Dr. Jessica Cavalier

Making Formative Assessments More Efficient and Effective Incorporating peer review and individual reflections makes frequent, intentional formative assessment manageable, with big benefits for student learning.

As a new teacher, it can feel overwhelming to try and use formative assessments effectively in the classroom.

These 3 strategies can simplify the process and help you better understand *and* respond to student learning! 💫

#assessment #EduSky

Sadness: I don't have, or have lost, something I value

Happiness: I have, or am experiencing, something I value

Shame: I acted against my values

Fear: I might lose something I value

Anger: Someone has hurt something I value

Emotions are information about values. Rationality requires emotion.

No, movement doesn't replace thinking. But it can hold information at no cognitive cost and to the benefit of retrieval.

From @visualcap.bsky.social: Teacher Salaries in America.

six peer nominations

Added a question to the end of a quiz this week to ask students to celebrate a classmate who was making our classroom community better by living out one of our core values

Here are some results from just one class:

28 Ways to Quickly Check for Understanding From sketching comics to drafting tweets, these fun—and fast—ways to check for understanding are creative and flexible.

With these creative ideas, formative assessment can be quick, low-stakes, *and* fun. 🎉

#assessment #EduSky

Leveling up engagement with Tabletop Twitter!
Have your students write a summary, come up with a one-word gist, and add a graphic.✨ Unleash the power of imagination and collaboration in the classroom. 🤝🧠
💡Idea from @lead4ward
docs.google.com/presentation...

Check Out A Second Free AI Chatbot I Created – This One Is On Classroom Instruction Yesterday, I shared an AI chatbot I created on English Language Learner instruction, only using resources I’ve vetted (see Try Out My New Free AI Chatbot For ELL Teachers). I’ve …

Check Out A Second Free AI Chatbot I Created – This One Is On Classroom Instruction larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2025/09/25/c...

Try Out My New Free AI Chatbot For ELL Teachers I have created a new free AI chatbot for ELL teachers that uses as its knowledge base just specific ELL teachers or resources that I have vetted. Check out ELL Teaching Expert Companion and …

Try Out My New Free AI Chatbot For ELL Teachers larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2025/09/24/t...

Excited about learning from this one.

Are you an Instructional Coach looking to harness the power of #NotebookLM and #GoogleGemini this year?

I have been developing a pretty awesome productivity system using #GoogleWorkspace that just might be what you are looking for to start the new school year. | #GoogleEDU

Great strategies, easy to implement. Some ideas I’ve never heard of and hope to use this year. Check them out!

Special Episode: Science of Reading: Leveled reading, leveled lives, with Tim Shanahan, Ph.D. Tim Shanahan, Ph.D., returns to discuss his new book, Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives: How Students’ Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and What We Can Do About It, where he outlines what existing ...

This podcast w Tim Shanahan is by the far the easiest way to get up to speed on the research on levelled readers. HIGHLY recommend! (If you want to skip intro, dig in at about 7:30). amplify.com/episode/scie...

In Taxicab Geometry, Pi Equals 4 and Circles Aren’t Round (Gift Article) In the world of taxicab geometry, even the Pythagorean theorem takes a back seat.

My new #math series in the New York Times, "Math Revealed," is aimed at everyone, whether you love math or not. Have a look! You can read it here for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

What the most successful teachers do The fascinating story of Barak Rosenshine and his ten principles of instruction

What the most successful teachers do

Indeed. Thanks Nidhi and Jim . I would also suggest that people look at the original which BR wrote for UNESCO - unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/p...

open.substack.com/pub/scienceo...?

"Children learn most effectively when instruction follows an evidence‑based cycle: grounding facts in conceptual understanding, using brief timed practice to make those facts automatic, then returning to discussion and reflection to deepen that knowledge." journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10....

Our weekly coaching cuts are back ✂️

This hit home for me!! "I’m distinguishing between lessons that ensure students comprehend a specific text that is being used in the lesson, and those aimed at enabling students to comprehend other texts better in the future."

www.shanahanonliteracy.com/blog/are-we-...

🚨free COACHING webinar!

📆 27th March

⏰ 4-5pm

❓How to prepare for coaching using mapping

🎫 close to 100 tickets now gone so grab them while they’re there!

@sarahcottinghatt 👇

www.eventbrite.com/e/mapping-fo...

Reading fluency and arithmetic fluency are related: new data (Finnish sample) show cross-influence grades 1 to 2, then reading-->arithmetic grades 2- 3, no influence thereafter. osf.io/preprints/ps...

The Power of Rehearsal: The Most Overlooked Step in Instructional Coaching Instructional coaching is a powerful tool for transforming teaching and learning, but one of its most underutilized strategies within instructional coaching is lesson rehearsal by the teaching being coached—a safe, structured opportunity for teachers to practice new instructional strategies before implementing them in the classroom. Check out how this critical element of instructional coaching can be implemented and be apart of your coaching toolkit and practice.

One of the most overlooked strategies in instructional coaching is lesson rehearsal by the teaching being coached. Learn how to incorporate this essential coaching strategy into your coaching toolkit.

Coaching Cut #6 Own Success Coaching cuts: bite-sized tips for better coaching

I love this version of a reflecting conversation. #EduCoach

open.substack.com/pub/cognitiv...

THIS is how you help students grow LINGUISTICALLY ⤵️

Teacher: “the solution to a system is the point that satisfies both equations—graphically, this means where the graphs ______”

Students: “meet”

Teacher: “yes!” But what’s the ACADEMIC vocabulary word?”

Students: “intersect” 💥🤯

When we take part in unproductive meetings, the effect isn't just the immediate impact of wasted time. The effect can go on for hours. It's called a "meeting hangover": a period of diminished focus, motivation or productivity following a bad meeting. hbr.org/2025/02/the-.... V brentreed.bsky.social

The Good Old Boy System in Educational Leadership It's a barrier to equity and change

This. #EduCoach
open.substack.com/pub/jolein/p...

Why Teacher Autonomy is Central to Coaching Success - Instructional Coaching Group In this post we explore key insights from Jim Knight's article on the importance of teacher autonomy.

"...The best possibility for true student growth and improved learning comes from letting go of all-encompassing control in favor of empowering teachers to make real decisions based on their knowledge and expertise." Jim Knight

https://buff.ly/4hKCulZ

#EduCoach #Leadership

Instructional Coaching Through Co-Teaching Co-teaching isn’t an abstract concept for instructional coaching—it’s the practical reality that can be done to amplify your instructional coaching program.

Instructional coaching through co-teaching. One of my favorite instructional coaching strategies. Check out why below!

#edusky #coaching #teachers #instruction

matthewrhoads.com/2025/02/07/i...

Coaching cut #2: 'When wouldn't you...' Coaching cuts: bite-sized tips for better coaching

When wouldn't you? Love this idea for helping Ts think through their strategy and why they would and would not use it. #EduCoach open.substack.com/pub/cognitiv...

I have seen lots of these missteps in coaching programs. Really useful conversation about the qualities coaches need! Thoughtful reflection.

Learning doesn't always happen because of teaching.
Sometimes no learning happens at all.

But our teaching should be a direct result of knowing how to make learning happen.

Design for learning has an effect size of 0.70, nearly 2 years' growth.

#EduSky #EduCoach