Write around--What did you think about it? What if there was always enough time to let our students respond to a text in this manner? What if we really gave students enough time and space to write, read, and think every day? I do feel that we have to hurry to "cover" so much material that we fail to give students the time and space they need to think.
How did you like browsing through all the different books? I would like to know if this is the first young adult book some of you have read in a long time? As soon as you "get into" your book let us know how it's going.
Chapter 8 in Fair Isn't Always Equal is one of my favorite chapters of the book. It is the chapter that really challenged and even influenced my thinking about grades and grading. I can't wait to hear what you think.
See you next year!
Monday, December 01, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The discussion was great. Thanks to Jane G. for sharing so openly with us about her struggles and discoveries about her students' perceptions of testing and learning. Lendy's read aloud of Duck for President was just perfect!
For Chapter 6: "Creating Good Test Questions," I would like you to think about the following: What makes a good test question?
How do you know if a question is good or not?
Have you ever thrown out any of your own test questions after students have taken the test?
What else are you thinking about?
For Chapter 6: "Creating Good Test Questions," I would like you to think about the following: What makes a good test question?
How do you know if a question is good or not?
Have you ever thrown out any of your own test questions after students have taken the test?
What else are you thinking about?
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Questions, questions...
Until recently I have discounted my response to students' answers. I have now realized (after almost TWENTY years of teaching) that what I say after a kid responds to a question is just as important as the question itself. I have been going through the motions to get the kids to answer the questions. I am embarassed. I think the old PET evaluation form marked me and other teachers down if we didn't say, "good" or "great job" to the students when they got the correct answer. (Not that I am blaming any one else for my stupidity, but sometimes pointing a finger at others does make one feel better.)
Thank you all for being so willing to share your writing. I am impressed with your talent. Remember to save the writing you do in class. If you try out any of the things we do in class, please let me come see how it goes. If you are not comfortable with that, at least let us know how it goes during our next study group.
Chapters 4 and 5 in Fair Isn't Always Equal are short and chocked full of ideas for alternative forms of assessment. Please try one out. If you need support, don't forget I can help.
As I said before we started the Data Warehouse Survey, it is a pain, but the state department requires all participants to complete it so that we can get our grant money to pay for the class. Thank you all for being so patient and completing it last night.
Until recently I have discounted my response to students' answers. I have now realized (after almost TWENTY years of teaching) that what I say after a kid responds to a question is just as important as the question itself. I have been going through the motions to get the kids to answer the questions. I am embarassed. I think the old PET evaluation form marked me and other teachers down if we didn't say, "good" or "great job" to the students when they got the correct answer. (Not that I am blaming any one else for my stupidity, but sometimes pointing a finger at others does make one feel better.)
Thank you all for being so willing to share your writing. I am impressed with your talent. Remember to save the writing you do in class. If you try out any of the things we do in class, please let me come see how it goes. If you are not comfortable with that, at least let us know how it goes during our next study group.
Chapters 4 and 5 in Fair Isn't Always Equal are short and chocked full of ideas for alternative forms of assessment. Please try one out. If you need support, don't forget I can help.
As I said before we started the Data Warehouse Survey, it is a pain, but the state department requires all participants to complete it so that we can get our grant money to pay for the class. Thank you all for being so patient and completing it last night.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Wow! We worked hard yesterday! I am impressed with your thoughtfulness and ability to take an idea and run with it. Math folks, that you for not running out of the room. I hope all had fun while learning about different ways to to view literature and all types of texts.
As I re-read the next two chapters in Fair Isn't Always Equal, I do so with an amount of shame. "Unfortunately, some teachers (and earlier in my career me included) do all these assessments, yet still go ahead and do what they were going to do anyway." This quote made me look directly at my practice of "marching on" and "covering" the content without regard to what my students had learned.
Let me know what you think!
As I re-read the next two chapters in Fair Isn't Always Equal, I do so with an amount of shame. "Unfortunately, some teachers (and earlier in my career me included) do all these assessments, yet still go ahead and do what they were going to do anyway." This quote made me look directly at my practice of "marching on" and "covering" the content without regard to what my students had learned.
Let me know what you think!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
TESTING 1, 2, 3...
I appreciated your honest comments about how taking the Marsden quiz and the assessment pre-test made you feel. Somehow, since I became a teacher I forgot how it feels to be frustrated and unable to "get the right answers." Going through the test-taking scenario again reminded me how so many of my students feel when they just don't know or understand what I want them to do.
In our reading for next class Haycock makes a point to empower teachers by revealing the findings of her study on teacher quality and student achievment. "We now know that what schools do matters and what teachers do may matter most of all." (p.36)
As you are reading "What We Know about the Achievement Gap," please think about the questions that the author poses in each section. Please tell us what you think about the chapter. Did you have any "new discoveries" about your teaching or our school?
Yesterday's class ranks among my most eventful ever. From spewing sodas to technology malfunctions and then a fire alarm...what a class! Thank you all for hanging in there.
I appreciated your honest comments about how taking the Marsden quiz and the assessment pre-test made you feel. Somehow, since I became a teacher I forgot how it feels to be frustrated and unable to "get the right answers." Going through the test-taking scenario again reminded me how so many of my students feel when they just don't know or understand what I want them to do.
In our reading for next class Haycock makes a point to empower teachers by revealing the findings of her study on teacher quality and student achievment. "We now know that what schools do matters and what teachers do may matter most of all." (p.36)
As you are reading "What We Know about the Achievement Gap," please think about the questions that the author poses in each section. Please tell us what you think about the chapter. Did you have any "new discoveries" about your teaching or our school?
Yesterday's class ranks among my most eventful ever. From spewing sodas to technology malfunctions and then a fire alarm...what a class! Thank you all for hanging in there.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Welcome back and welcome to our new study group members. I am looking forward to learning more about assessment with you this year and thinking about how literacy is important in all areas of students' lives. Thank you for being willing to go on this journey with me.
Our first post will be based on our discussion of what we already know about ourselves as learners and readers and on the E. Keene article you received in class.
Our first post will be based on our discussion of what we already know about ourselves as learners and readers and on the E. Keene article you received in class.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)