Gallery Walks: Improving Student Engagement in Performance Tasks

By Tim Bakner, Instructional Coach,
Virginia Beach City Public Schools

At John B. Dey Elementary School in Virginia Beach, we have been working on improving student engagement in performance tasks for Science and Social Studies. To expand students’ choices and help them to be more engaged, creative, and reflective, we used a simple strategy called a gallery walk.
One of 5th-grade teachers, Edgar Jumper, led the way by scheduling gallery walks with his grade level at the end of each unit. Students rotated through other classrooms on their grade level to see their peers’ performance tasks. As they observed others’ work, they were given a gallery walk critique form. This form asked students to record what they noticed about others’ work and ideas they could incorporate into their own future performance tasks. They also were asked to reflect on things they might do differently next time.
Three powerful and practical conferences coming soon from VASCD. We'd love to see you there!
Engaged Students:
When Peas Taste Like Ice Cream

August 1, Williamsburg
Great Wolf Lodge
Student-Centered Coaching
with Diane Sweeney and Julie Wright
September 18-19, Fredericksburg
2019 Annual Conference

Dec 3-5, Williamsburg
REL Corner: STEM
Thanks to our partners at REL for providing this month's research-based resource list on equity.


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