Friday 28 March 2014

Austin's Butterfly

Apparently this video is 'legendary' but I only came across it for the first time today. Although it focuses on an example from primary school, the lessons from it are clear and uncontroversial.


Austin's Butterfly: Building Excellence in Student Work - Models, Critique, and Descriptive Feedback from Expeditionary Learning on Vimeo.

The teacher describes the learning journey of Austin (a 1st-grader) drawing a butterfly. His first attempt is rather off-the-mark, but with specific, constructive, critical feedback from his peers, the results of formative assessment speak for themselves.
A great lesson for learners of any age.