Mini whiteboards clattering to the floor, pen lids rolling about, someone’s pen doesn’t work, then, “Show me!” Some answers are too small to see, some whiteboards are angled the wrong way…
These are solvable issues which get in the way of teachers gathering a picture of children’s current understanding. Assessment only matters when it changes what happens next, and a well rehearsed mini whiteboard routine can reduce teachers’ cognitive load and therefore, increase their capacity to be responsive.
Assessment, not assumption
Checking for understanding is especially important for more vulnerable learners. For example, it can expose assumptions the teacher has made about the security of learners’ prior knowledge. It enables and prompts teachers to use their adaptive expertise to support a more secure understanding in the moment. Any assumptions made about ‘they won’t be able to do it’ are also exposed. Checking for understanding helps us to operate within, as Marc Rowland would put it, ‘assessment not assumption’.
A routine for checking understanding using mini whiteboards
Here I suggest one possible classroom routine to support CFU in the classroom, drawing on the work of Tom Sherrington, Craig Barton, Doug Lemov and Ollie Lovell.
‘Think time’
Our children are novices, often meeting the material for the first time. We often fall into the ‘curse of the expert’ and forget that, whilst we are fluent with the material we are presenting, our learners need time to think their thoughts. By demarcating ‘think time’, we are also signalling that we value thinking and don’t feel in a rush to fill a silent moment.
To support inclusion, some learners particularly benefit from the explicit naming of what this pocket of time is for. During think time, it is possible to further adapt and support for some learners by having a whispered conversation or a non-verbal cue. However, it is important to walk the line between adding additional load and scaffolding thought.
Cue: ‘pens moving’
‘Pens moving’ is a two word cue: it names what to reach for (your pen) and a description of what to do. Succinct instructions are an important part of inclusion by design. The aim is to ensure more cognitive space for thinking about the learning content than the operational ‘doing’.
‘Hover…’
If children hover their boards in the above way, they are ready to flip up to show their answer, in unison, on cue. This minimises clumsy execution and also gives a social norm to nudge learning behaviours: get ready, we are all ready to show what we think.
‘Chin it’
‘Chin it’ is another two word cue, making all boards put in the same place. This makes the next step of scanning and processing the answers much easier. Here you can see the children showing their enthusiasm for their answers and their natural curiosity for what their peers think. Classrooms are deeply social environments, after all.
‘The scan’
The teacher then needs to scan each board for two reasons: to assess the level of understanding in the room; and to show through your expression and reaction that pupils’ answers are valued and of interest. Using a gesture (extending your arm and pointing) supports the teacher to deliberately look rather than assume each board has been checked. It is easy to have a child who sits to the side or the back who quickly learns that what they put on their board doesn’t really matter as the teacher never properly looks.
‘Bin it’
Another punchy two word cue for clearing your board. The transition out of ‘show me’ can be a neglected part of the routine, leading to disruption, noise or chatter. So, a well rehearsed exit out of the routine really helps.
‘Park it’
‘Park it’ is the last snappy cue to put your board and pen down away from hands which are tempted to fiddle, and to reorient attention to the educator. Having a specified place to put your board (the top of the desk, with the pen on top) helps bring clarity and simplicity.
We might use the following index to frame our thinking:
Teachers know that mini whiteboards are a great tool for checking understanding but the behavioural routines around them are often neglected, meaning their impact is far from what we would intend. By allowing ourselves time to invest in these learning behaviours, we can reduce distractions (for us and for the children!) and support ourselves to focus on what that matters most: what the children understand.
References
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2010). Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment available at https://www.researchgate.net/p…
