Exit Slips

Robert J. Marzano had a great article in the October 2012 edition of Educational Leadership on exit slips--an index card or slip of paper on which individual students respond to a prompt from the teacher.

Marzano suggested using for kinds of prompts for exit slips. 

#1 Prompts that provide formative assessment data
Example:  What are you most confused about regarding what we did in class today?

#2 Prompts that stimulate student self-analysis
Example:  How hard did you work today?  Explain why you think you worked at the level you did.
Example:  What could you have done today to help yourself learn better?

#3 Prompts that focus on instructional strategies
A teacher might select one instructional strategy each week on whih to receive student feedback.
Example:  How did the group work today help you understand the content?  What are some things you'd like to see during group work in the future?

#4 Prompts that are open communications to the teacher
Example:  What is something I should be doing to improve your understanding of the content?

Exit slips are easy to use and take little time away from instruction.  Many teachers use them routinely--even daily--and attest to their positive influence on student achievement.