In the fall of 2023 I was honored to be nominated for 2024-2025 Michigan Teacher of the Year (MTOY). As part of the nomination process, each nominee submitted a collection of essays responding to various prompts related to their career, experiences, key educational issues, and Michigan schools overall. While the audience of each essay was the MTOY committee, it felt inauthentic to keep my ruminations private, languishing in a forgotten folder on my desktop. The opportunity to reflect on these questions and formulate my ideas was a wonderfully rewarding experience twelve years into my career, and one that I would like to share if for no other reason than to push myself to keep these ideas, and the process, at the forefront of my mind while I continue to engage in the deep work that is education.

Formatting note: Each essay was limited to no more than 2 pages, double spaced, size 12 font. My original drafts exceeded this by several multitudes, but I appreciated the exercise in concise expression.

MTOY Essay #3:

Share an instance when you observed a student need going unmet. What was that need, and how did you work to address it?

Students come to our classrooms each day as complex individuals with unique experiences and emotions. It is crucial for educators to understand their students’ emotional states in order to provide the necessary support and intervention. Just as formative assessments inform instructional interventions, they can also be used to address students’ social-emotional needs.

Utilizing formative assessments to improve instruction is widely recognized as a best practice in education. Consistently implementing formative assessments in the classroom brings clear benefits to students’ learning and depth of understanding. However, it is equally important to assess students’ emotional well-being. To address this unmet need, I have designed a simple, student-centered self-assessment.

At the beginning of each class, students are prompted to assess their emotional state on a scale of 1 to 10 by answering the question, “How are you feeling?” This numeric scale allows for quick reflection without sacrificing valuable instructional time. By checking in on their emotional well-being, students have a moment to truly consider their emotional status, while providing me with real-time insights for potential interventions.

The immediate and honest nature of this check-in enables me to connect with students who may be experiencing extreme emotions or displaying consistent patterns in their responses. These conversations foster deeper relationships and allow for in-the-moment support. Furthermore, the emotional formative assessment influences my instruction in real time. We know that creating a safe and supportive learning environment is crucial for deep and meaningful learning. By acting on the feedback provided by students regarding their emotional state, I can modify my lessons, scaffold their experiences, or provide moments of support that help students feel safe enough to fully engage in their learning.

The purpose of this check-in is not to judge or correct their emotions but to provide a platform for honest self-assessment. From there, decisions on how best to support their needs can be made with trust and a potential for positive impact. By making the emotional check-in a routine part of our day, students develop the habit and culture of reflecting on their emotions amidst the chaos of teenage life. This practice allows them to identify their needs and address them before breakdowns occur.

Implementing this emotional formative assessment has had noticeable effects in our learning community. It helps prevent potential outbursts or disengagement from students who may be dealing with larger issues, allowing for a safe and supportive learning environment. Furthermore, it builds relationships and trust, creating meaningful opportunities for deep learning. By recognizing and addressing students’ emotional needs through the use of formative assessments, we can better educate the whole child and support their overall well-being.