Formative Assessment: Spring Training In-service Training

 Mason County Central Middle School Formative Assessment Team (F.A.M.E Team) kicked off a Detroit Tiger theme in-service training on effective formative assessment strategies on April 20, 2015.  A teacher-led half day training was a big hit with the staff as MCC All-Star FAME Team Line up of Marlynn Gulembo, Duane Wolf, Mark Olmstead, Keri Sanders and Phil Quinlan engaged the staff in a variety of digital and analog formative assessments that measure student learning/feedback throughout the morning session of a Mason County Central School in house inservice day. Duane Wolf led off the line up of all-star performers with how Response Clickers measure student engagement and feedback by using the History of Detroit Tiger trivia questions in which reviled instant feedback from staff as they were truly tested on their loyalty and knowledge of our Tigers.  Duane uses the response clickers often in his classroom in which includes an amazing set up of two projector screens!  Batting second was staff slugger, Jean Nicholson, as she demonstrated the use of Plickers cards in the classroom and how a quick scan of student responses gives real time feedback. Jean shared ideas from her recent attendance of a Science Conference in Grand Rapids a month ago.  Before Phil Quinlan stepped to the plate, usher Duane Wolf, worked the hallways tossing peanuts and Cracker Jack to staff members who were in meed of a 7th inning snack as baseball theme music filled the hallways.  Examples of online tools, Go Formative and Google Documents, were demonstrated by Phil Quinlan as quick and easy tools to use as a effective formative assessment. Staff were also introduced to how Twitter /(Tweetdeck) can be an effective tool for Professional Learning Networks …. staff utilized Twitter as a platform to communicate their responses throughout the session by Quinlan and Olmstead

After the 7th inning stretch rendition of Harry Caray’s Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Mark Olmstead hit the ball out of the park with an amazing web based tool, Socrative, as he had the staff respond to a handful of response questions and demonstrated how quick this online tool collects and shares real time data.  Clean up hitters, Keri Sanders and Marlynn Gulembo, wrapped up the action packed morning with a grand slam presentation by sharing a plethora of formative assessments in a form of a binder in which staff could use immediately.  A special thanks to ‘Coach’ Sanders who is responsible with the assembling and organizing of this all-star FAME TEAM line up.  Staff was than treated to a raffle drawing of Detroit Tiger themed ‘goodies’. Spring Training T-Shirts, Press Passes, MCC Staff Baseball Cards, Official Program, Formative ‘Tiger’ Assessment Resource Binder, History of Detroit Tiger Trivia Game and Baseball Theme Music piped throughout the school hallways were just many of the extra touches that made this Formative Assessment meaningful, engaging and FUN!