Verso - for anonymous student feedback

Verso is a great app that offers formative data for teachers. It gives students a voice and allows them the opportunity to anonymously respond to prompts, articles, videos, etc, and then allows them to respond and rate each other's comments. The thing I like most about it is that it offers a voice to students that otherwise wouldn't necessarily participate in class, while also giving the teacher the ability to see who shared what (so it's not completely anonymous, which helps with extracting authentic responses, and makes grading easier).

Submitted by Mr. Bruno

Answer Garden

Use this website to have students type in words as responses, and the most frequently used words will appear larger.  Display to show your class the responses.

Beginning of class review/relaxation

In light of a 90 minute class I have found that taking one minute to go through the goals/schedule for the class for that day that students are given a greater sense of what is coming, and thus more ownership of the objectives for the class. This is accompanied by some visual aid (outline on the board or smart board.) 

I also take one minute at the beginning of brain studies class to dim the lights and have the students take 6 slow deep breaths (4 counts in through the nose, 8 counts out through the mouth.) Compliance is amazing. It also allows me to start class quietly and them to be better focused on what comes next.

Both of these techniques are generic enough to be used in any class.  

contributed by Mr. Piskel

Daily seating changes

Each day, I have a random seating chart on the board.  Students get to work with different classmates and experience class from different points of view.  It also prevents students from getting too chatty with the same group all the time.

contributed by Mr. Goodman

Kahoot - quizzes on your screen and their phones

I like Kahoot to review for a test or quiz.   It is class activity where everyone signs in that they compete against each other.  The most right answers in the shortest time wins.  https://getkahoot.com/

contributed by Ms. Reed

Instant feedback in class via phone or computer

Great for getting quick feedback on presentations, etc.

http://www.polleverywhere.com/

Instant feedback on presentations

Present something in a computer lab.  Have your audience ask questions or post comments as you go.  Remind them to keep it clean.

http://todaysmeet.com/

Exit slip on main points

We like to have our students complete a quick exit slip at the end of class to reinforce whatever main point we've made in class for the day.  However, we've been going through a lot of paper by doing this.  So we have started having the students write on a white board.  We have small white board paddles, but you can also make your own with a piece of white paper and a page protector.  Students must show us their answer before they can walk out the door! 

From Ms. Vaccarello and Ms. Umansky