a different way to do boring multiple choice comprehension questions. With the smart cards, although students unvote, they could still quickly change their cards when they see that others have a different answer. This shouldn’t discourage teachers from using the technique because teachers can still see when students change cards or when they hesitate and wait until others have answered in order to answer.
Adrienne, Smart cards are so much less expensive then the hands and very versatile. You can use them for yes, no, agree, disagree, oral reading expression and fluency and so much more! One way to really up the ante is to have students play Prove It. They will have to disprove or prove why the other answers are correct or not. Have fun with the possibilities. Here are the 25 certification points.
Smart Cards appear to be a great alternative to the expensive smart board clickers. They can be effective if used correctly. The teacher telling the students “vote” gives them a quick response time to lift a card. With practice, this could become effective. Initially, I could see this as being ineffective as students will attempt to change their answers. When this becomes mastered, this strategy becomes a great way to quickly evaluate students on prior background knowledge or what they may or may not have learned from a lesson. This is effective because it is a speedy process to evaluate instead of grading a test two weeks later when you have already moved onto another concept. This has an immediate evaluation of where the students are on the topic. It is also effective because it doesn’t allow enough time for a student to change their mind on an answer once they have noticed the majority of the class has chosen the opposite answer. This way you can target those students who have been grazing by and going along with what other students have selected without understanding the concept taught.
Liz, The immediate feedback of the Smart Cards does allow you to quickly evaluate the success of the lesson and determine the next steps for instruction. Good work! Here are 25 points!
I believe that 99.9% of teachers would say they can appreciate a low tech/low cost evaluation system as described in this chapter! “There is no sense in going to lesson B, if lesson A lost half our class.” Biffle, 2013. Smart Cards are a valuable tool for classroom teachers with loads of examples on the implementation of this assessment technique. This technique can be applied to any subject taught. The possible problems one may encounter using Smart Cards is addressed by the demonstration of solution strategies. Great tool!
Wow! This is a great idea! While my school has the latest and greatest technology, often times it is out of order. At the last minute it doesn't work! But, with this inexpensive and simple system, I can evaluate my students learning! I especially like that it allows my most sensitive students to show what they know…or don't know, without being embarrassed. I will utilize several strategies during morning meeting starting tomorrow since it requires very little preparation. I especially like the idea of using this idea with math problems. My students love word problems but I tend to have the same students that want to solve the problems. I can use the smart cards to get all my students involved since there will not be the embarrassment factor. Great Ideas!
I read Whole Brain Teaching from cover to cover when I received it last summer. There is so much involved in it that I totally forgot about the smart cards. They are a quick and easy way to assess each lesson throughout the day. I envision a small plastic pocket attached to each desk so that the smart card is readily available at any given time. I like the idea of the color- coded cards. It will be easier to glance and see how many have the correct answer. These smart cards can be used throughout the day. I write a Fix-it sentence on the board each morning. The children are required to fix the mistakes in their journals. We check the work before going to our first period class. Sometimes, time runs short. I can see using the smart cards to ask if each word in the sentence was written correctly. This would take much less time than rewriting the sentence. The possibilities are endless in all the major subjects. I can even see it being used to discuss class behavior or making decisions about what mind sport to play! I have one student who is floundering academically. He has mastered the art of copying what others say by repeating a split second after them. I can bet that he will hold up his card a little slower than his neighbors so that he can see what others have put before committing to an answer. I’ll have to think about how to prevent this from happening. I could move his desk so that he is right up in front and can’t readily see what others have put. I could call on just the boys to answer and have it more difficult for him to see quickly what they have put. Another suggestion would be to make the smart cards smaller so that they fit in the palm of the hand. This way, it will not be as obvious to others what each child has voted. The teacher will be able to see, but neighbors will have a harder time. I intend to incorporate smart cards in my classroom as soon as possible. They will make my job of assessment just a little bit easier. They will also train the students to think on their own. I will definitely add the “Prove it” part to the assessment at times to keep them on their toes! Liz Howard
Liz, Great ideas! I agree, the book is so full of information, we all need to revisit it often! I like the way you are looking for the best way to use these Smart Cards with your students! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart cards are a great informal assessment to make sure the class is understanding what is being taught. "Exit tickets” are often used to check for mastery and they are great for long answers at the end of a lesson. The problem is that you don’t know your lesson was effective or not until it's over.
Smart Cards are great for quick questions that can be answered at any time and are ideal for checking understanding during the lesson. If not enough of the class has mastered the topic, you can reteach and then reassess with the cards.
Josephine, You made a good point about the exit tickets. Having the immediate feedback the Smart Cards provide is valuable as we assess understanding! Here are 25 certification points!
Using WBT with its constant movement and gestures in my class this year has made a huge difference in student involvement and participation. As a teacher of kindergarten, I know that young children learn more from, respond better to, and enjoy teaching strategies that involve the physical manipulation of objects.
Smart Cards are an inexpensive, yet innovative way to provide this hands-on experience for routines that may be otherwise mundane and ineffective. I especially like the idea of using the red and green cards, perhaps even adding a popsicle stick handle, since a five-year-old’s world basically revolves around these colors in everything from safety rules to citizenship charts.
I believe that the “vote” and “unvote” commands are awesome. They give every child a fair and equal chance to express his opinion AND give the teacher enough time to assess and identify struggling children anonymously. I also think that the “unsure” position is important because it validates a student’s uncertainty without humiliation and it discourages copying someone else’s response. "Prove It" is a technique in which a student demonstrates a deeper understanding of key concepts and it also helps teachers to identify random guessers if they are unable to prove an answer. All-in-all I think that Smart Cards are an entertaining, accessible way for children to “play” their ways to better comprehension.
Julia, Adding the popsicle stick would be a fun way to help the kinders manipulate these easier! I love your comment "All-in-all I think that Smart Cards are an entertaining, accessible way for children to “play” their ways to better comprehension." Teacher Heaven! Here are 25 certification points!
Brandi Young Ch. 25 Smart Cards These cards are an inexpensive tool for the classroom. They are efficient cards. Students understand how to use them and teachers are able to collect data on what they observe. They are effective. Students love to use them and teachers can gain knowledge of their student’s ability level or skill level to determine if the class is ready for the next lesson. These Smart Cards are easy to implement in the classroom and will serve as a valuable assessment technique. The Smart Cards can be used on the day to day basis for informal assessments. They have proven to be very practical and can be used for any subject at any given time, like when the technology isn’t working. Brandi Young
Wow! What a smart, inexpensive, fast, and effective way to determine student understanding of a concept. You can definitely use this in all curriculum areas. Once again I love the aspect of modeling how to use the cards, especially with students evaluating the teacher. I love the “Vote” and “Unvote” procedures to discourage students from looking at others answers to make choices, and help struggling students become more independent. Smart Cards are a very versatile tool that will help you judge when to move on to the next lessons, I love the math ideas, and how to use them to develop higher order thinking skill by taking it a step further to prove their responses. Smart Cards will be an effective, useful, and enjoyable addition to my classroom.
Smart Cards are an effective, low cost tool for any classroom. I have used a variation with both the yes/no and also A/B/C/D for multiple choice questions. I will add the colors to the cards for the yes and no; that will certainly make it easy to see comprehension across the room.
Smart Cards are an innovative and inexpensive strategy to assess student understanding. I have used these cards for four weeks. I have changed my instruction by restating and reviewing a subject based on this clever strategy! Students are not embarrassed by blurting out the wrong answer when everyone else says the right answers. If I see a handful of struggling students, I quickly and quietly assign this group to our wonderful paraprofessionals to go over the instruction. The next day, I quickly review what I have taught the previous day using Smart Cards for an informal assessment. It is a brilliant and inexpensive strategy! It has increased my effectiveness as a teacher and improved student comprehension!
Smart Cards=Effectiveness....ABSOLUTELY!!! I think that every teacher has experienced the kid that goes along with the crowd saying he/she understands, but in reality really doesn't get it. In fact, a couple of time during my childhood I was that student that didn't get it; however, I said I did to mask embarrassment of not knowing the answer. I love how smart cards also employ the use of index cards, things that teachers already have and the red/green cards stapled together is great! Smart Cards allow us as teachers to automatically determine which students do or do not comprehend something and this helps us to determine who is ready to go on and who may need a little extra help/review.
Smart cards are a fabulous way to engage students in classroom discussions or debates. They prevent students from guessing the correct answer. The students have to know the correct answer which encourages them to think. Smart cards also help students recognize their knowledge of the concepts taught in class. Teachers can also evaluate their teaching. If a majority of the class does not respond with the correct smart card then a specific concept may need to be retaught. Also, if the majority of the class fails to respond to a question the concept may need to be retaught or reviewed with the class. Irish Brown
Over the past 3 years, I have utilized a wipe-off board during instruction. I have had my students write their answers on a board and then hold up for me to check. I have been able to scan my group to check for understanding without embarrassing a single student.
Smart Cards are a lot like the wipe-off board strategy. I like the idea of using index cards instead of wipe-off boards because keeping up with the expense of the wipe-off markers was difficult. I love the idea of having students vote using the Smart Cards. Teachers can check for understanding of any information quickly just by having students hold up “yes” or “no” cards.
I plan to order index cards for next school year. I will start the year off with the Smart Card strategy instead of the wipe-off boards. I will use it to review WBT rules and procedures, directions for assignments, examples/non examples of skills taught, and anything and everything that needs a quick review to check for understanding.
Lori, You can also use red/green cardstock and laminate it with the same results if you don't have index cards. Some people have also attached popsicle sticks to them for convenience. Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards are a new addition to WBT strategies. Evaluate their effectiveness.
Smart Cards have value when working on lower cognitive level skills where a response requires a simple recall of information. That does not mean they cannot be an important part of the class instruction. While the question complexity has increased, students still require foundational skills. Smart Cards can be used to quickly demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts. Smart Cards can be used to evaluate the logic or the reasoning of more complex ideas. For example, do you agree or disagree with the ….. Have I followed all the steps necessary to answer the question? If not, what step did I miss. I can see many uses for language skills from spelling to vocabulary. My biggest concern would be the over use of Smart Cards because a teacher is focused on low complexity level questions.
I have used Smart Cards this year and found them to be very helpful for children who are not , or are afraid to be wrong. It took a great deal of training for my ESE students to use the cards, but once they began to trust themselves and not look at their neighbor’s card I saw real growth. Over all I would give Smart Cards a ‘Two Thumbs Up’.
Dian, Nice evaluation! The teacher does have to make sure that the questions include higher order thinking skills to avoid the trap of too many low complexity levels. Here are 25 certification points!
I really like the idea of using Smart Cards to eliminate classroom embarrassment of students who are not keeping up with the material. It is both inexpensive and effective. It allows for a change up in the average, monotonous answering of questions aloud, over and over again. Smart Cards are also adaptable to any subject the teacher may be teaching. I would love to utilize this in language arts. One modification I may make would be to have a different colored card for when students are unsure of the answer. Especially with small children, it may be harder to tell if the child is holding up the edge of the card or just has their arm turned too far to one side. I would also laminate these cards to make sure they were sturdy enough for everyday use. Smart Cards prevent the dreaded embarrassment of publicly not knowing an answer, something that seems so normal to instructors but is very detrimental to the self-esteem of a child. With larger classrooms, slow learners become harder and harder to pinpoint and they can often blend into the crowd. Smart Cards are such a clever and simple way of solving this problem. For the most part it can reduce, maybe not eliminate, the use of copying from neighbors but this shouldn’t discourage people from using this technique. Keeping a close watch on the class and scanning the cards quickly will give the teacher a good idea of whose got it and who doesn’t.
Anne, Good job! The Smart Cards are a quick and easy way to assess our students while adding an element of fun! Watch for those pesky editing errors "a good idea of whose got it and who doesn’t" (who's). Here are 20 certification points!
Smart cards are such a great tool to incorporate into all subject areas. One of my favorite pieces of smart cards is the vote strategy. I often have my students vote on answers when reviewing by raising their hands. After reading this chapter, I have found that this can lead to some embarrassment in my class due to some students being the lone student with a particular answer. Using smart cards, all of my students can vote at the same time and I can quickly see which students have an understanding without any student being singled out. I love that I can use these in any subject and requires little time, effort, work, or money to prepare!
I love the Smart Cards for their simplicity and the ability to use them in a variety of situations to quickly assess students. This year, we are being required to assess every lesson we teach and this a quick and simple way for the students to show that they understand the lesson. I think that the variety of ways that are listed including parts of speech, capitalization, math problems, math facts and even making sure that the students understand the directions are only the beginning. They can be used across the curriculum. I also like these cards because they are easy to make and I would just give my students an index card and have them make it themselves. If they lost the card, it would be no big deal to have them make a new one because they are cheap. In conclusion, I will definitely be adding these to my assessment options because they are quick, easy and effective and I don’t have to waste paper or grade anything.
Mary, You are so right, they are inexpensive and easy to make!! I hope they are of great use to you. I even use them during the Crazy Professor Game and when we do oral reading for expression, tempo, and accuracy! Here are your 25 certification points.
I like the Smart Card. I used these when we were reviewing for tests. I had the students answer questions and then I would tell them the correct answer. If they got the question correct then they would hold up the Yes card. If they did not get the correct answer then they would hold up the No card. There was no speaking and no comments or sounds could be made, It really cut down on the interruptions and the student embarrassment.
Karen, Were your students writing the answers down first? Coach also suggests using these as a quick assessment to help us know whether or not to reteach or move on. It is easy to ask a question and have them flash green for yes and red for no without having to write anything down. It can work both ways. Here are 25 certification points.
Two years ago I was taking a differentiated instruction class. There I learned about something very similar to Smart Cards called Yes/No cards. I made them immediately and have been using them for the last two years. One side of the card is colored green with the word yes written on it, and the other side of the card is colored red with the word no written on it.
I have found them to be very useful in engaging all students in a discussion, because they force each student to think about the question and respond to it. The only downside that I have found is that some students will look to see how others are responding and then choose the same answer. To combat this I ask my students to hide their cards in their laps and select their answers. Then on the count of three we hold our cards up at the same time.
What I like about the Smart Cards is that they go beyond the Yes/No cards with their other uses. I really like the idea of using them during independent work time. If a student has his/her card on green, I know that he/she understands the work. However, if a student's card is on red, I know that he/she will need some extra help. I also like the idea of using the cards during partner discussions. Holding up a red card is a real easy way of letting your partner know that you do not understand what he/she is saying. I am looking forward to trying out both of these uses next year.
Smart Cards seem to me as a slightly different version of ‘Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down’. I like the fact that the possible problems with the Smart Card method were brought up. I think adding on a prove it at the end of some Smart Card sessions will help the teacher decide if students are being honest about their responses.
I have some old Instant Response clickers that I will be putting red/green tape on. Students will use those to hold up instead of index cards.
Ultimately, I think the effectiveness comes down to how closely the teacher is looking at the responses and how he/she is double checking them. For instance in addition to using the prove it game a teacher could have students write an exit ticket in relation to the Smart Card responses given earlier. Teachers could have all student write an answer to the same question or they could allow student to write either an answer OR a clarifying question. Each option would give a teacher something to gauge the original smart card responses with. For example, if the majority of students respond with a yes (that they understand a topic) but the majority of students cannot write a correlated response (that is accurately correct) then the teacher would know that students are responding to yes when they aren’t actually sure of the answer.
I believe this can be a powerful tool if used properly.
Jason, Adding prove it is a wonderful idea! Smart Cards can be a great quick assessment tool, and they can lead to deeper discussions. Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards are an ingenious way to quickly survey the class. First of all it is inexpensive, easy to make, and easy to store when we are not using them. It is also a quick way to quickly gage student understanding. I also like that the cards can be used in any class, across any discipline. Once students understand the routine they can be tested in anything.
While I was reading I was still wondering about students looking at other student’s responses and changing their response as a result. This was partially answered when the book suggested the Unvote so students would have to start without any cards in their hands.
I am still worried, however, that some students who are so shy or afraid of getting a wrong answer, will somehow still glimpse at other students’ movements and change their answer based on what card the students grab or what side they are holding up. Giving students wait time to think about their answer and then having them quickly raise their votes can avoid this problem. Another way to avoid this problem is to have students close their eyes as well or just use a thumbs-up or thumbs-down answer system. This strategy is called a QT or Quick Test.
I love some of the suggestions in this chapter as well. I love the Smart Card SuperSpeed. My students love the SuperSpeed Math and I am sure they will love this as well. I also like the Critical Thinking piece where students must turn to their partner and explain their reasoning. This will be a great time to incorporate the Brainies and encourage the students to use one, two, three, or even four Brainies in their answer. Oh, I am so excited about the possibilities.
Amber, Adding that critical thinking comment after showing the smart card takes this strategy to another level! You are right, there are endless possibilities when adding Brainies! Here are 25 certification points!
I have used the thumb vote for many years. An advantage of thumbs over the smart cards is that students can put their thumb sideways to indicate that they are not sure. On the other hand, the cards are easier to see. It is difficult to see thumbs in a large class and the answer can be ambiguous at times.
The smart cards are either yes or no. This is a limited amount of feedback. Proving your answer to a partner helps expand student thinking and gives me a chance to learn a little more about the level of understanding. I can also ask students to explain their thinking to the class. In addition, students have a fifty / fifty chance of getting the answer correct with a guess.
I have a Smart Board response system, but I don’t use it that much. It takes time to pass out the clickers and set up the system. It can give more detailed results and is harder to copy. While I’ll keep using the technology, I like the idea of the smart cards for quicker, hassle free checkups.
The smart cards are another tool to use for fast spot checks of understanding. I think I’ll also print these on magnetic sheets so they will always be on the sides of the desks for quick access.
Sheryl, I love your idea to make these magnetic sheets! Genius! Coach B has suggested having the kids put their card flat (similar to thumb sideways) when they are unsure. It is a quick and easy way to assess their understanding. Here are 25 certification points!
What teacher would not like an inexpensive and effective technique to quickly evaluate if a student understands the concept being taught?
I think one of my favorite aspects is the ability to quickly assess all throughout the lesson. Using Smart Cards to do a quick assessments of the students comprehension before continuing to the next portion of the lesson will help guide what to do next. If the student(s) did not grasp a portion of the lesson, I can reteach that portion right then. I will not have to wait until end of the lesson or the unit test to determine that a student did not understand a concept that was taught at the beginning of the lesson.
Using “vote” and “unvote” quietly is genius! Every child has a chance to express their opinion and this gives me enough time to assess who is struggling with a concept. Another amazing part of this technique is use of the “unsure” position. Coach B said it best, “We would much rather have students knowing they are uncertain rather than believing, incorrectly, they are right.”
Quick, effective, inexpensive – It does not get any better than that.
Chapter 25: Evaluate the Effectiveness of Smart Cards
Smart cards are a wonderful tool to use in determining your students that have understanding of a skill or concept you have just taught and those that do not. I believe smart cards will be very effective in my classroom because of the following reasons:
1. Using the smart cards allows every student to answer the questions. Therefore every student instantly reveals their understanding.
2. Smart cards are a silent answering technique. This not only helps eliminate embarrassment of verbalizing incorrect answers, but also will allow those shier students to answer without having to speak in front of the class.
3. Smart cards can be held up with edge pointing to teacher if student doesn’t know the answer. This allows the teacher to instantly evaluate their lesson that was just taught. There will be no question of should I move on to the next skill or should I continue to teach the current skill. You will know immediately the percentage of students that do or don’t understand.
4. The smart card technique is also aligned with common core. After students vote, the teacher will say “Prove it!” Students turn and talk to their neighbor and prove their answer with explanation and evidence. I believe smart cards will be an awesome tool to add to any classroom. It will allow teachers to collect immediate data of the understanding of the skills taught!
I think Smart Cards will be a very effective method of quick assessments in the classroom. I plan on making the cards, laminating them, and having a set in the basket at each table group. That way, I can call for a quick assessment at any time. The students will already be used to responding quickly because of Rule 1, Mirrors, Lines, etc. This will hopefully eliminate some of the sideways glances to see what other students are voting. If I see this happening, I can give frownies because they are not quick enough. I will also try to strategically place students I see doing this. I think rehearsals and using the Scoreboard will help eliminate students calling out their answers. I have used the QT assessment method (heads down, hold thumbs up, down, or sideways) effectively, so I think I will use a combination of these two to avoid habituation. I will also use it for partner teaching/coaching, such as Spelling and Oral Writing – punctuation. I see the children enjoying this.
Overall, I feel this method will help me to know when students have mastered the skill I am teaching or when they are not understanding it. It will show me which students need more help and allow me to make quick mental groups in my head for further instruction. I do have a Smart Board, but I think this is quicker, simpler, and more ‘motor’ friendly for students.
This has proven to be a very valuable and inexpensive tool in my classroom. I began using this a few years ago. I used 1/2 a sheet of card stock folded in half and stapled on the sides, making a pocket for the student's hand to slip into. On one side was the letter A and on the other side was the letter B. They answer questions and show the appropriate letter. I do have a smartboard and the availability of a smart response system. I used the Smart Card method much more than the technology because it took much less time and we could move on to learning new information or reteaching depending on the outcome of the "test".
Smart cards are a quick, inexpensive evaluation tool for teachers to be able to see if students are understanding what is being taught. It allows each student to answer at the same time, instead of one child being singled out. The technique can be used to check student understanding in all subject areas. This allows even the shy students the opportunity to show what they know. The students that need extra help are able to show they do not understand without the other students knowing. I would add that the students need to keep their eyes on me when they vote, so that they are not tempted to copy a neighbor’s answer. I will also use the unvote so that my under performers do not focus on whether someone is lifting up a different card than the previous answer as a way to determine what they will answer.
Chapter 25 – Smart Cards Smart cards are a great and inexpensive way to instantly gauge student understanding. Smart cards can be a 3x5 card with yes on one side and no on the other. The teacher asks a question and students wait for a signal then raise their card with their yes or no answer. The teacher can run their eyes around the room and instantly know how many students understand the concept. This is fantastic because many students have become expert at hiding their ignorance. They know how to smile and nod and escape the notice of the teacher. Then when test time rolls around, teachers are scratching their heads trying to figure out what happened. “I thought they had it and half the class flunked the test!” I have heard those words come out of my own mouth many times. With smart cards and variations the teacher has a cheap and easy way of evaluating who understands and who doesn’t. The trick is to give a signal for when to raise the cards, so that clever hiders can’t look around quickly and vote with the majority. So the teacher gives a signal, and all the students raise their cards at the same moment, making it harder, if not impossible, to cheat. Cards can also be made with one red side and one green side and then the colors could be made to signify anything. True/false, yes/no, north/south, etc. Smart cards are a phenomenal way to gauge student understanding. Carl Rust 480 cp
Carl, You are so right- our kids really are experts at hiding when they don't really know the material! These are simple, easy tools to help solve that problem! Here are 25 certification points!
Please excuse my multiple removals- technical difficulties!!!
I really enjoy this idea of Smart Cards and can't wait to put it into play in my classroom! I am currently using the QT (quick test) frequently with thumbs up, down, or in the middle (to show unsure), which is very similar to this method. Everyone has paper in their classroom, so in my opinion, this assessment strategy is free! Having each student equipped with a set of these cards can help to easily and decisively assure which students have the material and which do not. If too many students do not understand it, this would be the time to go back and reteach! With proper practicing of how to hold the cards up quickly so no one can see them, Smart Cards make it so that each student’s true thoughts come through without the temptation of peeking at a peer’s response. I also enjoy the idea of adding “Prove-it!” along with these cards to help further prove their beliefs and to weed-out and reteach any uncertain students. Even if a student did not know the correct response, with the “Prove-it!” afterwards, they can now see the other students’ reasoning and better understand the concept, perhaps in a way that is different or easier to comprehend. Students are the best teachers, after all!
At first I thought about coloring these cards; for example, red for “no” and green for “yes.” But then I realized that this would probably make it easy for students to get that color in their peripheral vision and potentially influence the decision on which card they hold up. I think I would rather avoid this by using the same color/no color for both Smart Cards or by printing them front-to-back so it is just an easy flip of the card to show a response.
Brianne, Smart Cards are a quick, easy, and cost effective tool that everyone should be on board using them! They are a fun way to quickly assess our students and move right along with the lesson. Here are 25 certification points!
As stated in the chapter, many underperforming students are good at hiding their lack of knowledge. Smart cards provide a simple cost effective strategy to formatively assess student knowledge and understanding throughout a lesson. I have noticed when students are asked to give a choral answer, some students that are not sure will “fake” answer or have a delayed answer to hide their underperformance. Having students hold up the cards with a “vote” and “unvote” cue gets students to participate and requires them to rely on their own knowledge and not rely on copying another student’s answer. Additionally, I like that students are not encouraged to guess. If they are unsure, holding the card showing the edge informs the teacher that reteaching needs to occur. I think this strategy could also be used during step 4 of the five step lesson plan in place of “yes/no way”.
I love the idea of Smart Cards. They are an easy way to quickly check for understanding. As I was reading this chapter, I started to realize that I was nodding my head in agreement when I read how Smart Cards can be used in Language Arts. Just the other day, I had a short assessment on parts of speech. I have been frustrated recently because my students are having a hard time remembering the parts of speech. To help them remember, we put gestures with the parts of speech and acted them out. One of my other blog responses actually had the script of how I used gestures to teach parts of speech! My assessment was a short five-question “quiz.” I say “quiz” because it is merely a way of checking for understanding. At the end of the day, I sat at my desk and graded all of these “quizzes.” We all know that grading is both boring and exhausting! The idea of Smart Cards is absolutely blowing my mind right now! Instead of giving them a paper to check for understanding, I can simply ask yes or no questions to check for understanding.
One way that I will use Smart Cards is when we are discussing Mesoamerican culture. We have been doing a Mesoamerica and Mysteries unit in Social Studies and Language Arts. I ask simple yes or no questions about the three civilizations in particular: Maya, Inca, and Aztec. We are reviewing for our big unit test that will happen in two weeks, and I know, for certain, that using Smart Cards will help me to identify who needs help in understanding the three different cultures.
Every classroom has the type of kid that is too shy to answer. Every classroom also has the kid that picks on the kid that is too shy to answer and likes to point out when kids are wrong. I also have those kids that look around the room searching for someone to follow. This bothers me because I won’t really know who is struggling if the kids are not being honest with me. I discuss with them often how important it is to answer based on what they think and not what others think. I don’t think it matters whether it is first grade or sixth grade; there will always be some students that will try to make a decision or choose an answer based on others!
One way that I will change the use of Smart Cards in my room is by having kids put either the green or red side facing out, cover the back side with both of their hands, and gently, but not all the way, fold the card so that only I can see if they are putting up yes or no. Slightly folding the paper acts as a blinder so that the other kids can’t see other responses. Kids will make choices based on what they know or don’t know, and not based off what others are choosing. To insure that the cards stay in good shape, they will be laminated. This is just one variation of Smart Cards that I will use in my classroom.
Hannah, Smart Cards are a low cost but effective method of assessment with an added flair of fun! Your variation should be very effective and keep them honest with their responses. Here are 25 certification points!
I believe that smart cards can be an effective WBT strategy to assess student understanding. Similar to this idea, I use mini whiteboards to do quick assessments using simple questions or yes/no responses. The students record their response using a dry erase marker and while the Jeopardy music song plays. Once the music ends, the students all at once hold up their white boards for me to see. Like the smart cards, the students are unable to view their neighbor’s response. I am able to quickly assess student comprehension and potential gaps in my instruction. Both strategies allow students to demonstrate their knowledge in a non intimidating format. This will encourage students who may be less likely to participate, to share a response. I have not used the Prove It strategy, but would be able to apply this during culture units, such as with Bullfighting or Cinco de mayo. Students would respond si/no to a historical fact and then “prove it” using what they have learned about the event.
Bethann, You have identified some fun ways to use smart cards. 25 certification points! Another way that I have used them is for reading fluency, partners read to each other and when their expression, speed, and accuracy are on target, they are on green, when they need to work, the partner will turn it to red. It helped my students with their 'Crazy Professor' reading. We also used them in group work too. There are so many ways to employ this inexpensive tool!
I think Smart Cards would be a wonderful asset to my classroom. They are very inexpensive, easy to store, and a great assessment tool. I am lucky enough to have a promethean board in my classroom and we can check out the clickers that were discussed in the book. I had an entire set in my classroom last year however they take up a lot of time. I had to pass them out, remind the students how to turn them on, and deal with dead batteries and wrong buttons being pushed. It is a quick assessment once you get through the marathon it takes to get every third grader in the room ready to go. I am sure it gets easier with time but the Smart Cards would solve all of those dilemmas. I would use red and green cards so that I could quickly see the answers around the room. I love that the book gave readers so many ideas for using the cards. My favorite was the additional of the critical thinking component of having the students explain their answer choice. I am looking forward to stapling my own set together before the end of summer.
The use of Smart Cards is a simple, easy technique for teachers to quickly evaluate student understanding. When the teacher asks a question, students simply need to silently hold up either the Yes/Green or the No/Red side of the Smart Card. If a student is unsure of the answer, he/she may hold the card out, horizontal to the floor, with the leading edge facing the teacher.
The purpose of the cards is twofold: to combat the “I don’t know’s” and to remove the fear of the wrong answer. As well, the cards allow the teacher to assess understanding and decide whether to go on with or re-teach the lesson.
The technique is not without its flaws however. First of all, it is important that the students are silent when they are using the cards. If a student blurts out an answer, others will be influenced by this and risk changing their answer. Practicing both the correct and the incorrect way of using the Smart Cards as well as reviewing Rule 2, “Raise your hand for permission to speak”, will help to eliminate this problem.
Secondly, some students will find it hard to resist looking at the responses of their peers before holding up their answer. Using smaller cards that fit in the hand of the student and having students place the cards on their desk top after every vote will help to control this problem.
Christina, You made some good points! Practicing the procedures and using right way/wrong way practice will help the cards be even more effective! Here are 25 certification points!
The Smart Cards are a very easily used tool for both students and the teacher. The cost is low, and they are easily made. If you laminate them, their durability will be even better. Students, no matter what their level, will understand the cards and be able to participate in using them. The cards will definitely help better assess who knows what. There will be students who still will find a way to watch what others are doing and copy. I like the Vote/Unvote idea and Superspeed Vote. Both these methods will help more students give a real answer and not copy their neighbor. I will definitely have students turn the card with the edge pointing to the teacher if they don’t know. It is important for students to learn not to just guess or copy someone else if they don’t know. Students are often afraid of showing that they don’t understand and will work very hard to cover it up. It may be a bit difficult at times to gather the assessment information, if you have a wide variety of responses. The teacher at times would need to be discreet in recording who still needs help, who knew and didn’t know during responses. I would love to hear more on this from teachers who have had experience using it.
Susan, These are very effective! I find that if I hold a clipboard with a class seating chart (to help me find that student quickly on my page) I can just make a quick mark in their box and then later revisit the list to gather assessment information. Nice job, here are 25 certification points!
Smart cards are something I have not tried yet for WBT. I initially see some great benefits to this strategy. I like the fact that it is cheap, quick, and easy to implement. Another positive is that it is a quick check for understanding which is critical. It could take the place of time consuming day to day or weekly check in written assessments. Giving the kids 3 choices: Yes, No, and Uncertain is great. It was also beneficial to have the different ideas of implementation listed for literacy and math. My favorite of these was the Prove It. I believe this is a loophole that can work against a con I will mention later. Lastly, I think that it will lesson anxiety for students that are afraid to say they don't understand. I think if i see kiddos that show a wrong answer or an uncertain, I would approach them later for reteaching. This fits in great with our district wide PLC( professional learning community) where we combine kids into like needs at PLC time to work on reteaching or enrichment. Groups could be made according to this information from Smart Cards. The main con that would come out of using the Smart Cards would be the kids that quickly try to look at their neighbors' to see their answer. By using the Prove It strategy this could help to find the kids that really are confused by subject matter. Also, if a teacher really knows the personality and level their kids were working on, I think they would catch onto the ones who are guessing quickly. Overall, I think it is a great tool. The pros outweigh the cons. It is a great way to hold students accountable and check for understanding. I will try it in the future.
Smart Cards just might be the most ingenious tool for teachers to perform a quick assessment and check their students’ comprehension. Although I do have an interactive whiteboard with a set of classroom clickers, it is time consuming to distribute them, and not to mention, it never fails that someone’s clicker is going to need the battery replaced the moment I am ready to use them.
I love the convenience of Smart Cards. Smart Cards can easily be stored in students’ zipper pouch, and in less than 10 seconds, students can be ready to respond and demonstrate their understanding of a skill. The concept of “vote” and “unvote” allows the teacher a chance to pinpoint students that may not have a skill mastered. By implementing this assessment technique in my classroom, I feel that it will have the power to guide my instruction and provide me instantaneous data that will prove which students have successfully achieved the skill/standard.
I am excited to continue to use Star Cards in my classroom. I have used them before and the kids really like how they can answer yes and no and give their opinion. Another benefit of the Star Cards is I like the fact that they have moved away from looking at each other and can answer the problem without the fear or concern of what answer that their neighbor gives to a question. Most of my students are either resource or self-contained students so they hate to write and this gives them a chance at review without having to put their thoughts down on paper. Other variations of the Star Cards that I have used are thumbs up for yes or true and down for no or false. I am also going to try to incorporate ASL in my teaching with having the students sign A, B or C for their answers to their review questions as well.
As a teacher and mom of 5, I love cheap and easy ways to know how well all my kids are doing. Smart Cards provide just that. The cards allow me to determine comprehension of the content by students in an inventive and fun way. I can easily judge the student’s level of understanding during lessons; and in turn, make teaching decisions on the fly such as if students grasp the concept or if re-teaching is needed. I can also quickly see if a student is looking at another’s answers or if they are able to answer on their own. Strugglers can be noted right away. The “vote” and “unvote” options adds a little bit of variety to keep students on their toes. Use of the “Prove It” strategy allows me to incorporate higher order thinking skills and allows students to demonstrate a deeper level of understanding. Using the peer teaching allows struggling students to gain more understanding by discussing the content with a fellow student. I love my Smart Cards, they are a simple, fun, and inexpensive way for me to do formative assessments.
I think Smart Cards are an inexpensive and powerful tool for assessing students. I agree that the problem of students blurting answers can be handled; however, I’m not so sure about the second problem (students attempting to copy their neighbor’s response). I believe some students will still hesitate to answer, but the critical thinking piece (Prove It) will address this behavior perfectly. I have implemented similar ideas (yes/no cards, thumbs up/down, labeled cards or fingers raised to signal answer choices a, b, c, or d, cards with vocabulary words written on them, etc.) with great success. I have not used Smart Card SuperSpeed yet, but am excited about trying it. I think the speed of the game will also address the second problem.
ReplyDeleteJamie Rickman
Jamie,
DeleteI agree, the speed of the game will keep the students on their toes! It will motivate them to make their own decisions quickly rather than trying to peek at someone else. Here are 25 certification points!
Thank you, Michelle. FYI, My Agreement Bridge entry (on old links) has yet to be scored.
DeleteJamie,
DeleteSarah is looking into that, thanks!
Smart Cards are readily available for any teacher who needs a cheap method of evaluating student comprehension. They don't entirely eliminate the problems we run into when a student who is struggling manages to copy his neighbor's work, but because the cards are a silent answer, this student will not be embarrassed by his lack of knowledge. However, as mentioned in this chapter, the student who is accustomed to looking at his neighbors answers will surely be looking at his neighbors' Smart Card as well! While the "Vote" and "Unvote" procedure helps somewhat, there are those students that will still manage to steal a glance. I absolutely love the idea of "Prove it!" posed in this chapter as it allows for those students, who may have guessed or looked a neighbor's Smart Card, to hear the reason for why the Smart Card they held up is correct and it helps to develop higher order thinking skills in all students. What a powerful exercise in critical thinking!
ReplyDelete-Rivky Greenberger
Rivky,
DeleteSmart Cards are another great method of quick evaluation, and I agree, "Prove It" helps us develop those critical thinking skills too! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards are highly effective because they are inexpensive and easy to use. Teachers can evaluate student comprehension quickly. When a method is cheap, easy, and quick, teachers are more likely to use it! Since Smart Cards are adaptable to any subject, teachers can use them several times throughout the day. There is an issue of students looking at another student’s cards; however, as long as other critical thinking methods are being used in the Whole Brain classroom, teachers will be able to detect who knows what. For example, if students are asked to explain their Smart Card answer with a brain toy, a cheating student will be recognized quickly when he or she is unable to explain their card choice. If students are provided with a multiple-choice question, teachers can follow up the question by asking students to disprove the other answers. Smart Cards are an excellent way to engage students and provide teachers with vital feedback!
ReplyDelete-Madeline Mahan
Madeline,
DeleteFollowing up with "prove it" type questions is a great idea! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart cards are an inventive strategy for determining student comprehension of various parts of the routine and content. These are effective methods in making sure the teacher understands the student’s level of understanding so the teacher knows if he/she can move on with a topic or if the students need re-teaching. While there are problems inherent with this system, the benefits outweigh them and if the teacher gets to know her students, she will likely be able to see if another student is struggling and copying other student’s answers. The technique used in this system of taking those lower order thinking skills of the yes/no questions and transferring those to higher order skills using "Prove It" allows students to demonstrate that they do understand the concept at a deeper level and also allows them to peer teach a student who might be struggling as well. I love the vote and unvote portion as well as some students might just tune out everything and keep answering yes. This process prevents this. Smart cards are a simple and inexpensive way to determine student understanding which every teacher has access to, regardless of district funds.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Blum
Amanda,
DeleteAllowing the students to use these cards as a building block to deeper level thinking and peer teaching is a wonderful perk! Here are 25 certification points!
Kay Spencer
ReplyDeleteChapter 25
Smart Cards are a fast, easy, and inexpensive way to determine student understanding. In order to encourage honest responses, I am going to diligently use a WBT strategy; practice the incorrect behavior and reinforce it as incorrect. I will also use the “Vote” and “Unvote” procedure that will help struggling learners become more independent. I really do believe that I will get good feedback from my underperforming students when my students have learned the proper way to use the Smart Cards. Proper usage of the Smart Cards will prevent my fragile learners from blending in with the crowd.
Smart Cards will also be a versatile tool. I will eventually implement all of the “General” ways to use the Smart Cards, but I will immediately use the #2 suggestion “assignments/instructions”. My students will enjoy evaluating me. I will also use #6 suggestion “ critical thinking” in order to develop higher order thinking skills. After our vote, we will have to prove our responses.
Smart Cards will definitely be effective and enjoyable in our classroom.
Kay,
DeleteNot only are they cheap, but they are effective! Here are 25 certification points!
Julia Berry / Chapter 25 / Feb. Assignment
ReplyDelete“Does everyone understand?” Every time I ask this question in my class they answer yes, and then I have a handful of students that seem to approach me unsure, but yet responded YES!
My gifted students are very competitive and extremely embarrassed if they get something wrong or do not understand directions in front of their peers. Smart Cards are a wonderful way to stop the embarrassment of getting something wrong. I stress to them that we can learn from our mistakes. They are still hesitant to respond, fearing they may get an answer incorrect. Smart Cards will allow them to answer silently, and keep the embarrassment to a minimal for the class.
Due to the high stakes we all are experiencing with the Common Core Standards, it is very important that we teach our students critical thinking tools to succeed.
I do stress one important rule in my class, “Never Say The Word CAN’T” because it means Certainly Am Not Trying!
Prove It is an excellent learning tool that allows students to "Teach” and share with others who might be having difficulty with their reasoning. Fast and simple is what I need in determining that each student understands the lesson!
Julia,
DeleteYes! I love to see that these will help those gifted students find a way to let you know they need help, while also keeping from being embarrassed. It is so stressful to them to feel that they can't allow themselves to make a mistake! I'm quite sure these will be a useful tool as you prepare for testing! Here are 25 certification points!
The Smart cards chapter had me running to my colored index cards with JOY! As soon as I read this chapter I was gluing green and red index cards and sending them through lamination. I have always been a huge thumbs up, thumbs down teacher. This is such a great way to facilitate the concepts of checking student’s understanding throughout lessons.
ReplyDeleteIn order to begin this task, you will need 3X5 index cards, for your students, with yes/no written on opposite sides or green and red construction or cardstock paper. I chose index cards that were red and green (I just happened to have some on hand.) Once glued together, lamination helps to keep them together.
Smart cards are used in the classroom for voting or showing comprehension of taught lessons. I plan to use them in whole group, small group, and seat work. When I ask a question, students quickly show their color in front of their body so that others around them cannot see very well.
This can be used for true/false, agree/disagree, yes/no and many other variations.
I also see using this as students are working at their desk. As I walk around, I can see the color cards on their desk either red or green. Green means they know what to do and are independent, red symbolizes they need help or are confused.
Within partners, if students don’t agree they can discuss and play Prove-It to finalize a solution.
Smart cards can also be used from the student’s standpoint when partners are retelling, summarizing, explaining their thinking… to their partner. If one student doesn’t understand what the partner is saying they can flip over their card to red and then flip to green when they understand.
The possibilities are endless!
Krystal,
DeleteI love you options of using the card with partners and on desks to indicate comprehension! Great ideas! Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 25: Smart Cards
ReplyDeleteWe are indeed fortunate to have a SMART Board in our classroom; having the technology is wonderful; we have many interactive lessons, we can read stories (and have stories read to us!), we can view films, even motion pictures-- we can travel virtually anywhere the Internet can take us! However, without a SMART Response system (student clickers), there is one thing our SMART Board is unable to do: it cannot assess our students and provide immediate feedback.
The cost of the SMART Response system is prohibitive, upwards of two thousand dollars! Smart Cards, on the other hand, are a wonderful, inexpensive form of student assessment that provides immediate feedback! Smart Cards are available to all, since they cost mere pennies to make. When using Smart Cards, the teacher knows at a glance who does or does not understand the question that was asked.
Having a Smart Card in their hands gives students a physical, tangible reason to remain engaged because the student knows the teacher will be asking a question, and he or she will have to raise their card in response. Again, as with most (if not all) of the Whole Brain Teaching techniques we have thus far learned, Smart Cards involve the entire brain (including the limbic system!), so that whatever we are learning (or reviewing) has a better chance of being stored away in a student’s long-term memory.
From a student perspective, Smart Cards add to the “funtricity” in the classroom. In a world filled with technology (with which, we, as teachers, have to compete) such as iPads, iPods, gaming systems, handheld electronic games, and so forth, the Smart Cards offer something different to the student. Smart cards are tangible; the student can hold it in his or her hands. The student and class can interact with the teacher simultaneously: the Smart Card is the “ticket” to the game!
Of prime importance is teaching students how to use Smart Cards, and allowing for practice and rehearsals. With many rehearsals and repetitions, students will learn to refrain from blurting out their answer.
Smart Cards are a highly-effective, cost-effective teaching tool. Smart Cards are a smart choice to have in any classroom. Here in teacher heaven, it’s all about making smart choices.
Jacqueline Nessuno
Jacqueline,
DeleteOne of the joys of WBT is its availibility to all learners and educators no matter the financial funding. Smart Cards are another example of this as you pointed out in your post, "Smart Cards are a highly-effective, cost-effective teaching tool." Nice job! Here are 25 points for you!
I think smart cards are a great idea. I have used this technique before with multiple choice questions and true or false questions to get a visual of students’ understanding. Because so many students copy, it’s hard to know when students are having trouble with the lesson or when they’re just being lazy. So, smart cards give me a better idea of who understands and who needs more practice.
ReplyDeleteI have some colored foam hands on which I’ve written A, B and C that students use to answer questions. They hold up the hands to answer and sometimes quickly change them when they see everyone else with a different color or they hold up two hands when they are not sure. Students love using the hands because it’s a different way to do boring multiple choice comprehension questions.
With the smart cards, although students unvote, they could still quickly change their cards when they see that others have a different answer. This shouldn’t discourage teachers from using the technique because teachers can still see when students change cards or when they hesitate and wait until others have answered in order to answer.
Adrienne,
DeleteSmart cards are so much less expensive then the hands and very versatile. You can use them for yes, no, agree, disagree, oral reading expression and fluency and so much more!
One way to really up the ante is to have students play Prove It. They will have to disprove or prove why the other answers are correct or not. Have fun with the possibilities. Here are the 25 certification points.
Smart Cards appear to be a great alternative to the expensive smart board clickers. They can be effective if used correctly. The teacher telling the students “vote” gives them a quick response time to lift a card. With practice, this could become effective. Initially, I could see this as being ineffective as students will attempt to change their answers. When this becomes mastered, this strategy becomes a great way to quickly evaluate students on prior background knowledge or what they may or may not have learned from a lesson. This is effective because it is a speedy process to evaluate instead of grading a test two weeks later when you have already moved onto another concept. This has an immediate evaluation of where the students are on the topic. It is also effective because it doesn’t allow enough time for a student to change their mind on an answer once they have noticed the majority of the class has chosen the opposite answer. This way you can target those students who have been grazing by and going along with what other students have selected without understanding the concept taught.
ReplyDeleteLiz Cheney
Liz,
DeleteThe immediate feedback of the Smart Cards does allow you to quickly evaluate the success of the lesson and determine the next steps for instruction. Good work! Here are 25 points!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBethany Kirkland Chapter 25 Smart Cards
ReplyDeleteI believe that 99.9% of teachers would say they can appreciate a low tech/low cost evaluation system as described in this chapter! “There is no sense in going to lesson B, if lesson A lost half our class.” Biffle, 2013.
Smart Cards are a valuable tool for classroom teachers with loads of examples on the implementation of this assessment technique.
This technique can be applied to any subject taught.
The possible problems one may encounter using Smart Cards is addressed by the demonstration of solution strategies. Great tool!
Bethany,
DeleteSmart Cards not only help with assessment, but they are FUN! Here are 25 certification points.
Wow! This is a great idea! While my school has the latest and greatest technology, often times it is out of order. At the last minute it doesn't work! But, with this inexpensive and simple system, I can evaluate my students learning! I especially like that it allows my most sensitive students to show what they know…or don't know, without being embarrassed. I will utilize several strategies during morning meeting starting tomorrow since it requires very little preparation. I especially like the idea of using this idea with math problems. My students love word problems but I tend to have the same students that want to solve the problems. I can use the smart cards to get all my students involved since there will not be the embarrassment factor. Great Ideas!
ReplyDeleteDanah,
DeleteThese are perfect to create that safe classroom community that we all strive for! Here are 25 certification points!
I read Whole Brain Teaching from cover to cover when I received it last summer. There is so much involved in it that I totally forgot about the smart cards. They are a quick and easy way to assess each lesson throughout the day. I envision a small plastic pocket attached to each desk so that the smart card is readily available at any given time. I like the idea of the color- coded cards. It will be easier to glance and see how many have the correct answer.
ReplyDeleteThese smart cards can be used throughout the day. I write a Fix-it sentence on the board each morning. The children are required to fix the mistakes in their journals. We check the work before going to our first period class. Sometimes, time runs short. I can see using the smart cards to ask if each word in the sentence was written correctly. This would take much less time than rewriting the sentence.
The possibilities are endless in all the major subjects. I can even see it being used to discuss class behavior or making decisions about what mind sport to play!
I have one student who is floundering academically. He has mastered the art of copying what others say by repeating a split second after them. I can bet that he will hold up his card a little slower than his neighbors so that he can see what others have put before committing to an answer. I’ll have to think about how to prevent this from happening. I could move his desk so that he is right up in front and can’t readily see what others have put. I could call on just the boys to answer and have it more difficult for him to see quickly what they have put. Another suggestion would be to make the smart cards smaller so that they fit in the palm of the hand. This way, it will not be as obvious to others what each child has voted. The teacher will be able to see, but neighbors will have a harder time.
I intend to incorporate smart cards in my classroom as soon as possible. They will make my job of assessment just a little bit easier. They will also train the students to think on their own. I will definitely add the “Prove it” part to the assessment at times to keep them on their toes!
Liz Howard
Liz,
DeleteGreat ideas! I agree, the book is so full of information, we all need to revisit it often! I like the way you are looking for the best way to use these Smart Cards with your students! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart cards are a great informal assessment to make sure the class is understanding what is being taught. "Exit tickets” are often used to check for mastery and they are great for long answers at the end of a lesson. The problem is that you don’t know your lesson was effective or not until it's over.
ReplyDeleteSmart Cards are great for quick questions that can be answered at any time and are ideal for checking understanding during the lesson. If not enough of the class has mastered the topic, you can reteach and then reassess with the cards.
Josephine,
DeleteYou made a good point about the exit tickets. Having the immediate feedback the Smart Cards provide is valuable as we assess understanding! Here are 25 certification points!
Using WBT with its constant movement and gestures in my class this year has made a huge difference in student involvement and participation. As a teacher of kindergarten, I know that young children learn more from, respond better to, and enjoy teaching strategies that involve the physical manipulation of objects.
ReplyDeleteSmart Cards are an inexpensive, yet innovative way to provide this hands-on experience for routines that may be otherwise mundane and ineffective. I especially like the idea of using the red and green cards, perhaps even adding a popsicle stick handle, since a five-year-old’s world basically revolves around these colors in everything from safety rules to citizenship charts.
I believe that the “vote” and “unvote” commands are awesome. They give every child a fair and equal chance to express his opinion AND give the teacher enough time to assess and identify struggling children anonymously. I also think that the “unsure” position is important because it validates a student’s uncertainty without humiliation and it discourages copying someone else’s response. "Prove It" is a technique in which a student demonstrates a deeper understanding of key concepts and it also helps teachers to identify random guessers if they are unable to prove an answer. All-in-all I think that Smart Cards are an entertaining, accessible way for children to “play” their ways to better comprehension.
Julia,
DeleteAdding the popsicle stick would be a fun way to help the kinders manipulate these easier! I love your comment "All-in-all I think that Smart Cards are an entertaining, accessible way for children to “play” their ways to better comprehension." Teacher Heaven! Here are 25 certification points!
Brandi Young Ch. 25 Smart Cards
ReplyDeleteThese cards are an inexpensive tool for the classroom. They are efficient cards. Students understand how to use them and teachers are able to collect data on what they observe. They are effective. Students love to use them and teachers can gain knowledge of their student’s ability level or skill level to determine if the class is ready for the next lesson. These Smart Cards are easy to implement in the classroom and will serve as a valuable assessment technique. The Smart Cards can be used on the day to day basis for informal assessments. They have proven to be very practical and can be used for any subject at any given time, like when the technology isn’t working.
Brandi Young
Brandi,
DeleteYou said it! Practical, easy to implement and efficient! What more could we ask for? Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 25: Smart Cards
ReplyDeleteWow! What a smart, inexpensive, fast, and effective way to determine student understanding of a concept. You can definitely use this in all curriculum areas. Once again I love the aspect of modeling how to use the cards, especially with students evaluating the teacher. I love the “Vote” and “Unvote” procedures to discourage students from looking at others answers to make choices, and help struggling students become more independent. Smart Cards are a very versatile tool that will help you judge when to move on to the next lessons, I love the math ideas, and how to use them to develop higher order thinking skill by taking it a step further to prove their responses. Smart Cards will be an effective, useful, and enjoyable addition to my classroom.
Tonya,
DeleteThe versatility is one of the reasons that they are so appealing! I like your enthusiasm! Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 25
ReplyDeleteSmart Cards are an effective, low cost tool for any classroom. I have used a variation with both the yes/no and also A/B/C/D for multiple choice questions. I will add the colors to the cards for the yes and no; that will certainly make it easy to see comprehension across the room.
Steve Sublett
Steve,
DeleteThese are great for multiple choice! Try to give a little more information on future posts though. Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards are an innovative and inexpensive strategy to assess student understanding. I have used these cards for four weeks. I have changed my instruction by restating and reviewing a subject based on this clever strategy! Students are not embarrassed by blurting out the wrong answer when everyone else says the right answers. If I see a handful of struggling students, I quickly and quietly assign this group to our wonderful paraprofessionals to go over the instruction. The next day, I quickly review what I have taught the previous day using Smart Cards for an informal assessment. It is a brilliant and inexpensive strategy! It has increased my effectiveness as a teacher and improved student comprehension!
ReplyDeleteKrissa White
Krissa,
DeleteNice job! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards=Effectiveness....ABSOLUTELY!!! I think that every teacher has experienced the kid that goes along with the crowd saying he/she understands, but in reality really doesn't get it. In fact, a couple of time during my childhood I was that student that didn't get it; however, I said I did to mask embarrassment of not knowing the answer. I love how smart cards also employ the use of index cards, things that teachers already have and the red/green cards stapled together is great!
ReplyDeleteSmart Cards allow us as teachers to automatically determine which students do or do not comprehend something and this helps us to determine who is ready to go on and who may need a little extra help/review.
Whoops...forgot to post my real name
ReplyDeleteKarlyn Davis
Karlyn,
DeleteNice job! Be careful when editing "couple of time during my childhood" (times). Here are 25 certification points!
Smart cards are a fabulous way to engage students in classroom discussions or debates. They prevent students from guessing the correct answer. The students have to know the correct answer which encourages them to think. Smart cards also help students recognize their knowledge of the concepts taught in class. Teachers can also evaluate their teaching. If a majority of the class does not respond with the correct smart card then a specific concept may need to be retaught. Also, if the majority of the class fails to respond to a question the concept may need to be retaught or reviewed with the class.
ReplyDeleteIrish Brown
Irish,
DeleteThe Smart Cards are the perfect assessment tool- inexpensive and quick! Here are 25 certification points!
Ch 25
DeleteOver the past 3 years, I have utilized a wipe-off board during instruction. I have had my students write their answers on a board and then hold up for me to check. I have been able to scan my group to check for understanding without embarrassing a single student.
Smart Cards are a lot like the wipe-off board strategy. I like the idea of using index cards instead of wipe-off boards because keeping up with the expense of the wipe-off markers was difficult. I love the idea of having students vote using the Smart Cards. Teachers can check for understanding of any information quickly just by having students hold up “yes” or “no” cards.
I plan to order index cards for next school year. I will start the year off with the Smart Card strategy instead of the wipe-off boards. I will use it to review WBT rules and procedures, directions for assignments, examples/non examples of skills taught, and anything and everything that needs a quick review to check for understanding.
Lori Crigler
Lori,
DeleteYou can also use red/green cardstock and laminate it with the same results if you don't have index cards. Some people have also attached popsicle sticks to them for convenience. Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 25: Smart Cards
ReplyDeleteSmart Cards are a new addition to WBT strategies. Evaluate their effectiveness.
Smart Cards have value when working on lower cognitive level skills where a response requires a simple recall of information. That does not mean they cannot be an important part of the class instruction. While the question complexity has increased, students still require foundational skills. Smart Cards can be used to quickly demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts. Smart Cards can be used to evaluate the logic or the reasoning of more complex ideas. For example, do you agree or disagree with the ….. Have I followed all the steps necessary to answer the question? If not, what step did I miss. I can see many uses for language skills from spelling to vocabulary. My biggest concern would be the over use of Smart Cards because a teacher is focused on low complexity level questions.
I have used Smart Cards this year and found them to be very helpful for children who are not , or are afraid to be wrong. It took a great deal of training for my ESE students to use the cards, but once they began to trust themselves and not look at their neighbor’s card I saw real growth. Over all I would give Smart Cards a ‘Two Thumbs Up’.
Dian,
DeleteNice evaluation! The teacher does have to make sure that the questions include higher order thinking skills to avoid the trap of too many low complexity levels. Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 25
ReplyDeleteAnne Corrigan
I really like the idea of using Smart Cards to eliminate classroom embarrassment of students who are not keeping up with the material. It is both inexpensive and effective. It allows for a change up in the average, monotonous answering of questions aloud, over and over again. Smart Cards are also adaptable to any subject the teacher may be teaching. I would love to utilize this in language arts. One modification I may make would be to have a different colored card for when students are unsure of the answer. Especially with small children, it may be harder to tell if the child is holding up the edge of the card or just has their arm turned too far to one side. I would also laminate these cards to make sure they were sturdy enough for everyday use.
Smart Cards prevent the dreaded embarrassment of publicly not knowing an answer, something that seems so normal to instructors but is very detrimental to the self-esteem of a child. With larger classrooms, slow learners become harder and harder to pinpoint and they can often blend into the crowd. Smart Cards are such a clever and simple way of solving this problem. For the most part it can reduce, maybe not eliminate, the use of copying from neighbors but this shouldn’t discourage people from using this technique. Keeping a close watch on the class and scanning the cards quickly will give the teacher a good idea of whose got it and who doesn’t.
Anne,
DeleteGood job! The Smart Cards are a quick and easy way to assess our students while adding an element of fun! Watch for those pesky editing errors "a good idea of whose got it and who doesn’t" (who's). Here are 20 certification points!
Smart cards are such a great tool to incorporate into all subject areas. One of my favorite pieces of smart cards is the vote strategy. I often have my students vote on answers when reviewing by raising their hands. After reading this chapter, I have found that this can lead to some embarrassment in my class due to some students being the lone student with a particular answer. Using smart cards, all of my students can vote at the same time and I can quickly see which students have an understanding without any student being singled out. I love that I can use these in any subject and requires little time, effort, work, or money to prepare!
ReplyDeleteKasey,
DeleteI agree, these are a great tool to save a child from being embarrassed if they are struggling with a concept. Here are 25 certification points!
I love the Smart Cards for their simplicity and the ability to use them in a variety of situations to quickly assess students. This year, we are being required to assess every lesson we teach and this a quick and simple way for the students to show that they understand the lesson. I think that the variety of ways that are listed including parts of speech, capitalization, math problems, math facts and even making sure that the students understand the directions are only the beginning. They can be used across the curriculum. I also like these cards because they are easy to make and I would just give my students an index card and have them make it themselves. If they lost the card, it would be no big deal to have them make a new one because they are cheap. In conclusion, I will definitely be adding these to my assessment options because they are quick, easy and effective and I don’t have to waste paper or grade anything.
ReplyDeleteMary,
DeleteYou are so right, they are inexpensive and easy to make!! I hope they are of great use to you. I even use them during the Crazy Professor Game and when we do oral reading for expression, tempo, and accuracy! Here are your 25 certification points.
Ch. 25: Smart Cards
ReplyDeleteI like the Smart Card. I used these when we were reviewing for tests. I had the students answer questions and then I would tell them the correct answer. If they got the question correct then they would hold up the Yes card. If they did not get the correct answer then they would hold up the No card. There was no speaking and no comments or sounds could be made, It really cut down on the interruptions and the student embarrassment.
Karen,
DeleteWere your students writing the answers down first? Coach also suggests using these as a quick assessment to help us know whether or not to reteach or move on. It is easy to ask a question and have them flash green for yes and red for no without having to write anything down. It can work both ways. Here are 25 certification points.
Two years ago I was taking a differentiated instruction class. There I learned about something very similar to Smart Cards called Yes/No cards. I made them immediately and have been using them for the last two years. One side of the card is colored green with the word yes written on it, and the other side of the card is colored red with the word no written on it.
ReplyDeleteI have found them to be very useful in engaging all students in a discussion, because they force each student to think about the question and respond to it. The only downside that I have found is that some students will look to see how others are responding and then choose the same answer. To combat this I ask my students to hide their cards in their laps and select their answers. Then on the count of three we hold our cards up at the same time.
What I like about the Smart Cards is that they go beyond the Yes/No cards with their other uses. I really like the idea of using them during independent work time. If a student has his/her card on green, I know that he/she understands the work. However, if a student's card is on red, I know that he/she will need some extra help. I also like the idea of using the cards during partner discussions. Holding up a red card is a real easy way of letting your partner know that you do not understand what he/she is saying. I am looking forward to trying out both of these uses next year.
Joyce,
DeleteGreat job! Smart cards are fun, cheap, and a quick assessment method! Perfect for busy teachers! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards seem to me as a slightly different version of ‘Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down’. I like the fact that the possible problems with the Smart Card method were brought up. I think adding on a prove it at the end of some Smart Card sessions will help the teacher decide if students are being honest about their responses.
ReplyDeleteI have some old Instant Response clickers that I will be putting red/green tape on. Students will use those to hold up instead of index cards.
Ultimately, I think the effectiveness comes down to how closely the teacher is looking at the responses and how he/she is double checking them. For instance in addition to using the prove it game a teacher could have students write an exit ticket in relation to the Smart Card responses given earlier. Teachers could have all student write an answer to the same question or they could allow student to write either an answer OR a clarifying question. Each option would give a teacher something to gauge the original smart card responses with. For example, if the majority of students respond with a yes (that they understand a topic) but the majority of students cannot write a correlated response (that is accurately correct) then the teacher would know that students are responding to yes when they aren’t actually sure of the answer.
I believe this can be a powerful tool if used properly.
~Jason McKinney
Jason,
DeleteAdding prove it is a wonderful idea! Smart Cards can be a great quick assessment tool, and they can lead to deeper discussions. Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards are an ingenious way to quickly survey the class. First of all it is inexpensive, easy to make, and easy to store when we are not using them. It is also a quick way to quickly gage student understanding. I also like that the cards can be used in any class, across any discipline. Once students understand the routine they can be tested in anything.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was reading I was still wondering about students looking at other student’s responses and changing their response as a result. This was partially answered when the book suggested the Unvote so students would have to start without any cards in their hands.
I am still worried, however, that some students who are so shy or afraid of getting a wrong answer, will somehow still glimpse at other students’ movements and change their answer based on what card the students grab or what side they are holding up. Giving students wait time to think about their answer and then having them quickly raise their votes can avoid this problem. Another way to avoid this problem is to have students close their eyes as well or just use a thumbs-up or thumbs-down answer system. This strategy is called a QT or Quick Test.
I love some of the suggestions in this chapter as well. I love the Smart Card SuperSpeed. My students love the SuperSpeed Math and I am sure they will love this as well. I also like the Critical Thinking piece where students must turn to their partner and explain their reasoning. This will be a great time to incorporate the Brainies and encourage the students to use one, two, three, or even four Brainies in their answer. Oh, I am so excited about the possibilities.
Amber Hartzler
Amber,
DeleteAdding that critical thinking comment after showing the smart card takes this strategy to another level! You are right, there are endless possibilities when adding Brainies! Here are 25 certification points!
I have used the thumb vote for many years. An advantage of thumbs over the smart cards is that students can put their thumb sideways to indicate that they are not sure. On the other hand, the cards are easier to see. It is difficult to see thumbs in a large class and the answer can be ambiguous at times.
ReplyDeleteThe smart cards are either yes or no. This is a limited amount of feedback. Proving your answer to a partner helps expand student thinking and gives me a chance to learn a little more about the level of understanding. I can also ask students to explain their thinking to the class. In addition, students have a fifty / fifty chance of getting the answer correct with a guess.
I have a Smart Board response system, but I don’t use it that much. It takes time to pass out the clickers and set up the system. It can give more detailed results and is harder to copy. While I’ll keep using the technology, I like the idea of the smart cards for quicker, hassle free checkups.
The smart cards are another tool to use for fast spot checks of understanding. I think I’ll also print these on magnetic sheets so they will always be on the sides of the desks for quick access.
Sheryl Larson
Sheryl,
DeleteI love your idea to make these magnetic sheets! Genius! Coach B has suggested having the kids put their card flat (similar to thumb sideways) when they are unsure. It is a quick and easy way to assess their understanding. Here are 25 certification points!
What teacher would not like an inexpensive and effective technique to quickly evaluate if a student understands the concept being taught?
ReplyDeleteI think one of my favorite aspects is the ability to quickly assess all throughout the lesson. Using Smart Cards to do a quick assessments of the students comprehension before continuing to the next portion of the lesson will help guide what to do next. If the student(s) did not grasp a portion of the lesson, I can reteach that portion right then. I will not have to wait until end of the lesson or the unit test to determine that a student did not understand a concept that was taught at the beginning of the lesson.
Using “vote” and “unvote” quietly is genius! Every child has a chance to express their opinion and this gives me enough time to assess who is struggling with a concept. Another amazing part of this technique is use of the “unsure” position. Coach B said it best, “We would much rather have students knowing they are uncertain rather than believing, incorrectly, they are right.”
Quick, effective, inexpensive – It does not get any better than that.
Kim Kirkpatrick
Kim,
DeleteSmart cards are genius! As you said, quick, effective, and inexpensive. Here are your 25 certification points! Keep up the great posting!
Chapter 25: Evaluate the Effectiveness of Smart Cards
ReplyDeleteSmart cards are a wonderful tool to use in determining your students that have understanding of a skill or concept you have just taught and those that do not. I believe smart cards will be very effective in my classroom because of the following reasons:
1. Using the smart cards allows every student to answer the questions. Therefore every student instantly reveals their understanding.
2. Smart cards are a silent answering technique. This not only helps eliminate embarrassment of verbalizing incorrect answers, but also will allow those shier students to answer without having to speak in front of the class.
3. Smart cards can be held up with edge pointing to teacher if student doesn’t know the answer. This allows the teacher to instantly evaluate their lesson that was just taught. There will be no question of should I move on to the next skill or should I continue to teach the current skill. You will know immediately the percentage of students that do or don’t understand.
4. The smart card technique is also aligned with common core. After students vote, the teacher will say “Prove it!” Students turn and talk to their neighbor and prove their answer with explanation and evidence.
I believe smart cards will be an awesome tool to add to any classroom. It will allow teachers to collect immediate data of the understanding of the skills taught!
Heidi Baird
Heidi,
DeleteYou shared four excellent reasons to add these simple, but effective tools to every classroom! Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 25 – Smart Cards
ReplyDeleteI think Smart Cards will be a very effective method of quick assessments in the classroom. I plan on making the cards, laminating them, and having a set in the basket at each table group. That way, I can call for a quick assessment at any time. The students will already be used to responding quickly because of Rule 1, Mirrors, Lines, etc. This will hopefully eliminate some of the sideways glances to see what other students are voting. If I see this happening, I can give frownies because they are not quick enough. I will also try to strategically place students I see doing this. I think rehearsals and using the Scoreboard will help eliminate students calling out their answers. I have used the QT assessment method (heads down, hold thumbs up, down, or sideways) effectively, so I think I will use a combination of these two to avoid habituation. I will also use it for partner teaching/coaching, such as Spelling and Oral Writing – punctuation. I see the children enjoying this.
Overall, I feel this method will help me to know when students have mastered the skill I am teaching or when they are not understanding it. It will show me which students need more help and allow me to make quick mental groups in my head for further instruction. I do have a Smart Board, but I think this is quicker, simpler, and more ‘motor’ friendly for students.
Bonnie,
DeleteGreat idea to keep a set in each table tub! Quick and easy! Here are 25 certification points!
This has proven to be a very valuable and inexpensive tool in my classroom. I began using this a few years ago. I used 1/2 a sheet of card stock folded in half and stapled on the sides, making a pocket for the student's hand to slip into. On one side was the letter A and on the other side was the letter B. They answer questions and show the appropriate letter. I do have a smartboard and the availability of a smart response system. I used the Smart Card method much more than the technology because it took much less time and we could move on to learning new information or reteaching depending on the outcome of the "test".
ReplyDeleteMitzi,
DeleteI'm glad to hear the Smart Cards have been so effective in your classroom! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart cards are a quick, inexpensive evaluation tool for teachers to be able to see if students are understanding what is being taught. It allows each student to answer at the same time, instead of one child being singled out. The technique can be used to check student understanding in all subject areas. This allows even the shy students the opportunity to show what they know. The students that need extra help are able to show they do not understand without the other students knowing. I would add that the students need to keep their eyes on me when they vote, so that they are not tempted to copy a neighbor’s answer. I will also use the unvote so that my under performers do not focus on whether someone is lifting up a different card than the previous answer as a way to determine what they will answer.
ReplyDeleteMelissa,
DeleteGreat job! Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 25 – Smart Cards
ReplyDeleteSmart cards are a great and inexpensive way to instantly gauge student understanding. Smart cards can be a 3x5 card with yes on one side and no on the other. The teacher asks a question and students wait for a signal then raise their card with their yes or no answer. The teacher can run their eyes around the room and instantly know how many students understand the concept.
This is fantastic because many students have become expert at hiding their ignorance. They know how to smile and nod and escape the notice of the teacher. Then when test time rolls around, teachers are scratching their heads trying to figure out what happened. “I thought they had it and half the class flunked the test!” I have heard those words come out of my own mouth many times. With smart cards and variations the teacher has a cheap and easy way of evaluating who understands and who doesn’t.
The trick is to give a signal for when to raise the cards, so that clever hiders can’t look around quickly and vote with the majority. So the teacher gives a signal, and all the students raise their cards at the same moment, making it harder, if not impossible, to cheat. Cards can also be made with one red side and one green side and then the colors could be made to signify anything. True/false, yes/no, north/south, etc.
Smart cards are a phenomenal way to gauge student understanding.
Carl Rust 480 cp
Carl,
DeleteYou are so right- our kids really are experts at hiding when they don't really know the material! These are simple, easy tools to help solve that problem! Here are 25 certification points!
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ReplyDeletePlease excuse my multiple removals- technical difficulties!!!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy this idea of Smart Cards and can't wait to put it into play in my classroom! I am currently using the QT (quick test) frequently with thumbs up, down, or in the middle (to show unsure), which is very similar to this method. Everyone has paper in their classroom, so in my opinion, this assessment strategy is free! Having each student equipped with a set of these cards can help to easily and decisively assure which students have the material and which do not. If too many students do not understand it, this would be the time to go back and reteach! With proper practicing of how to hold the cards up quickly so no one can see them, Smart Cards make it so that each student’s true thoughts come through without the temptation of peeking at a peer’s response. I also enjoy the idea of adding “Prove-it!” along with these cards to help further prove their beliefs and to weed-out and reteach any uncertain students. Even if a student did not know the correct response, with the “Prove-it!” afterwards, they can now see the other students’ reasoning and better understand the concept, perhaps in a way that is different or easier to comprehend. Students are the best teachers, after all!
At first I thought about coloring these cards; for example, red for “no” and green for “yes.” But then I realized that this would probably make it easy for students to get that color in their peripheral vision and potentially influence the decision on which card they hold up. I think I would rather avoid this by using the same color/no color for both Smart Cards or by printing them front-to-back so it is just an easy flip of the card to show a response.
-Brianne Betz
Toms River, New Jersey
Brianne,
DeleteSmart Cards are a quick, easy, and cost effective tool that everyone should be on board using them! They are a fun way to quickly assess our students and move right along with the lesson. Here are 25 certification points!
As stated in the chapter, many underperforming students are good at hiding their lack of knowledge. Smart cards provide a simple cost effective strategy to formatively assess student knowledge and understanding throughout a lesson. I have noticed when students are asked to give a choral answer, some students that are not sure will “fake” answer or have a delayed answer to hide their underperformance. Having students hold up the cards with a “vote” and “unvote” cue gets students to participate and requires them to rely on their own knowledge and not rely on copying another student’s answer. Additionally, I like that students are not encouraged to guess. If they are unsure, holding the card showing the edge informs the teacher that reteaching needs to occur. I think this strategy could also be used during step 4 of the five step lesson plan in place of “yes/no way”.
ReplyDeleteShila,
DeleteSorry! It looks like I didn't see this post! Here are your 25 certification points!
I love the idea of Smart Cards. They are an easy way to quickly check for understanding. As I was reading this chapter, I started to realize that I was nodding my head in agreement when I read how Smart Cards can be used in Language Arts. Just the other day, I had a short assessment on parts of speech. I have been frustrated recently because my students are having a hard time remembering the parts of speech. To help them remember, we put gestures with the parts of speech and acted them out. One of my other blog responses actually had the script of how I used gestures to teach parts of speech! My assessment was a short five-question “quiz.” I say “quiz” because it is merely a way of checking for understanding. At the end of the day, I sat at my desk and graded all of these “quizzes.” We all know that grading is both boring and exhausting! The idea of Smart Cards is absolutely blowing my mind right now! Instead of giving them a paper to check for understanding, I can simply ask yes or no questions to check for understanding.
ReplyDeleteOne way that I will use Smart Cards is when we are discussing Mesoamerican culture. We have been doing a Mesoamerica and Mysteries unit in Social Studies and Language Arts. I ask simple yes or no questions about the three civilizations in particular: Maya, Inca, and Aztec. We are reviewing for our big unit test that will happen in two weeks, and I know, for certain, that using Smart Cards will help me to identify who needs help in understanding the three different cultures.
Every classroom has the type of kid that is too shy to answer. Every classroom also has the kid that picks on the kid that is too shy to answer and likes to point out when kids are wrong. I also have those kids that look around the room searching for someone to follow. This bothers me because I won’t really know who is struggling if the kids are not being honest with me. I discuss with them often how important it is to answer based on what they think and not what others think. I don’t think it matters whether it is first grade or sixth grade; there will always be some students that will try to make a decision or choose an answer based on others!
One way that I will change the use of Smart Cards in my room is by having kids put either the green or red side facing out, cover the back side with both of their hands, and gently, but not all the way, fold the card so that only I can see if they are putting up yes or no. Slightly folding the paper acts as a blinder so that the other kids can’t see other responses. Kids will make choices based on what they know or don’t know, and not based off what others are choosing. To insure that the cards stay in good shape, they will be laminated. This is just one variation of Smart Cards that I will use in my classroom.
Hannah,
ReplyDeleteSmart Cards are a low cost but effective method of assessment with an added flair of fun! Your variation should be very effective and keep them honest with their responses. Here are 25 certification points!
I believe that smart cards can be an effective WBT strategy to assess student understanding. Similar to this idea, I use mini whiteboards to do quick assessments using simple questions or yes/no responses. The students record their response using a dry erase marker and while the Jeopardy music song plays. Once the music ends, the students all at once hold up their white boards for me to see. Like the smart cards, the students are unable to view their neighbor’s response. I am able to quickly assess student comprehension and potential gaps in my instruction. Both strategies allow students to demonstrate their knowledge in a non intimidating format. This will encourage students who may be less likely to participate, to share a response. I have not used the Prove It strategy, but would be able to apply this during culture units, such as with Bullfighting or Cinco de mayo. Students would respond si/no to a historical fact and then “prove it” using what they have learned about the event.
ReplyDeleteBethann Barneman
Bethann,
DeleteYou have identified some fun ways to use smart cards. 25 certification points!
Another way that I have used them is for reading fluency, partners read to each other and when their expression, speed, and accuracy are on target, they are on green, when they need to work, the partner will turn it to red. It helped my students with their 'Crazy Professor' reading. We also used them in group work too. There are so many ways to employ this inexpensive tool!
Thank you for sharing those ideas. I will incorporate those into my own classes for Spanish reading fluency to help spice things up.
DeleteI think Smart Cards would be a wonderful asset to my classroom. They are very inexpensive, easy to store, and a great assessment tool. I am lucky enough to have a promethean board in my classroom and we can check out the clickers that were discussed in the book. I had an entire set in my classroom last year however they take up a lot of time. I had to pass them out, remind the students how to turn them on, and deal with dead batteries and wrong buttons being pushed. It is a quick assessment once you get through the marathon it takes to get every third grader in the room ready to go. I am sure it gets easier with time but the Smart Cards would solve all of those dilemmas. I would use red and green cards so that I could quickly see the answers around the room. I love that the book gave readers so many ideas for using the cards. My favorite was the additional of the critical thinking component of having the students explain their answer choice. I am looking forward to stapling my own set together before the end of summer.
ReplyDelete-Courtney Wood
Courtney,
DeleteThese will be faster than the clickers! You can still use both, it is nice to have options! Here are 25 certification points!
The use of Smart Cards is a simple, easy technique for teachers to quickly evaluate student understanding. When the teacher asks a question, students simply need to silently hold up either the Yes/Green or the No/Red side of the Smart Card. If a student is unsure of the answer, he/she may hold the card out, horizontal to the floor, with the leading edge facing the teacher.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of the cards is twofold: to combat the “I don’t know’s” and to remove the fear of the wrong answer. As well, the cards allow the teacher to assess understanding and decide whether to go on with or re-teach the lesson.
The technique is not without its flaws however. First of all, it is important that the students are silent when they are using the cards. If a student blurts out an answer, others will be influenced by this and risk changing their answer. Practicing both the correct and the incorrect way of using the Smart Cards as well as reviewing Rule 2, “Raise your hand for permission to speak”, will help to eliminate this problem.
Secondly, some students will find it hard to resist looking at the responses of their peers before holding up their answer. Using smaller cards that fit in the hand of the student and having students place the cards on their desk top after every vote will help to control this problem.
Christina,
DeleteYou made some good points! Practicing the procedures and using right way/wrong way practice will help the cards be even more effective! Here are 25 certification points!
The Smart Cards are a very easily used tool for both students and the teacher. The cost is low, and they are easily made. If you laminate them, their durability will be even better. Students, no matter what their level, will understand the cards and be able to participate in using them.
ReplyDeleteThe cards will definitely help better assess who knows what.
There will be students who still will find a way to watch what others are doing and copy. I like the Vote/Unvote idea and Superspeed Vote. Both these methods will help more students give a real answer and not copy their neighbor. I will definitely have students turn the card with the edge pointing to the teacher if they don’t know. It is important for students to learn not to just guess or copy someone else if they don’t know. Students are often afraid of showing that they don’t understand and will work very hard to cover it up.
It may be a bit difficult at times to gather the assessment information, if you have a wide variety of responses. The teacher at times would need to be discreet in recording who still needs help, who knew and didn’t know during responses. I would love to hear more on this from teachers who have had experience using it.
Susan,
DeleteThese are very effective! I find that if I hold a clipboard with a class seating chart (to help me find that student quickly on my page) I can just make a quick mark in their box and then later revisit the list to gather assessment information. Nice job, here are 25 certification points!
Smart cards are something I have not tried yet for WBT. I initially see some great benefits to this strategy. I like the fact that it is cheap, quick, and easy to implement. Another positive is that it is a quick check for understanding which is critical. It could take the place of time consuming day to day or weekly check in written assessments. Giving the kids 3 choices: Yes, No, and Uncertain is great. It was also beneficial to have the different ideas of implementation listed for literacy and math. My favorite of these was the Prove It. I believe this is a loophole that can work against a con I will mention later. Lastly, I think that it will lesson anxiety for students that are afraid to say they don't understand. I think if i see kiddos that show a wrong answer or an uncertain, I would approach them later for reteaching. This fits in great with our district wide PLC( professional learning community) where we combine kids into like needs at PLC time to work on reteaching or enrichment. Groups could be made according to this information from Smart Cards.
ReplyDeleteThe main con that would come out of using the Smart Cards would be the kids that quickly try to look at their neighbors' to see their answer. By using the Prove It strategy this could help to find the kids that really are confused by subject matter. Also, if a teacher really knows the personality and level their kids were working on, I think they would catch onto the ones who are guessing quickly.
Overall, I think it is a great tool. The pros outweigh the cons. It is a great way to hold students accountable and check for understanding. I will try it in the future.
Wendy,
DeleteThat's a great idea to use them in our PLCs! Here are 25 certification points!
Smart Cards just might be the most ingenious tool for teachers to perform a quick assessment and check their students’ comprehension. Although I do have an interactive whiteboard with a set of classroom clickers, it is time consuming to distribute them, and not to mention, it never fails that someone’s clicker is going to need the battery replaced the moment I am ready to use them.
ReplyDeleteI love the convenience of Smart Cards. Smart Cards can easily be stored in students’ zipper pouch, and in less than 10 seconds, students can be ready to respond and demonstrate their understanding of a skill. The concept of “vote” and “unvote” allows the teacher a chance to pinpoint students that may not have a skill mastered. By implementing this assessment technique in my classroom, I feel that it will have the power to guide my instruction and provide me instantaneous data that will prove which students have successfully achieved the skill/standard.
Kelly Avery
WBT Intern
Kelly,
DeleteGreat job! Here are 25 certification points!
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ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI am excited to continue to use Star Cards in my classroom. I have used them before and the kids really like how they can answer yes and no and give their opinion. Another benefit of the Star Cards is I like the fact that they have moved away from looking at each other and can answer the problem without the fear or concern of what answer that their neighbor gives to a question. Most of my students are either resource or self-contained students so they hate to write and this gives them a chance at review without having to put their thoughts down on paper. Other variations of the Star Cards that I have used are thumbs up for yes or true and down for no or false. I am also going to try to incorporate ASL in my teaching with having the students sign A, B or C for their answers to their review questions as well.
Chris,
DeleteI'm glad you are finding success with these! (I think you meant Smart Cards though :). Here are 25 certification points!
Thanks Michelle!
DeleteAs a teacher and mom of 5, I love cheap and easy ways to know how well all my kids are doing. Smart Cards provide just that. The cards allow me to determine comprehension of the content by students in an inventive and fun way. I can easily judge the student’s level of understanding during lessons; and in turn, make teaching decisions on the fly such as if students grasp the concept or if re-teaching is needed. I can also quickly see if a student is looking at another’s answers or if they are able to answer on their own. Strugglers can be noted right away. The “vote” and “unvote” options adds a little bit of variety to keep students on their toes. Use of the “Prove It” strategy allows me to incorporate higher order thinking skills and allows students to demonstrate a deeper level of understanding. Using the peer teaching allows struggling students to gain more understanding by discussing the content with a fellow student. I love my Smart Cards, they are a simple, fun, and inexpensive way for me to do formative assessments.
ReplyDeleteGeni Ainge
The Smart Cards are a great tool to have in your "big back pocket" for a quick informal assessment! Nice post, Geni! Here are 25 points!
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