Content literacy is not a huge issue for my class. The seventh grade state framework does not require that we introduce very many new terms. I spent the first nine weeks on the eight parts of speech.... the whole nine weeks! By the end of the quarter, my kids knew their terms.
I am more worried about the progress of their writing. I have already found that it is extremely difficult to monitor the writing of 140 seventh graders, so to be more effective, they need to start monitoring themselves. I recently requested composition notebooks for each of my students through Donors Choose. After reading the section on effective assessments involving students, I am sure that journaling is my best option.
The book also suggests rubrics as a powerful way to involve students in assessment. I feel that this is a double-edged sword. Yes, rubrics let the students know what is expected, but they can also minimize creativity.
I was glad that the book included a section on the pros and cons of standardized tests. I always wrestle with the issue of standardized tests. They are obviously our go-to assessments for almost everything, but I don't think that they are always the best. I agree with the book when it says that standardized tests are a good way for districts and principals to evaluate special programs. It goes on to say that these tests provide only a gross estimate of student reading level. The benefits of gross estimates are limited.
Perhaps one of the best and most common ways to assess literacy is informally in a casual, relaxed environment. I worry that students freeze up when they are asked to read and comprehend on tests. I enjoy listening to them read in small groups of their peers. In those situations, they seem to be the most laid back.
I enjoyed reading the post Andrea. My favorite part of the post was viewing rubrics as a double edged sword. I've never really thought of them in that light. Obviously they are a great help because they point out exactly what will be graded and how it will be graded but are they the 'be all, end all?' I doubt that. In math there are so many important aspects that will help students in the real world and are not listed in the state-tested objectives. That might be one con of rubrics because if students aren't tested our district says we shouldn't teach it. Overall though rubrics are necessary and I think the book conveyed that as well.
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious that many of our students are extremely self-conscious. Whether it's by the common method of being quiet and playing "follow the leader" so to speak, or if it's by putting on a tough guy or tough girl facade due to their own insecurities. That having been said, I agree that if you can somehow create an environment where they can relax and forget about social norms for a second, assessment of literacy should be optimized
ReplyDeleteOne of my biggest failures this year way my attempt to have students do a monthly writing project to supplement their science coursework. I agree with your take on the student self-assessment. If I am ever going to restart the writing supplement I am really going to have to push the writing assessments onto the students and make the assignment more of a journal than anything else.
ReplyDeleteYou go, girl! Well Miss B, you certainly are something else.
ReplyDeletere: "I have already found that it is extremely difficult to monitor the writing of 140 seventh graders, so to be more effective, they need to start monitoring themselves." YES. With so many students, we NEED the students to get more involved in their own education. How do we get them to do that? I have way too many lessons in which I DO MOST OF THE WORK. We need kids to start monitoring themselves and we need kids to help each other a lot more. Unfortunately for my students, I haven't figured out discipline well enough for them to work effectively in pairs or groups. I need to get that down for their sake.
B well Miss B U tha woman.
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I think your conclusion is what caught my attention. I love to read. I enjoy writing. You never have to force me to do it. I love casually reading. What we need these kids to do is to love to read and write in their free time. If we could some how take away the pressure that reading and writing in the classroom places on these kids and just get them to enjoy reading, then maybe they will excel at it. Perhaps they will even grasps the concepts faster?
ReplyDeleteAndrea - I love the idea of students monitoring themselves in the writing process. I'm currently teaching the writing process, and it's definitely a struggle. Its so hard to teach something that's so hard for many people. Writing well is a difficult task for even the educated masses, so those like our students really struggle. I'm a fan of the rubric, but I never thought of it as limiting creativity. You make a good point, especially if you show them the rubric beforehand and then they write exactly to it. The idea of students assessing each other and commenting is great. I do it with my students with some success. I feel that with more time, though, they will get better with it.
ReplyDeleteLike many of your readers I'm really taken with the ideal of students monitoring their own progress. I also love the way that journaling can teach students the habit of reflection- all to often I find my students don't really think about the long term view- what are we learning? why? how have I grown. I am thinking that perhaps a math learning log journal might be a really nice way to incorporate literacy in the math classroom. I'm not sure that i have the wherewithall to implement it now... but one of the things i love about the program is that we are flooded with ideas and research and best practices to try out in the future.
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