No child should go through a school day without interaction with teachers about their learning and well-being, but it happens. There are learners that can go days without direct contact from a teacher in school. I was one of these hidden children. I felt safest when I could hide away. I was ranked at the top of the year group in year seven, but by year nine I had just disappeared. I hid my ability, my curiosity, and my vulnerability. I was desperate to fit in with the ‘in’ crowd, terrified of standing out or being embarrassed by anyone. I never asked for help, never put my hand up and did everything I was told to do by teachers.
When learners want or need to hide, this presents a big challenge to teachers. We don’t know what we don’t know. We can’t know everything, especially when students go to great lengths not to be seen. They distract us with other behaviours or just try to fade into the background.
Firstly, every child needs an emotionally available adult. Someone who sees them, sees their value, and can show them that they matter. Secondly, it comes down to
how we habitually collect evidence and information in the classroom and most importantly how we act on it.. The Hanover Research (2017) Closing the Gap: Creating equity in the classroom report has a checklist of approaches that can be used in the classroom for engagement, the learning environment and feedback strategies. There are no surprises in there, no new shiny silver bullets, just what great teachers do every day, formative assessment.
Feel like you have ‘done’ formative assessment? Let me convince you otherwise.
Become awesome at the everyday stuff. Make a bigger difference.
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