The Tuning Protocol
Method
Teachers bring samples of student work, along with the original assignment, scoring rubric, or other related materials, to the tuning protocol session. There, a facilitator leads the presenting teacher or teachers and the other participants through a process whereby they examine the work in light of a specific focusing question. A detailed description of the process can be found at: http://www.lasw.org/Tuning_schedule.html.
"The tuning protocol is a good way to get feedback and to help fine tune
our own assignments. It's productive and critical without being destructive."
"The protocol method, at first glance, seemed to be too restrictive but,
in a sense, it gave the discussion a certain order. By being forced to
listen, by being given time to think and organize before speaking, I felt
we covered more in a more efficient manner."
"The choice of activities was productive, in particular the 'Tuning Protocol.'
It's not often that we can present/respond in a formal way. I especially
liked the silence involved: the teacher spoke without interruption by
the participants. In fact, I like the amount of silence in general. We
get a lot of time (but not too much) to reflect, respond and evaluate."
"The protocol was long, very structured. I would have found it hard to
be the one sharing my classroom experience because I would have wanted
to answer questions as they were asked. It was structured because of the
note taking. Feedback went back and forth several times."