You know how you get lots of research dropped in your lap but no clear direction on how to use it? While I’m fortunate to work in a district that provides both research and strategies, many of my colleagues are not as lucky. Read on to learn how to use the latest research to grow your students.

In 2008, a researcher named John Hattie conducted a meta-study that encompassed a synthesis of over 800 meta-studies on districts, schools, teachers, and students focusing on the impact of teacher strategies on student growth. The study was so massive that it encompassed the result of 15 years’ research covering the growth of over 80 million students. Strategies such as cooperative learning, group discussions, feedback, and differentiation were statistically analyzed for yearly growth.

Hattie’s research found that the top growth measure was student self-assessment. A student evaluating his or her own learning is the most influential factor in student growth. How do we implement it?

There’s several ways including using a self-assessment rubric in writing and I implement it by using an effort and understanding rubric. Here are the basics.

Try this simple approach:

1) Display a rubric for students to begin to understand and work with the ideas of how their effort affects their understanding.
2) At the beginning of EVERY lesson, have your students rate their understanding of the lesson’s objective.
3) At the end of EVERY lesson, have them rate their effort during the lesson and their new level of understanding created by their effort.

I’ve used this technique for several years (before I knew of Hattie’s study). I have a poster in my room and rubrics on the student desks. Every lesson, every day. I’ve seen tremendous growth in students who come to my classroom frustrated, with poor work habits, or burnt out gifted students. They leave with self-awareness and self-respect.

If you can give anything to your students this year, provide them with tools of self-awareness. As teachers, we light the way for our students. Shine a light for your students by using the free E and U available on TpT.