Blogging My Journey

How do I assess student learning?

Formal Assessments: These have been done at the beginning of the year, midway, end of semester, midway and end of semester. Hopefully the students will show growth and progress in each area. The idea is if they are not showing progress then the teaching techniques should be changed.

• Progress monitoring in math using the math probes.
• Progress monitoring in reading comprehension using the Basic Reading Inventory.
• Progress monitoring using Corrective Word Sequences in writing.
• Daily Behavior Report Cards to monitor target behaviors from the Behavior Intervention Plan.

Unit Assessments:

• Projects using rubrics
• Chapter Tests
• Teacher made Tests
• Curriculum Tests

How do I involve students in the assessment process? I don't involve them that much. Once in a while I will allow them to create their own test by having each one contribute a question.

How has this unit impacted or changed my view about teaching.

• Project can be so much more individualized because of the students interests. They are more engaging and the students really like working on the computers. The quality of work I believe will improve with the project type of work. Just to get them motivated and engaged will be a plus.
  
• Using rubrics I can get the students' input and put their ideas into the assessments.
  

Blogging My Journey-March 3rd, 2009

Reflect on the activities, skills, and approaches addressed in this module.

• How can I use the Internet to support my teaching and students' learning?

I really liked the Open Mind program to help students focus on content information. I also liked the epals website that would allow students to write with other students working on the same topic.

I am leaning towards a brochure for the first student project or a creative writing story using Open Mind and then export this into PowerPoint.

• How can I ensure responsible and appropriate use of the Internet?

I can go over the rules and guidelines with the students, create a hot list for them to pull from and monitor like crazy at all times when they are on the internet.

Unit: I Hate Writing

My students literally hate to write. Whenever I ask them to write for anything in class the usual response is "I hate writing". Some of them physically have difficulty making their letters. There is so much thought and effort in forming the letters that the content gets lost. I have some exceptionally smart students who cannot put their thoughts on paper. They are motivated to work on the computer so I am hoping to merge this desire with the writing process to get them comfortable with content writing. The keyboard will become their pencil and the monitor their paper.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
Why is writing important?

UNIT QUESTIONS:
Who is my target audience?
What am I trying to communicate?

CONTENT QUESTIONS:
What do I need to make a complete sentence?
What are four types of sentences?
How do I use correct punctuation in a sentence?
How do I develop a complex sentence?
How do I develop a paragraph with a beginning, middle and end?
How do I utilize graphic organizers?
How can I check for errors in my own writing?
What are the five types of writing?

Relfections on Class

I finally have the opportunity to write my first blog! I hope this works because this in itself has been way too stressful. Technology is great when it flows and works but when it doesn't and you're like me I just want to scream and shout and give up! That said I use technology every day in my classroom. My students who are working towards high school credit must complete lessons using the Nova Net website. There have been several times when the system is down and shuts off in the middle of the lessons where the students loose everything they've done and I have to work hard to calm them down because these are special needs students who have very little patience or motivation to work. I have been on both sides of the fence now. There is no turning back and no escaping the future and it is all about the technology.

I like how the class is structured allowing us to utilize the class time to actually complete required work. I also like the hands-on experience, learn by doing in the class with the teacher present. I for the first time used publisher and look forward to using it in the classroom.

I am fortunate to have computers in my classroom and seek to learn ways to utilize them for learning besides the required Nova Net work. My students are very clever and wise in the ways of technology, far ahead of their teacher, Ms. Tuten. I am seeking to learn valuable information to share with my students to help them progress educationally in all areas of academics.