Assessments

We have been working on assessments this week. I interviewed my three daughter and this is what they had to say about assessments. All three of them did not understand that there were any other type of assessments or tests beside the basic paper and pencil type of tests. The third grader did understand that tests could also be taken on the computer, but she took the SBAC assessment.

So, do assessments work and which is the best one? The best ones are ones that help the students. This comes in the form of formative assessments. The students don't know that they are assessments but they are the assessments that help them learn the best. They are the assessments that support their learning and provide them with immediate and meaningful feedback.

This means that as teachers we either need to inform our students of the different types of assessments, or give enough summative assessments so they can measure their own learning as the teacher gives them formative assessments to adjust instruction and support the students making adequate growth during the school year.
The truth is that teachers, parents and students rely on the summative assessments for grades. The teachers are unable to keep accurate records of the formative assessments to support the student grades for parents satisfaction that the grades are not subjective but based on actual data.

Using Technology

The funny thing about using technology is the amount of time that it takes to complete projects, that when we just use our paper and pencil we finish in less than a week. But the ways that we can share and publish the work that create using technology is amazing.

I decided that this year I would teach my students computer skills using power point. We created a power point presentation of all of the things that we did during the year. I scanned samples of the students' work so they could attach the pictures and their comments of the work.

In the beginning of the school year, it was a painful process. There were times when I would have the students write their comments themselves on paper and then I would type the words into their power points.

The greatest thing was for the students to share their power point presentations with their parents during open house. The parents loved seeing all of their child's work especially because it included pictures of their work and pictures of them.

Using the Internet

This month we have been taking our test on the SBAC. This has been using the computer. Our students all needed to use their vast technology skills to take our state testing. The problem is that our students were not prepared to take this test. So, now I need to evaluate why were these students not ready to take this test??

Is it because they aren't access the computer often enough?? Well, these students started first grade with a computer program where the students practiced their reading skills. The students also had the opportunity to use a math program on the computer. They used the computers almost weekly beginning in first grade. If we look at the sixth grade class then they had six years of using the computers for this particular skill.
Now that means that this was not enough...So, this week as we look at the usage of the internet in the classroom how can we know if it is enough?? We can look at how these students after having the computer available to them every year did not make them proficient at using the computer.
So, having access is not enough, there has to be more...
The teachers need to teach the students how to use the computer. They need to understand how to manipulate the programs. The students need to understand how to use the program to share their learning and enhance it.
This means that if the students can learn how to use programs to enhance their own projects, but also learn how to do the deeper thinking and support their thinking we will have students that can benefit from the technology. It will no longer be an extra toy located in the classroom or in their homes, but an extension of their thinking and interacting. Then the next time they sit down to take a test on the technology, the technology won't be stumbling block but an stepping stone to help and support them to be even more successful than ever.

The Power of Yes!

This week we were working on learning strategies. One of the articles that I read was very useful in my teaching. The article is which is listed below. The part that I liked from the this articles was the strategies for understanding the power of yes. The interaction between teachers and students is one of the most lasting interactions in a child's life. This is one of their first interactions with an adult that is not their parent. A huge portion of the identity is based on this interaction. If the interaction is negative then the student will mold their identity with negativity and the same when the interaction is positive.
The article offerer four strategies to help become a teacher that uses yes with the students and not resort to no.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=6K6B6IcQM5c

The first strategy is to make a list of the positive qualities that will be noted by the teacher. But then during the day of instruction the teacher will use these positive qualities to make note of the student behavior. When this positive behavior gets the recognition the students crave, they will strive to model more and more of the positive behavior.

The second strategy is to give the student an alternative behavior. This means that rather than drawing attention to the behavior that is not wanted, give the child a task that will change that behavior. This can be where the student talking is given the job to push in chairs, or collect the books. When I tried this in my room, it was a relief to give the student a new task that ended the behavior that they couldn't stop. I have some students that just can't seem to stop talking. So, I gave reward points to the students modeling the positive behavior, then gave some of them things to do, and also to some of the students who couldn't stop the negative behavior.

The third strategy is to give the students a choice in the positive behavior. I have used this one often, but not in this way. I usually give them a choice between a consequence for the negative behavior and a positive behavior to do. But the article suggested to give the students the choice between two positive behavior's and neither one is a consequence for the negative behavior. I tried this with a students, and realized that by doing this I took away all of the power of the negative behavior, because I never mentioned it once. Loved it!!

Fourth strategy is the "when/then". This one I tried at home. And my children responded to it like bees to sugar. They loved having the outcome clearly laid out for them and they could follow the directions. They were even able to remember their directions, which is a common problem in my house.

Kersey, K. C., & Masterson, M. L. (2011). Learn to Say Yes! When You Want to Say No! to Create Cooperation Instead of Resistance: Positive Behavior Strategies in Teaching. Young Children, 66(4), 40-44.

Overwhelmed by technology

I am learning to use technology, but I do not know how to use it all. I need lots of time to learn how to access and process the use of technology. My life is so busy that I find it hard spend the time that I need to really get to know new technology or all of the available tools in the technology I have. I feel that the moment that I am getting comfortable using the technology that I have, I am already behind on the new technology that is available. For instance: my smart phone. I get a new one and have to learn how to use it and access all of the tools, but then a new version of the phone is already available.