As we navigate the complex landscape of international education, it's crucial that we prioritize equity and access for all our students, especially our multilingual learners. One key strategy for achieving this is learning how to effectively unpack standards. By deeply understanding what each standard asks of us as teachers and what our students need to learn, we can plan with intentionality and ensure that every student, regardless of their English proficiency, can engage with our highly academic curricula.
Last week, I discovered a powerful tool that has transformed the way I unpack standards and identify entry points for instruction: Brisk Teaching. Brisk is a simple teaching assistant that works seamlessly with Google Suite tools like Docs, Slides, and Forms. It offers a range of features to help teachers create personalized resources, scaffold material, and enhance their teaching practice.
I decided to put Brisk to the test by selecting a list of standards and prompting it with the following:
"Unpack all these standards in the document in teacher-friendly language that is clear and concise. Unpack each standard individually and list three items per topic.
Use these three topics to unpack each standard:
- Knowledge: Students will know that…
- Understandings: Students will understand that…
- Skills: Students will be able to...
The standards must be unpacked in a table format with FOUR columns, listing each standard in the first column (keep both the code and the wording of the standard) and the topics as column headings."
The results were impressive! Brisk generated a clean, concise table with the standards unpacked into easy-to-understand language. While I still needed to make some revisions, it provided an excellent starting point and saved me valuable time. I even tried this with specialist class standards, gaining new insights I hadn't considered before.
What I love about Brisk is that it not only helps me deepen my understanding of standards across grade levels but also serves as a scaffolding tool for teachers. By breaking down complex standards into manageable chunks, it empowers educators to create more accessible and equitable learning experiences for all students.
If you've used Brisk and would like to share your experiences or if you're interested in exploring the tool further for your school, I'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below or reach out to me directly.
And for those eager to dive in, I have a special offer: click here to try Brisk Teaching premium for 3 months, on me. Let's work together to harness the power of AI and create classrooms where every student can thrive.
Happy teaching!
