Student Reflection and Criteria for Success

In chapter Chapter 3, "Clarifying, Sharing, and Understanding Learning Intentions and Success Criteria: from Embedded Formative Assessment, Wiliam explores the value in and techniques for sharing learning intentions and success criteria with students.

Can students assess themselves against a set of criteria during the unit so that at the end of the unit, they have reflected on all of the criteria?  

What would this look like for me?  My goals for students would be task specific (solving equations) and process focused (being able to show steps clearly and accurately).

At the end of our unit on solving multi-step equations, students will need to be able to solve equations with grouping symbols and/or variables on both sides of the equal signs.

Learning Goal:  I can solve multi-step linear equations.

Steps to Success:

1. I can use the distributive property if the equation has grouping symbols.
2. I can simplify each expression on either side of the equal sign by combining like terms.
3. I can isolate the variable by adding the inverse to both sides of the equation.
4. I can isolate the variable by multiplying the inverse on both sides of the equation.
5. I can substitute my solution back into the original equation to check my work.

In order to experience success, students will need to know the terms that I highlighted in the success criteria.  They will also have already mastered one and two-step equations.

In developing this lesson, students will put together interactive foldable on solving equations.  An example of those notes are here.  Along with the "flip book," students will have a list of vocabulary words and the steps to success outlined above.  I'll put those items on a self-assessment sheet so that students can rate their own understanding before, during and after the unit.

During the lesson sequence, I will check for understanding on each step of success.  In addition, as we are solving equations, and students ask for help, I will ask them on which success step they are struggling.  In this way, students will be encouraged to become familiar with the five steps.

After routine practice, I plan to assign an error analysis task.  In that task, I will give students equations that have been worked out step by step but that also include at least one error.  Students will identify the errors and correct the work.  This example is not my work ... but I would create something like this!  "Using Error Analysis to Teach Equation Solving" by Kathy Hawes, published by NCTM in 2007 has good ideas for teaching solving equations.  A copy of this article is online here. 

How do you share your learning intentions and criteria of success with students?