Creating a “Bump It Up” display in a classroom is an interactive way to visually track and encourage student progress. A “Bump It Up” board is typically designed to motivate students to improve their work by setting goals and showing tangible steps to achieve higher levels of performance. Here’s a guide on how to create one for your classroom:
1. Define Learning Objectives: Determine clear, measurable objectives for the skills or content you want students to improve upon. These should align with curricular standards and be understandable for your students.
2. Create Achievement Levels: Break down the learning objective into 4-5 levels of achievement. Label these from basic understanding to mastery level. For instance, Levels 1-4 might range from “Starting to Understand” to “Exceeding Expectations.”
3. Design The Display: Use a bulletin board or wall space in the classroom as your canvas. Make it colorful and engaging but not too cluttered. Each level should be clearly defined, perhaps with borders or different background colors.
4. Develop Criteria Descriptions: For each level, write out criteria that describe what work at that level looks like. Use student-friendly language and be specific about expectations.
5. Include Exemplars: Provide sample pieces of work for each level so students have a concrete understanding of expectations. Where applicable, use anonymized real student work.
6. Make It Interactive: Create moveable components like stars or avatars with students’ names on them so they can physically move their marker up as they progress.
7. Encourage Reflection: Have a space where students can write down what they did to go up a level and what they plan to do next.
8. Update Regularly: Regularly assess student work and have conferences with them about moving up the levels if they meet the criteria.
9. Celebrate Achievements: Recognize when students move up a level; positive reinforcement can motivate continued effort and improvement.
Remember, the aim of a “Bump It Up” board is not only to promote academic growth but also to build confidence and autonomy in learning. Make sure it’s accessible to all students and differentiated to reflect varying needs and abilities within your class.
