Esther Dolman (3) - Assessment

Oh assessment...

I'm a huge advocate of informal testing, with the occasional formal test to help students prepare for a world of rigorous formal testing.  I honestly think students learn more from hands on, informal assessments then from cramming for a written test.  Good assessment is time consuming, but it is totally the teacher's responsibility.  Without planned, thought-out assessment, there really is not point to teaching.  I think back on my educational experiences and how assessment worked.  I learned much more from the small assessments along the way that I could later apply to the written assessment at the end of the unit.  This type of teaching was always displayed by those whom I would classify as "fantastic teachers" not because I necessarily got easy A's in their class.  In fact, I would say it was exactly the opposite.  Good assessment doesn't mean easy assessment on either the teacher nor the students' part, but it does mean assessment that is valuable and engaging.

How do you want to get your kids excited about assessment?

Brittany Hammond (4) Funds of Knowledge

Quote: "How do we transform out students' funds of knowledge in classroom settings? Teachers can mediate classroom experiences for their students, bringing in a host of cultural experience from their students' funds of knowledge, and they can meet their students halfway with a shared space in which both can participate." (Pahl, pg. 121)

Comment: This quote stuck out to me because of the part that says we meet our students halfway. I think it's really important to acknowledge that our students come from very different backgrounds. With 25 different backgrounds in the classroom we can't possibly think that the way we like things done is the way they learn. We need to understand them as a person and learn to incorporate who they are into our lessons and classrooms. Only through meeting them halfway is true learning possible.

Question: What is the best way to incorporate the children's cultures when they may all be so different? How do we do this at the beginning of the year when we are only just getting to know them?

Sara Foster (4)--The kind of classroom we want

"Imagine a classroom that speaks to the needs and interests of all students in your classroom...A classroom that engages meaning-makers. It is a classroom at the interface of student identity and teacher identity...It is the kind of classroom we want to create for our students." (Pahl, 114)

I think this is the kind of quote that captures why many of us wanted to become teachers in the first place: we want to make a difference. We want to create an environment for children that encourages fun and learning and interacting. This reminds me of a book that I read for our management class called "Punished by Rewards" by Alfie Kohn. His book was all about creating a hands on learning environment that takes into account the interests and individuality of the students. It advocated helping students construct meaning and purpose and come to love learning because of it. I agreed with many of the points he made in his book because it emphasized doing the right things for intrinsic motivation and less for stickers and gold stars.

Is it possible to have a classroom that takes into account the individuality of every student?

Caitlin Walton-Assessments (3)

QUOTE: Overemphasizing the test often leads teachers to abandon a balanced approach to instruction.
COMMENT: I definitely agree with this statement. I think that though test are necessary and helpful in some respects, the way that teachers are forced to teach to the tests is just so wrong to me. I have always believed that tests should be opportunities for students to prove what they know and to review what they have learned. I hate the idea of writing tests to trip up the students or having so much pressure associated with them that they become the main focus of all the teaching. Tests should compliment the content. The content should not have to be adapted to fit the tests.
QUESTION: How can you, as a teacher, still teach students so they are prepared for the tests without abandoning a balanced approach to instruction?

On the spot conferences, rachel thomas

Quote: "The teacher visits with students at their desks to monitor some aspect of the students work or to check on progress. These conferences are brief, with the teacher often spending less than a minute with each student."
Comment: One on one time with the student is crucial because it shows the students that you care and want them to succeed. If it is more private the students are more likely to show concerns they may have.
Question: How do teachers find time to personally assess every student?

Janet Leishman (3) Developing Reading Stamina

Quote: "Once students become fluent readers, the focus shifts to helping them develop reading stamina, or the strength to read silently for increasingly longer periods of time. (Tompkins 212)"

Comment: While reading the comment above, I thought of the importance of teaching the continuance of learning. We are never done learning. There is always something new we can learn or something we can improve. Just as students can improve their reading skills by learning to read for longer periods of time and silently, they can also improve on other skills. As teachers we can be examples to our students of how to continue learning. If we display a passion for learning our students may also need develop a passion for it. As a teacher we are not only teaching particular skills but we are also developing the lifelong skill of learning.

Question: How can we be examples of life-long learners to our students? How can our classroom and our classroom environment help promote the love of learning to our students?

Sarah Rands (3) Assessments

Quote: "by linking assessment and instruction, teachers improve students learning and their teaching"

Comment: This quote is vital and I think is the foundation of what we have been learning about assessments. Assessments often have a negative connotation but rather they are vital not only for the teacher to find out what the students are learning, but how they can adjust their teaching to help students retain the information. It will be important as a teacher to assess the student's learning constantly and thoroughly.

Question: Assessments are almost always associated with quizzes or exams but not all students are test takers. What are some different ways teachers can assess students learning while gearing it more toward other types of learners (visual, hands-on, etc) ?

Stephanie Wright (4) New Literacies

"Sometimes, the children we teach know more than us, and have different ways of knowing. These ways of knowing need to be recognized in the classrooms of tomorrow (Pahl, 118)."

I love this quote because it is a great reminder to remember the students. I don't want to get all wrapped up in me, and lose focus that it is the students who need to be learning. I need to make sure and understand them, and know them, so I can teach them. I think that it is always good to remember that every class is different. And they aren't going to be the only ones who are learning. I am going to learn a lot, and fully look forward to it. The classroom community needs to be one where students do contribute to the learning process, where they feel needed and necessary. With this is mind, I know that my students are going to know more than me. I look at these students and wonder how I have made it this far in my own schooling, I was never this smart at their age! I look forward to being wowed with all that they know.

My question is brainstorming the different ways of knowing my students are going to have. I want to be aware of the ways, so I give opportunitites for students to use them in the classroom.

Kristen Savage (4) Navigating new literacies for new times

Quote: "Portfolios represent informal forms of assessment that allow students to take ownership of their literacy development while at the same time drawing on ideas from the New Literacy Studies, such as the idea of literact as a social practice.

Comment: I really like the idea of students creating portfolios because I think it encourages them to put forth their best effort on assigments and projects because they know it will be displayed and shown off later. Kids can have the choice of what they want their best work to be, and I think it is important to offer those kind of choices to kids.

Question: If the idea of having/doing portfolios is so great, why don't very many teachers do it? Why don't they switch it up between this and just formal testing all the time?

Tiffany Millard--frequent assessment

Quote: "Teachers are collecting more assessment data now, and are doing it more frequently than in the past" (Tompkins, 75).

Comment: I am so glad teachers are taking more assessments! One test doesn't tell much about a student. If a student stayed up late the night before, isn't feeling well and fought with her mom as she was walking out the door to school it is likely she won't be very focused on the test and may not perform to the best of her ability. By assessing multiple times and in multiple ways we get a better understanding of the true knowledge our students have retained.

Question: How can I create an assessment that is fitting for all different types of learners?

Whitney Winegar -Assessment (3)

Quote: "In the classroom of tomorrow, tasks that involve problem-solving, analysis and practices using print and visual, electronic, face-to-face media in combinations that are occurring in new, civic, media and workplace contexts are presented to students."

Comment: When I read this quote I sighed because I realized that even though I don't like technology, I have to teach it. I want to prepare my students to have skills in the world after school. I need to learn the newest technologies and consciously integrate it into my classroom.

Question: What are some of the technologies we can use in our classroom that would benefit our students? Besides the internet?

Hannah Austin Section 4---Speaking to needs

Quote: "Imagine a classroom that speaks to the needs and interests of all students in your classroom. (Pahl, pg. 114)"

Comment: In the readings I've been doing for El Ed 302, it talks a lot about meeting childrens' 5 basic needs. One is power. I was wondering how literacy can meet this need, when I came up with a few ideas. Being able to read and pick reading is one way. Selecting a topic, researching it, and writing a paper on it can also be empowering to a student. Furthermore, incorporating writing and elements from the students' home lives can also empower them because it lets them know their life is important and relevant.

Question: What are other ways I can make children feel "powerful" in the classroom during reading, writing, and literacy in general?

Quote: "How do we transform our students' funds of knowledge in classroom settings? Teachers can mediate classroom experience for their students, bringing in a host of cultural experiences from their students' funds of knowledge, and they can meet their students halfway with a shared space in which both can participate."

Comment: I really thought this was a great idea when I read over this in my reading. As teachers, it is important to teach in a way that will facilitate all cultural learning. It may be difficult, but it is so worth it. I love in the quote where it says that the teacher can meet the student halfway. It is important for both to feel like there is effort on the part of the other in learning.

Questions: What are some examples of how teachers can bring in cultural experiences?

Assessment: Karalee Langton

Quote: "Gatto allowed students into the knowledge spaces of the classroom and arranged the space so that her desk was a child-size desk that sits amongst the children."

Comment: I like the idea of having a child's desk for the teacher desk in some ways; like the fact that it will show that students that you are learning as much as they are and it can also give the feeling that everyone is equal and that everyone deserves the same amount of respect. I don't like it because I would not have enough room and that it does not distinguish the teacher as someone of authority, which is needed in the classroom.

Question: How do I get the feelings provided by the small desk without actually having a child size desk among the students?

Robin Gleaves (3) Assessment

Quote: "Effective teachers are "kid watchers"...teachers must understand how children learn to read and write. The focus is on what students do as they read or write..." (Tompkins 82).

Comment: I love the term 'kid watchers.' It gives the understanding that we do so much more than spout out our knowledge, but we must be observing all the time and not just watching how they act, but watching how they learn. This is key to us as teachers so we can better teach.

Question: Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Defend your position.

Heather Boatwright (4) Thinking in New Ways

Quote: "To cope with the reality of not only technology but also immigration and new linguistic systems in our local worlds, we have to merge and mediate models that are both familiar and foreign...or comfortable and intimidating"

Comment: The reading discussed how we need to attempt to compromise and find familiar ground for all students, and new linguistic systems. It is important for us to relate to our students and make sure that they feel they are learning in a welcoming and comfortable environment.

Question: My question to you is, should we attempt to only teach students in a way they are comfortable and understand or should we attempt to teach students in different ways from what they are used to in order to better prepare them for the diverse world we live in? How do we find that balance?

Sarah Eddington (4) Indentity Investment

"...students' mastery of traditional literacy skills is weak not because they lack the basic cognitive abilities to become literate but because the literacy instruction they experienced throughout their schooling failed to ignite any significant degree of identity investment in school-based literacy" (Pahl, 142).

I think this is the challenge of teaching. To effectively teach anything and have the information stick with your students, some degree of identity investment is essential. Looking back on my own school experience I realize that the information I remember is the information that mattered to me. The purpose of education is not just to give students information, but to give them the tools and desire to use that information and remember it. To help them recognize the importance and opportunity that information holds. This understanding certainly will change how I will teach.

How can teachers make the information matter to their students?

Sarah Means (3) Assessment

Quote: "High-stakes testing is different than classroom assessment. The test scores typically provide little information for making day-to-day instructional decisions."

Comment: At the beginning of the year we as teachers will either be provided with standardized test scores of our students or will have to come up with some test scores for ourselves. It is important to remember, however, that this is just how the child did on one test. It is up to us to have the mindset that the students can and will change. It can be easy to see a test score and put a label on a student. It is much harder, however, to remove that label once it is there. It is vital that as teachers we don not use standardized assessments to label students. We need to constantly use assessments in our classroom and constantly let the students progress and actually show that they are progressing. The students will not succeed if we do not give them the opportunity to succeed. Therefore, we must use our assessments as an opportunity to show growth rather than proof that our original thought of the student was correct, whether good or bad.

Assessment

Quote: "As a culminating assessment task, ask students to divide their portfolio into sections as a collection of assignments. For example, students can provide an assignment or artefact that exhibits proficiency in speaking, listening, writing, reading and visual communication."

Comment:I really love the idea of using portfolios as a way of informal assessment. I think it is a great way for students to look over all they've accomplished through the year and see how far they've come. This is really a student centered assessment. They get to decorate, organize, and create their portfolio in the way that they choose.

Question: How would you grade or determine student's abilities and growth using this type of assessment? How could use ensure fairness when determining grades between all different levels of students?

Janelle Webb (4) New Literacies

"In the new modern world of clicking, societies connect virtually...Out of school literacies that researchers have documented include:
- weblogs;
- console-games playing
- looking up 'cheats' on the Internet for games playing;
- playing online games;
- communicating with others in online chatrooms;
- text messaging;
- bidding on eBay;
- surfing the Web;
- constructing online identities and relating to different people online" (Pahl, 123-124)

This book by Pahl has emphasized over and over again the importance of connecting literacies the students are familiar with to their learning. The list above gives educators an idea of what students are using and allows them to find ways to incorporate these technologies. I love the idea of students using a class blog, or creating a safe place they can chat about what they are learning. Technology is the way of the future, we need to instill in students the desire to read a physical book, while allowing them the freedom to use technologies they are comfortable with. For example, after reading a book students could the internet, or programs on the computer to complete their book report. Giving students options allows them freedom to be creative and encourages active learning.

What literacies do you plan on using in class? Are literacies important? How might you modify the literacies above to help your students?

Natalie Murray (3)--Assessment

Quote: "As they monitor children's learning, teachers learn about their students, about themselves as teachers, and about the impact of the instructional program."

Comment: I think sometimes assessments have the stigma of being a one time test that are meant to assess what children know about a particular subject. If they don't do well, it's assumed they don't really know a lot, but if they do well we think, "that's great!" and move on. But it's important to realize that assessment should be something that is continuous and thoughtful. All types of assessments can be used not only to see what children know, but what mistakes they make, where their knowledge is lacking, where instructional practices could be better, etc. It is so important to see every child has a learning being, and use assessments to inform you how to better teach these children all they need to know. Sometimes teaching practices and programs have to be altered, but we need to realize that's okay and we can develop ourselves as teachers to become better.

Question: How can we tell the difference what the students simply aren't grasping or what we aren't teaching effectively? What are the signs that teaching practices need to be revamped?

Laura Watts (3) Identity in Literature

Quote: "...students' mastery of traditional literacy skills is weak not because they lack the basic cognitive abilities to become literate but because the literacy instruction they experienced throughout their schooling failed to ignite any significant degree of identity investment in school-based literacy" (Pahl, 142).

Comment: When students can connect with the texts that they read, the reading becomes enjoyable. They develop an intrinsic motivation to read, rather than because the reading is an assignment. The challenge for teachers then becomes how to help students connect to the texts, and use the text to change or conform with their identity.

Question: How can teachers help students to enjoy the school-based texts that they are required to read?

Kylee Openshaw (3) Assessment

Quote: "How often they monitor progress depends on their reading level and on the progress they're making."
Comment: I have been thinking about how teachers find enough time to assess so much. It seems like almost every activity students do is a form of assessment. I think that could actually be a good thing though, if a teacher can monitor where the students are, and know where they might need improvment, as well as where students are excelling, without the students feeling like they're being evaluated, the assessments will probably be more authentic. I guess with literacy though, teachers spend more time assessing emergent or struggling students than they do with the more confident or competent students.
Question: Are the assessments teacher spending more time on more formal or informal? Do the more competent students suffer from getting less assessment attention?

McKenzie Keene, Sect. 4, Literacy and Technology

Quote: "...new technology opens up a different space for students to explore different identities in practice and to become experts within a New Literacies framework. Low-achieving students can then adopt different identities within the classroom." (Pahl, 128).

This quote was linked to some great examples of how technology helped low-achieving students in literacy. This semester I have been amazed at learning how technology is growing within classrooms and how beneficial it can be. It truly is a wonderful tool for students to explore and feel successful in any subject, especially literacy. I am amazed at how engaging and exciting technology can be for children. For a low-achieving student the computer may be just the tool to help the child explore literacy in a way that is interesting to them. One example that Pahl gave was about a group of students that created a Power Point. They did a wonderful job at including details and using many elements to inject humor. They showed an understanding of audience and impact. The low literacy students demonstrated a keen awareness of design, audience, and presentation. This is a wonderful way to teach students and then apply it to reading and writing. I believe it is very important to now use technology in literacy as often as you can, but I also believe that it should never take over the value of a story or a written journal entry!

Question: "What if your students only want to read, write, and learn on a computer? How can you as a teacher help them be engaged with reading and writing without technology?"

Diana Blauer (4) Literacy for New Times

Quote: "Moll and then Gutierrez and others have suggested that students' cultural resources can be reviewed as resources for helping students develop stronger understandings of the natural world, both in classrooms and everyday lives."
Comment: I liked the idea that what we do at school transfers over to real life. Sometimes I feel like when we teach people don't really understand what we are trying to portray. They just see us as people standing in front of the classroom babysitting their kids. I think its important to realize that as we teach kids to read we are teaching them a life skill.
Question: What can we do for parents who view education as not important?

Ali Spittler, week 7, Diversity

Quote: "Teachers can mediate classroom experiences for their students, bringing in a host of cultural experience from their students' funds of knowledge, and they can meet their students halfway with a shared space in which both can participate." (Pahl 121)

Comment: I love that students are not blank slates or empty vessels that we as teachers are just going to fill with our great wealth of knowledge. I love that the students are going to teach us and teach each other because they each bring something to the table. It will be so great to teach children from different cultures and back grounds than mine, because I know that they will bring so much to the classroom. It's just my job to meet them halfway.

Question: The book talks a lot about including diverse students. What are some of your favorite ideas, or some that you've thought of on your own?

Assessment-Annie Phillips (3)

Quote: Assessment is an integral and ongoing part of both learning and teaching. Sometimes teachers equate standardized high-stakes achievement tests with assessment, but classroom assessment is much more than a one-a-year test. It's a daily part of classroom life." (Tompkins pg 28)

Comment: As a future teacher, I am preparing for assessment in all its forms. I know that assessment is a very necessary part of learning, and it is important that students are assessed in a way that matches what they have learned. As it says in the quote, assessment is a daily part of classroom life. Teachers should be constantly assessing their students in informal ways to be sure that students are understanding those things that are being taught. Teachers should use this information to tailor their teaching methods so that the students can be successful in the classroom environment.

Question: What are a few examples of ways that teachers can assess students and check their knowledge without giving them a pencil and paper test?

Jayme Johnson - Section 4 - Communication

Quote:”…hope that the children on tomorrow will be given space to learn in a pedagogical setting which respects their literacy practices, and affords them instruction which draws on these practices.” (p 135)

Comment: The book focuses a lot on how our students are involved in a literacy world that involves the extensive use of technology. This is absolutely true; I wish the teachers when I was growing up would have let me use computers to process some of the information. I think in a different way when I am typing than when I am printing; it is much easier to form sentences and complete my ideas when I am staring at a screen. One of the hardest parts of my AP classes was the fact that I had to write essays by hand. I knew the ideas I wanted, but something about having to send the information through a pen first mucked up the communication a little. It reminded me of how they told us we would have to use cursive in middle school (a dirty lie that I still resent). All of a sudden I had to change my way of communicating so I didn’t want to communicate.

Question: How would you pull in technology in a school in a low-income area?

Allison Mills-Assessment Again

Quote: "All students should read by 3rd grade" (No Child Left Behind, 2001)
Comment: I got this quote from class when we talked about assessment and I think it is ridiculous. There is some point that students should be able to read by 3rd grade, but what about our ESL students who just moved here from Mexico 3 weeks ago before the standardized tests? I don't think it's fair that teachers are paid and thought as good or bad based on a test that isn't equitable for all students. The act has good theories and it is wonderful that we want children to succeed, but not all children can reach their academic potential at the same time, and they shouldn't be expected to. For example, it takes 7 years to develop great CALP, or academic language, and for the students who can't speak any English and may not have read enough, they can't be expected to come to the US already knowing how to read in English! I don't understand why every child must pass this act, especially if they just immigrated here.
Question: My question is, as a teacher, how can I both satisfy the NCLB act and still allow my children the time they need to learn to read?

Shalyn Shelton (3) Assessment

Quote: "High-stakes testing is different than classroom assessment. The test scores typically provide little information for making day-to-day instructional decisions, but students, teachers, administrators, and schools are judged and held accountable by the results."

Comment: Because of this, we really need to learn how to balance teaching our students so that they are prepared for high-stake tests and teaching them lessons in the best ways that they need it. I really like what Dr. Wimmer has said about high-stakes testing and how to prepare your students. I agree with her that you should not simply teach to the high stake tests, but instead you should have days where you teach your students how to take those types of tests.

Question: What do you think is the best way to prepare our students for these high-stake tests?

Jordan Sanders (3) Assessment

Quote: "At the end of the school year, many teachers organize "Portfolio Share Days" to celbrate students' accomplishments and to provide an opportunity for students to share their portfolio with classmates and the wider community"

Comment: I think that having a time for student to display their reading accomplishments is a great idea. I think that inviting parents to an event like this would be a great way to help students become excited about reading.

Question: How can we have an event like this at the end of the year impact our students reading throughout the year. Could we incorporate an event like this into our classes more often?

Allie Hymas (3) Assessment

Quote: "Learners should be supported in taking control of, and self-regulating, their own learning. When students...invest their identities in the outcomes of learning, the resulting understanding will be deeper than when learning is passive." (Pahl, 148)

Comment: I resonate with and understand the point that Pahl is trying to convey. I feel now however, that I understand why so many teachers feel they are stuck between a rock and a hard place with No Child Left Behind. Most caring educators would realize that the kind of pedagogy Pahl is describing is more enriching for students as individual people. However, I feel frustrated because this kind of teaching seems near to impossible with lists of nationally mandated principles that must be forced down childrens' throats in order for them to pass standardized tests. I hope I can find a way to balance the kind of teaching I know my students deserve as little people with the standards that I am held to in order to do my job.

Question: How can we allow students to assert as much of their identity into their learning as possible while still making sure as many of them as possible learn content in the way that is necessary in order for them to pass NCLB tests?

Heather Durney (3) Assessment

Quote: "Standardized tests are a unique text genre, and they require readers and writers to do different things than they would normally, so teacher's can't assume that students already know how to take reading tests. It's essential that teachers prepare students to take high-stakes tests without abandoning a balanced approach to instruction that's aligned to state standards."

Comment: I feel like this is a very core issue in education and I had never thought about it before that tests are a completely different text than what students are used to. I am glad to have this to remind me that it has to be taught, they don't already know how to take a standardized test. I worry, though, that I will have a hard time finding the balance between teaching to take a test and teaching to the test.

Question: What do you think is the difference between teaching to the test and teaching to take the test and some ways to do it correctly by avoiding teaching to the test?

Anna Munk (3)- Assessment

Quote: "High-stakes testing is different than classroom assessment. The test scores typically provide little information for making day-to-day instructional decisions, but students, teachers, administrators, and schools are judged and held accountable by the results." (Tompkins pg.95)

Comment: I think that it is stupid that everyone is held accountable for these test results. High-stakes testing is not a very effective way to measure the abilities of the students. Also, teachers feel that they need to improve test scores so they take a month out of the year to get students ready for these tests.There is not a lot of time in the school year to teach all of the information needed so taking away time is hurting students in the long run. Teachers shouldn't have to take time out of the curriculum for a test that doesn't measure students abilities accurately.

Question: Is there a way that we can fix this problem? Can teachers get rid of high-stakes testing for good?!?

Laura Ferrin (3): Assessment

Quote: Effective teachers are "kid watchers"... teachers write brief notes in notebooks or on self-stick notes as they observe student.... These records monitor and document students' growth and pinpoint problem areas to address in future minilessons or conferences. (Tompkins, pg. 81-82)

Comment: During as busy day as teachers, we need to be aware of the progress and learning styles of our students. To be effective teachers who are able to cater to the individual needs of our students, we are to be observant of their learning progress and styles. I can see the benefits of observation, teachers become more in tune with the abilities and struggles of each student. The books suggests we have a notebook or sticky notes available for our use as we observe. However, I'm struggling to see how I'll be able to remember to observe, remember what the students are doing, write down my notes, all while maintaining the classroom.

Question: Where can I implement observation in my teaching? How can I use observation as a tool in my classroom, yet keep it as a quiet part of my teaching, without drawing the students' attention to what I am doing?

Elizabeth Larsen (3) Assessment

Quote: "Overemphasizing the test often leads teachers to abandon a balanced approach to instruction: Sometimes students spend more time completing practice tests than reading books and writing compositions."

Comment: Students learn to read and write well by doing authentic reading and writing activities, such as free reading and journal writing, not by completing practice tests. Students do need to know how to take tests and different strategies they can use, but if they're not good readers and writers they won't do well no matter how many practice tests they take.

Question: How much time do we need to spend with our students preparing them for the standardized tests?

Courtney Harrison Navigating New Literacies

Quote:The shaping of the new curriculum needs to respond to the new pathways our students take through, globalized and local, virtual and material social fields. pg 123
Comment:It said that drawing on popular culture in the classroom can bring in fresh ideas and can motivate and inspire children. I think this is a really good idea and I liked the examples it use like to describe a game or tell stories or create a drama skit.
Question:when it talks about the portfolio headings on gp 127, i'm confused if for each assignment the student writes at the end of the assignment what i knew, what I wanted to find out, and what I found out?

Jenaca Jett (3) Assessment

Quote: "Assessment has become a priority in the 21st century schools. School districts and state and federal education agencies have increased their demands for accountability, and today, most students take annual high-stakes tests to judge their achievement. Teachers are collecting more assessment data now, and doing it more frequently than in the past."

Comment: Assessments are very important in school. They provide teachers with data and information they need to understand how well children use skills and their level of understanding. This gives teachers the opportunity to make appropriate adjustments to their teaching if a majority of the students are not understanding.

Question: What are some ways that teacher can have assessments without having the students take tests? How can the teacher cater to the different ways that children learn... because some children aren't good test takers?

Jessica Bringhurst (3) Encouraging literacy practice

Quote: “Researching your students brings in information about their literacy practices.  This then can be used to construct the curriculum. 
- Using maps to locate students’ home spaces
-Students as researchers.”

Comment:  I got pretty excited and motivated about this part in the reading for a couple of reasons.  First I feel very strongly that we need to get to know our students very well in order to direct and mold our classroom accordingly.  If we know the practice and support they get at home, the levels that they are learning at now, and what motivates them to become engaged in learning can make a world of difference in what the students are going to get out of our classroom.  And secondly I made a connection between what I’m learning in one of our other classes this semester!  And I know that all of us in our Provo, Cohort love making connections with our classes J  But we just finished our virtual field trips for IPT 287.  Using google earth we were able to look up what our school looked like and students could use it to find their homes.  Google is an exciting way to get students excited about geography and research!  I think it would be great to use in the classroom!

Question: What are other creative things we can do to help our students be more literate?

Anna Goode (3)- Assessment

"Imagine a classroom that...engages meaning-makers..."
This was in a paragraph along with a whole slew of classroom characteristics, but this is one that really caught my eye. It reminded me of when Sarah commented in class to answer Dr. Wimmer's question of "What does it mean to be authentic regarding assessment?" and Sarah said that it is applicable to real-life scenarios (sorry if this is totally off the mark, Sarah, this is how I took it though ha). I think this relates because all of the information we are giving our students needs to be given in a way that they can see how it will be used in real life. Teaching students to spell words with oral tests would not be the most effective, because it won't be often in life that they need to spell words without writing them down. We need to remember to always help students make the connections to real world and to assess them in ways that the real-world would assess their knowledge so they know how to implement it in their lives.
What are some ways to show practical application through our assessments? Sorry, if thats tricky.

Ana Marques: Assessments

Quote: Assessing has become synonym of who's a good test taker
Comment: In several classes I have noticed that I love explaining my classmates concepts and terms and I feel like overall I have good understanding of everything. However when it comes to taking a test about the same thing that I explained to my classmates, I tend to do just as good or a little less good than them. I've never been a good test taker (in US' assessment system) and that truly frustrates me and makes me feel like it is not even worth the try sometimes because anyway I will not get the grade I truly deserve. That is why I appreciate classes in which the participation and homeworks have a heavy weight on the overall average of the class.
Question: What would you do to assist your students to get the grade that they truly deserve?

Heidi Burnett (4) Observation

Quote: "The use of research as a tool for enriching classrooms has been used in many settings. One very simple way to find out about your students' home literacy practices is to observe them as they work and talk. Studies have recorded students' talk outside the classroom and in the classroom and followed children from home and school and back again. These studies have enriched classroom practice...Observation as a tool is rich in possibilities. While we cannot probe the psyche, we can use techniques such as observation and analysis of the things children make to give us insights about how thought is structures, as well as how the social organization of the world appears to the child (Pahl, pg. 126).

Comment: I have never really thought about how important observation is--this reading really brought out how relevant it will be to becoming the best teacher i can be. When I think back to my early education, I truly feel like my teachers knew me. That might seem funny because I don't remember specific conversations in which I told them everything about me. But now, I can see that they were constantly observing me, constantly observing all their students. It makes me realize how much you can learn about a person just through observation. I am going to be sure to use observation as an affective tool for understanding my students.

Question: What are some other ways we can get to know each individual student, besides through observation? Is there one of these methods that you think will be most effective?

Jessica McClellan (4) Meeting halfway

Quote: "Teachers can mediate classroom experiences for their students, bringing in a host of cultural experience from their students' funds of knowledge, and they can meet their students halfway with a shared space in which both can participate." (Pahl 121)

Comment: I think it is such a valuable resource to have students from different cultures. They can serve as guest speakers within your own classroom! When studying a specific culture or unit that introduces other cultures, it would be so interesting and beneficial to have students from that culture tell about customs from that culture. The students will learn about the culture as well as about each other. I think a shared space between teacher and student is a great way to learn from each other. The teacher can introduce a culture and the students can fill in the details with their own personal experiences. It would also be neat to show like how different cultures celebrate different holidays and create a display board for it. There are so many benefits to have students with cultural experiences to share!

Question: How can you as a teacher unite all the diversity of culture in your students in your classroom?

Misty Ivie - week 7 - Teaching Prosody

Quote: "Schreider recommends teaching students how to phrase or chunk together parts of sentences in order to read with expression." pg 210 Tompkins

Comment: As I read this section, I thought about when I was a senior in high school, I took a speed reading section for my English class and this idea of "chunking" is the same principle used to teach how to speed read. Interestingly, I found as the class progressed, so did my reading comprehension. I actually didn't really understand why when I read faster, I understood more until I read this section. It is much easier to read with expression when you are comprehending more of what you are reading.

Question: What was your favorite strategy talked about for helping students learn fluency?

Misty Ivie - Week 6 - comprehension

Quote: "Reading is understanding"

Comment: I loved this idea that came from the powerpoint. I had never thought of reading as a process of gaining understanding. I think knowing this changes they way I think about teaching children to read. Teaching children to be able to read is one thing but, teaching a child to understand what they are reading is entirely different.

Question: I don't remember any specific ways that my teachers helped me develop comprehension when I was in school, although I was always a very fluent reader. Do you remember any skills your teachers taught you?

Lindsey Draper, Pahl Ch. 6

I liked how this chapter discussed the different ways that literacy can be used. Whether its reading, writing, drawing, taking pictures, artifacts, or using multimedia. Using these different ways to measure the students understanding is a great idea! Everyone has a different way of learning so it would make sense that students would have different ways of showing what they know/understand. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Melissa Turner (3) Assessment

Quote: "By linking assessment and instruction, teachers improve students' learning and their learning."

Comment: I think it is very important to use assessment to help improve the instruction teachers give to students because we need to know what our students are learning or are not understanding. We may think we are getting something across, but we could be totally wrong. As teachers we need to be constantly assessing our students to help improve our teaching. By improving our teaching, this in turn will help improve our students' learning.

Question: What are different ways that we can assess to help improve our teaching to our students?

Sammie Martin (3) Observation

Quote: "Observation as a tool is rich in possibilities. While we cannot probe the psyche, we can use the techniques such as observation and analysis of the things children make to give us insights about how thought is structured, as well as how the social organization of the world appears to the child (Pahl p.126).

Comment: I agree that observation gives us a way to look into a child's mind and get a glimpse of how they are thinking. We have heard in many of our classes how important observation is and how it can be used an informal means of assessment. By observing our students, we as teachers will better understand where they are at in their thinking in order to raise them to a higher level of thinking.

Question: What can I do to make observation more meaningful?Should i look for specific things or should I just observe and see what comes?

Sarah Eddington (4) Assessment

"Giving a paper-and-pencil test to the entire class rarely provides much useful information; teachers learn much more as they listen to individual children read, watch individual children write, and talk with individual children about their reading and writing."

This idea is an important one. As a teacher it is important to know what and why you are assessing. Understanding this purpose will guide your assessments. As this quote says, a paper-and-pencil test may not give the teacher a full view of how their students are doing. We have to approach assessment in a way that allows us to see the context of our students actions. Not only understanding what mistakes a student is making, but maybe also why, will help us help our students be more successful.

How can a teacher find ways to administer the examples of assessments in this quote (listening to children read, children write, and etc) when we have over 20 students in our classrooms?

Heather Boatwright (4) Monitoring Students Progress

Quote; ''Monitoring is vital for a students success. Teachers monitor students learning everyday and use the results to make instructional decisions''.

Comment; I realize the importance of monitoring a students progress, constantly ''kid-watching'' so to speak and recording test scores etc I worry about how to classify students. For example, say Mary has a really difficult time reading out loud but she has a high comprehension level. One teacher might put her in the Instructional Reading Level whereas another might decide that that book is to difficult for that student because of their stuttering and mistakes and place them in the Frustration Reading Level.

Question: How do we remain consistent and accurately place our students in the reading level that they will most thrive*

Sarah Means (3) Assessing Students' Literacy Development

Quote: "Teachers are collecting more assessment data now, and are doing it more frequently than in the past" (Tompkins, 75).

Comment: In education today assessment is everything. It is vital that, as a teacher, I know exactly where my students are. It is through formative and summative assessments that I truly learn how to best support my students. I will need to be constantly checking for understanding and really assessing the level of my students. With such a focus on assessment now much more responsibility has fallen upon the teacher. However, with extra work comes extra benefits. Through constant assessment I will be able to help my students to succeed in ways that they could not without it. Whether it be through a simple thumbs up for understanding or even a summative assessment such as a math or spelling test, assessment is absolutely vital to classroom success.

Question: What are some ways that we could constantly be assessing where our students are and keep track of it?

Robin Gleaves- (3) Assessing Student's Literacy Development

Quote: Talking about "Portfolio Share Days"- "These sharing days also help students accept responsibility for their own learning- especially those students who have not been as motivated as their classmates."

Comment: I love the line about accepting responsibility for learning. I think it is extremely important for students to do. We can try to teach them all day long but if they don't take it into their own hands at some point, then they will not be as successful as they can. I think having things like sharing days is a great way to motivate and learn responsibility. They know that others will come through and see their work, and that they can use this to show others what they've done. This is also a great way to get parents and the community involved with the classroom.

Question: What are other way that we can motivate out students?

Sara Foster (4)--Enriching meaning

"It's not enough to have students memorize one definition of a word; to develop full word knowledge, they need to learn more about a word."

As we've been studying the most effective ways to build vocabulary and spelling, I've been thinking about the things that helped my word comprehension. Like most people, the words I'm most likely to remember the meanings of are the ones that I have some sort of interaction with or I've created a mental picture of. We should be creating meaningful interactions with words for our students or we can't expect them to remember the meaning or spelling of those words. And there's more to comprehension than just knowing the definition of a word--as teachers, it's our responsibility to enrich meaning and give more than the bare minimum to our students. We shouldn't just skim the surface, perhaps by having them memorize a definition. We should give them history and interesting facts and usage. This will help them remember and apply better and it'll give their knowledge a richness.

What are some creative ways we can be enriching word meaning for our students?

Laura Ferrin (3) Assessing Student's LIteracy Development

Quote: "Too often struggling readers pick up books that are too difficult, and when they attempt to read them, they give up in frustration. ... The "three-finger rule" is a quick way to determine whether a book is a good match for a student." (Tompkins, pg. 76)

Comment: I think this rule could do a lot of good in helping me as a teacher to assist my students in finding books appropriate for their level. It is necessary that children find books which are readable, but still a challenge. We want their progression to be an upward climb, but we don't want them to feel as though they have to climb the mountain in a night. By helping our students find books which challenge, but do not frustrate, our students will be more willing readers.

Question: While this method is successful in finding books that are most likely appropriate for my students, what about students like Seth from our readings? He is a wonderful word reader, but struggles in comprehension. A student like him may be able to pass the "three-finger rule" until he reaches a higher level than his comprehension ability. How can we make sure students like him are reading at the correct level?

Esther Dolman (3) - High Stakes vs. Running Records

Quote: Assessment has become a priority in the 21st century.  School districts and state and federal education agencies have increased their demands for accountability, and today, mots students take annual high-stakes tests to judge their achievement.  Teachers are collecting more assessment data now, and doing it more frequently...

Comments:  Assessment is one of the things that scares me about being a teacher!  I know there is definitely a place for standardized testing, but I feel like it doesn't give the students enough credit.  Students work so hard throughout the school year and many are not able to apply that knowledge on a multiple choice test.  I love the idea of teachers keeping a running record because I feel that it better reflects student achievement.  I think it is extremely important for teachers to know where each student is in the class.  Assessment at the beginning and end of the year is not sufficient because it doesn't help us throughout the school year.  It also lets students test in an informal, non threatening environment.  It also helps teachers show district administrators the work that has gone into helping emerging students.

Questions:  Do you think that there will come a time when standardized tests will not be as vital?

Hannah Austin section 4---Frustration Reading Leve

Quote: "Books at this level are too difficult for students...their accuracy is less than 90%."(Tompkins pg. 76)

Comment: I know that it is impossible for a child to read a book they can't comprehend, no matter how interested in the material they are, I tried once. What I am having trouble understanding is exactly what make the students competent at a certain level. Obviously going over vocabulary can help the student comprehend more. My brother was reading out loud to me, and he kept making mistakes. However, he really was comprehending the book, he just kept switching words around, messing up the punctuation a little, and pronouncing words wrong.

Question: How can I help a child who comprehends, but is having trouble with the mechanics of reading?

Karalee Langton: Early Assessments

Quote: "The miscues that interfere with meaning and those that are syntactically unacceptable are the most serious because the student doesn't realize that reading should make sense."

Comment: I thought this quote was interesting because I have not really thought about what errors are acceptible and which are more important to correct. It makes sense to me because sometimes when I read I do not understand it, but I know it should make some sense. The students who can read well, but do not comprenhened what they are reading scares me the most because I do not know how to help them.

Question: What is the best way for me as a teacher to help students improve their understading, especially English learners because often they can read, but have no idea of its meaning?

Anna Goode (3) "Kid Watchers"

"Effective teachers are 'kid watchers,' a term Yetta Goodman coined to describe the 'direct and informal observation of students," (Tompkins, 81).

In all honesty, this is one of the things I am most worried about with teaching: I feel like there will be so much going on with trying to keep control of all the students while trying to keep them engaged in learning specific content, that I will not be on top of things enough to remember to always be observing the students' performance. It is so important though, because as you make the ongoing observations, you will have a better feel for how to adjust your teaching for next time, but more importantly for the next few minutes. You will be much more effective if you are teaching and can pick up on the instructions you need to try to re-word or elaborate on further while you are still on the topic of instruction, rather than having to go back and re-teach it later.

How important is it to make "anecdotal notes" during formative assessment, and are they supposed to be made while walking around the room as the students are working (it seems tricky to do while instructing)?

Tiffany Millard--Three Finger Rule:)

Quote: “The ‘three-finger rule’ is a quick way to determine whether a book is a good match for a student: have the student turn to any page in the book, read it aloud, and raise a finger whenever there’s an unknown word. If the student knows every word, it’s too easy, but if there’s one or two difficult words on a page, the book is probably an appropriate choice. If there are three or more difficult words on a page, the book’s too difficult for independent reading” (76, Tompkins).

Comment: This is a great strategy! I have never heard of this trick as a way to determine a good match for reading. I want to implement this rule into my classroom so I can help my students find an appropriate book that will be somewhat challenging, but not enough that they will get frustrated.

Question: What do I do if a student tells me that he/she really wants to read a book, and is determined to read it, but can’t understand hardly anything that’s going on in the story? What would be the best thing to do? Should I tell him/her it may be too challenging and he/she should stop reading? Or do I encourage the student to continue reading even though he/she can’t understand the novel?

Jazmin Smith, vocabulary

"As teachers plan for instruction, they need to consider what students already know about the word. Sometimes the word is unfamiliar, or it represents a new concept. At other times, the word is familiar and students know one meaning, but they need to leanr a new meaning" (Tompkins, 241)

I think it is important as teachers to keep this in mind when we are giving students new vocabulary words. Not every student is going to be at the same level, specially if we have ESL students in our classroom. It is necessary to keep in mind everyone's level and explained each word as necessary.

What are some word-study activities you remember doing in your elementary school?

Heather Durney (3) Assessing Students' Literacy Development

Quote: "Portfolios are systematic and meaningful collections of artifacts documenting students' literacy development over time. These collections are dynamic and reflect students day-to-day reading and writing activities as well as content-area activities. Students' work samples provide "windows" on the strategies they use as readers and writers. Not only do students select pieces to be placed in their portfolios, they also learn to establish criteria for their selections. Because of students' involvement in selecting pieces for their portfolios and reflecting on them, portfolio assessment respects students and their abilities."

Comment: I really liked this idea. I feel like this would be one of the ways we could create a democratic classroom like we talked about in Management. I like that the focus is on success and that students get to choose their own pieces. To choose these pieces students must reflect on what they have done well enough to display and what they could do better.

Question: What are some ideas that you got for portfolios as you read this? Some of mine were having gold folders with red ribbon closures and putting them in special display cases. I wanted mine to have a very special feel so students would be very proud.

Jenaca Jett - Silent Reading

Quote:"Students need daily opportunities for independent reading in order to learn words, and they need to read books at their independent reading levels. If the books are too easy or too hard, students learn very few new words."

Comment: The concept of students reading silently was emphasized often throughout this chapter. They focused on making sure students have books at their reading level or they won't be learning new words. During class discussion we talked about letting students have the opportunity to chose any book they want no matter what reading level they are on. I am trying to find a balance between the two and figure out which one works best.

Question: What benefits are their for reading silently and on the correct reading level? What are the benefits for a child when reading a book not on their level?

Janelle Webb (4) Importance of Vocabulary

"Vocabulary knowledge and reading achievement are closely related: Students with larger vocabularies are more capable readers, and they know more strategies for figuring out the meanings of unfamiliar words than less capable readers do (Graves, 2006). Reading widely is the best way students learn new words, and that's one reason why capable readers have larger vocabularies. They simply do more reading, both in school and out of school." (Tompkins p. 227-228)

After reading this in the book I realized not only the importance of reading and vocabulary, but how much they are connected. I never really connected the two in my mind. But after thinking more, it is very obvious that both are essential. In order to read and enjoy a story, one must understand what they are reading. To do this they must be able to read and decipher words. In my class I want to make sure that my student are all constantly expanding their vocabulary.

What will you do in your class to increase your students vocabulary?

Natalie Murray (3)--Assessment

Quote: "Giving a paper-and-pencil test to the entire class rarely provides much useful information; teachers learn much more as they listen to individual children read, watch individual children write, and talk with individual children about their reading and writing."

Comment: Assessment can get pretty complicated, and I think it's so easy for teachers to write a simple multiple choice test because they're easy to grade, but those really don't give you any information on what students actually know and how much they are progressing. I think it's so important to take the time to properly assess your students. Teaching is about helping children learn, and if teachers really believe that, we'll take the time to figure out our students knowledge base and help them progress as much as they can.

Question: With so much focus on assessments of individual students, how do you find enough time to pay attention to and teach the whole class while doing such individualized assessments?

Jessica Bringhurst (4) Vocab Understanding

Quote: “It’s not enough to have students memorize one definition of a word; to develop full word knowledge, they need to learn more about a word.”

Comment:  There is so much more to reading than to just be able to say the words.  And even knowing a basic knowledge of a word might not be sufficient to really grasping the concept of a sentence.  Some words have multiple meanings that could confuse students if they did not understand that certain words could be used to describe different ideas.   I love the idea of a word wall for commonly used words but I think you could as put posters on the wall with a certain word that has double meanings and have a picture that depicts the different meanings it has.  That way it gets students remembering and thinking about this concept.  That way they are not shocked with they need to use skills such as using context clues and other word learning strategies to try to decode the meaning of a certain sentence.  It’s not enough for them to just learn basic vocabulary; instead it’s important for them to grasp the concept of reading for understanding.

Question: What other word-learning strategies would you use with your students?  Why are those strategies important?

Janet Leishman (3) Literacy Practices

Quote: "Hope that children of tomorrow will be given space to learn in a pedagogical setting which respects their literacy practices, and affords them instruction which draws on those practices (Pahl 135)."

Comment: Students need to be part of an environment where they are not only learning academic skills but also social skills. Social skills not only involve the skills needed in creating relationships with other students but also the social skills of living in the present world. The world today is full of technology and problem solving type situations. As teachers, we need to teach our students how to live in this world, which means that we need to teach them how to work with technology and how to solve real life type problems on their own. These skills are vital skills to acquire. In the quote about it explains that one day the students may be 'given a space' (the classroom) 'to learn in a pedagogical setting which respects their literacy practices'. I think of the students literacy practices as the things that they do outside of the classroom, which involve comprehension and/or language. These things may include texting, emailing, web surfing, etc. As a teacher, we can provide our students with a space to learn about their current literacy practices. It may take more time, work and effort on our part but in the end, the students will learn skills that they need to live in this world.


Question: What are some ways that teachers can allow students to help them create a classroom where the students literacy practices are explored more?

Whitney Winegar - Assessing Literacy (3)

Quote: "The term assessment is used much more often than evaluation. These terms are often considered interchangeable, but they're not. Assessment is formative; it's ongoing and provides immediate feedback to improve teaching and learning. It's usually authentic, based on literacy activities in which students are engaged."

Comment: I like this comment because this is exactly what each education class has taught me. And I'm glad that we're learning to make judgements using assessment instead of evaluations, because assessments provide more information for the teacher and fairly judges the student's real abilities. When I was in school I don't feel like this was done at all. I feel like I was too focused on passing the test and getting good grades than I was with actually learning the material. If I would have been judged based on assessments rather than evaluations, then maybe I would have synthesized information better.

Question: How should we prepare students for their formal evaluations while still focusing on teaching content?

Nachelle Mackie (4) Students' Reading Levels

Quote: "Teacher match students with books at appropriate levels of difficulty because students are more likely to be successful when they're reading books that aren't too easy or too difficult" (Tompkins 76).

Comment: I remember as an elementary school student reading some books that I thought were a waste of time because they seemed just too easy. We all would get the same book and read it as a class so I never remember differing books depending on reading level. I think the most important thing in this quote is to remember about the word "success." That is what we ultimately want our students to achieve. It may take time to put each child in their own reading level, but it is worth it.

Question: What is the best way to determine what reading level your student is on?

Alicia Voellger (4) Third Space

Quote: " It's not enough to have students memorize one definition of a word; to develop full word knowledge, they need to learn more about a word."

Comment: As I was reading the chapter about vocabulary I felt my own understanding enlarged. I epecially enjoyed the chart that showed English words vs. Latin words vs. Greek words. Looking at the lists really helped me to make connections and helped it make sense in my brain. I think this is especially useful because English uses lots and lots of borrowed words so our words do not follow the same pattern.

Question: How could the study of roots of word help an ELL student better grasp English?

Kylee Openshaw (3) Assessing Literacy Development

Quote: "Portfolios are student oreinted, whereas folders are usually teachers' collections--students choose which samples of work will be placed in portfolios... portfolios focus on students' strengths, not their weaknesses."

Comment: I think portfolios are a really great ways to assess student achievement over time; students can select work they are proud of. Portfolios can show what the students have been sucessful in, but are still representations of their individual levels and improvement. Probably the samples put into the portfolio at the end of the year will be better than the ones put in at the beginning, but the student has had a hand in creating something that he or she can be proud of. I think portfolios are a really positive way to include students in assessment, and I love that they focus on strengths rather than weakness or failures that the students may have experienced. I also really like that they are collections of students' practical work; they aren't necessarily a series of standardized test scores (which I don't think are that accurate of an assessment of what students can do anyways) but are a compilation of student work that students have chosen themselves, and have had a chance to edit and work on and then select as something they're proud of.

Question: How often do you have to, or should you, use other types of assessment, and would it be good to sometimes include samples of high scores on those assessments in a portfolio?

Laura Watts (3) Test Score Effectiveness

Quote: "The test scores typically provide little information for making day-to-day instructional decisions, but students, teachers, administrators, and schools are judged and held accountable by the results" (95).

Comment: Tests that don't provide results that can help teachers and students improve are ineffective. They simply say where a student is, and don't give the chance for students to improve. This is also not effective for evaluating how well a teacher teaches, because students are still independent learners.

Question: Are there other ways to assess students on a national level without subjecting them to high-stakes tests as they are currently set up?

Lene Kristine Botolfsen - Sec.4 - Identities in Literacy

Quote:

"By acknowledging your students' literacy practices, you are acknowledging their identities. These identities will then become more visible in the classroom. The space of the classroom and the walls and the physical environment can support your students' identities in practice. They can be encouraged to bring in from outside the classroom the identity markers they feel close to." (Pahl)

Comment:

I really liked this chapter, and have been contemplating the importance of the identity of the students. As teachers it is vital that we consider each student's identity and work with them. We need to use our classrooms to help the children share their identities so that the space can be filled with all their identities. I like the idea of bringing something from home, or something they treasure and share with the class and classroom. I think that when students feel a part of and connected to the classroom their learning will increase and become more interesting and important for them.

Question:

How can we deal with a student's identity that we clash with or cannot connect with?

Allison Mills: Assessment Section 3

Quote: "Students need help understanding test talk so that high-stakes test really measure what they know."
Comment: I completely agree with this statement! From my elementary days I remember when the teachers taught to the test and how I would study for the STAR (a yearly standardized California test) and then forget everything I studied once the test was over. Part of this was because the test talk was so different. I remember taking these high-stakes test and getting hung up over the wording of the questions because they weren't similar to what we were learning in class. Even the readings were boring, and I don't usually feel that picky about what I have to read. Thus, as future teachers, it is important to teach our students through minilessons, as Tompkins addresses, on how to read test talk and then understand it well enough to answer the questions given. High-stakes tests should measure what a student knows, not what they don't know, and so far, they are not meeting their end of the bargain.
Question: How can I best teach my students test talk in an engaging and meaningful way?

Ana Marques. Comprehension

Quote: Readers have limited cognitive resources available for comprehension, and if they se too many of these resources to decode difficult text or to compensate for limited background knowledge, they may not remember much of what they read.

Comment: I am learning a lot about reading for my own on this book. I never really took English so I still struggle reading all-English texts. I've noticed that when I use the strategies of fluency tught in the book I have a less harder time and I have more time to enjoy and understand the text. I will implement in my teaching this techniques by making sure my children are understanding what they read, and if they are not I will help them ponder why they are not understanding so that they can change the pattern.

Question: If a student is resding to you and you ask him after one paragraph to explain you what he read and he says "I don't know." What would your first approach be How would you help them?

Caitlin Walton-Early Assessments (3)

QUOTE: Students read independent-level books when they're reading for pleasure and instructional-level books when they are participating in guided-reading or another instructional activity. They shouldn't be expected to read books at their frustration level; when it's essential that struggling students experience grade-appropriate information, teachers should read the text aloud to students.
COMMENT: I agree with this, in the sense that we should never assign readings to the point that it makes students frustrated. But, I do believe that they way children grow is by working though harder readings. If they are only given books that they can recognize all the words in and read all the way through, then they will stay on the same level. I little sweat is sometimes necessary, as long as they know they are supported and that the teacher is there to call upon for help before things get too heated. It is like muscle building--if a person only lifts weights that are easy for them then they will never increase their strength. They need a small amount of frustration with the harder weights because then they have something to work on and that is improving their level. Also, I don't want to give my students a crutch by making them dependent on the teacher and run to me when they feel like something is above their reading level. That is why it is so important to teach them word recognition and comprehension skills so they can know how to work through it themselves.
QUESTION: In the quote, it states that teachers should read aloud all material that is above students' levels so they won't frustrate the children. To me, this is not that great of an idea because when standardized tests come along the students are on their own and might have to read something that is a little frustrating to them and the teacher cannot come help them. Is there a better way to deal with higher level readings in the classroom that puts more responsibility on the students but does not overstress or discourage them with the hard readings?

Test Taking Strategies, Rachel Thomas, Section 4

Quote: "After students read the question, they stop and think about the answer before reading all the possible answers. Then they eliminate the unlikely answer choices and identify the correct answer." (Tompkins, p. 98)
Comment: Out of all the strategies listed this one was the one that I liked the best. As a young child I was not the best test taker. I believe it is because I did not know the best way to take tests. I remember sometimes taking tests and when I would get to the question I would read the answers (maybe not all of them) until I found one that seemed right and move on. Often, there might be a good answer and a better answer. It is important to pay close attention to what the question is asking and to read all the possibilities.
Question: What is a strategy that helps you do better with your testing?

Jordan Sanders (3) Assessing Through Checklists

Quote: Checklists simplify assessment and enhance students' learning. Teachers identify the evaluation criteria in advance so students understand what's expected of them before they begin working."

Comment: I think that grading using checklists is a great idea, especially for the younger grades. I think that checklists would be a quick way to grade projects, presentations and other non-written assignments. Checklists would make sure that grading is fair and objective.

Question: Once we check off items that the child successfully completed on a check list how do we transfer that to a numerical or letter grade? Should we assign all items on the checklist equal points or, should some items be worth more than others? Or should we simply grade on a pass/fail basis?

Allie Hymas (3) Navigating New Literacies for New Times

Quote: "Gatto allowed students into the knowledge spaces of the classrom and arranged the space so that her desk was a child-size that sits amongst the children...the students perceived this vibrant learning community as fun." (Pahl, 132)

Comment: I loved this implimentation of the idea that a classroom is a learning community. I feel that this teacher took this idea to the next level by physically incorporating herself in with the student desks, literally becoming part of the population of learners. I also appreciate the idea that classrooms can be places that could be described as "vibrant" and "fun". I feel that the direction our society is taking with No Child Left Behind is in effect, sucking the fun out of learning. I appreciate the input on ways that we can make the classroom a more enjoyable place for both ourselves and our students.

Question: How do we incorporate these ideas in a classroom without losing control? Is it more important for the teacher to maintain a role of dominence or for the students to feel that she or he is almost a part of the class itself?

Shalyn Shelton (3) Assessing Reading

Quote: "Effective teachers are 'kid watchers,' a term Yetta Goodman coined to describe the 'direct and informal observation of students."

Comment: The term sounds a little creepy :p but I like the idea behind it. We need to be paying attention and observing our students in their reading and writing in order to asses how they are doing and keep track of improvements we see. I also really like that they have labeled books based on different reading levels. I think this is extremely helpful for teachers. I have volunteered in my little sister's elementary school class before and when they would go to the school library her teacher had them pick a book at their reading level, one a little above their reading level, and the third one they could pick any book they wanted. I thought that was a good idea because students are reading a fun book that they want to read and not worrying about the level and they're also reading one at their level to build confidence in reading and being challenged by reading one a bit more difficult.

Question: How can we prepare our students for standardized/ state tests? Is it important that we instuct them in how to test throughout the year or just as the test is drawing nearer?

Elizabeth Larsen (3) Standardized Testing

Quote: "Standardized reading tests use formal language that's unfamiliar to many students...Students need help understanding test talk so that high-stakes tests really measure what they know."

Comment: Standardized testing is so different from any other test that occurs in the classroom, and a main part of that difference is the vocabulary on it. It seems like a difficult task to prepare students to understand all this vocabulary, especially English Language Learners. If we are preparing practice tests, we need to make sure to include this test talk in them so our students have an opportunity to get used to it.

Question: When should we start preparing our students for high stakes testing? And how can we assess whether the students are struggling with the practice test format or with what is on the tests? And one more question: are we allowed to be in the room with our students when they take the tests, and if we are, can we answer basic questions, like give a synonym for a confusing word in the question that a student doesn't understand?

Assessing Literacy: Annie Phillips (3)

Quote: "Students are more likely to be successful when they're reading books that aren't too easy or too difficult. Books that are too easy don't provide enough challenge, and books that are too difficult frustrate students."

Comment: I think this statement is of great importance to us as teachers because we need to know our students and know their personal reading levels. If we give students books to read that are below their reading level, they will be bored and have a negative view of reading. On the other hand, if students are trying to read books that are beyond their ability to read, they will also have a negative view of reading because they will be frustrated and annoyed. People have to feel a certain amount of success in order to continue doing something and enjoy it, so we need to make sure our students are feeling successful while they read.

Question: What is one way that we can help our students read books that are at their individual reading level?