I do believe, even after 8 years of teaching experience, I am still a work in progress. I will always learn and work hard to maintain the areas of strength I have. Because of the never ending changing of curriculum (standards), the ever growing number of tools and application becoming available, the growing expectations, any teacher, in my opinion, is a work in progress.
Among many, my greatest strength is the ability of adjusting the strategy of teaching in the middle of instruction if I feel like my students are not aboard. I can quickly think and come up with easy to understand strategy or illustration.
Again, among many, one of my weaknesses is that I am not that great in creating - on my own without depending on the district's curriculum portal - a very exhaustive and comprehensive unit projects. I do create projects, but it seems that the projects on the district's curriculum portal to be more comprehensive. The objects found in the textbooks also are very comprehensive.
Area of growth? I always want to grow in differentiating instruction for every student.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Evaluate 3.1.1 Differentiation Quest
The following data was taken from the Fulton County Schools website, but it has been modified for this quest purposes.
Let’s assume that I was the teacher of the class above. The class just completed the first unit and I am now reviewing the unit assessment data. It is disappointing because the class average on the final unit assessment fell below 80% mastery, which is the goal set for the course. Looking at the data, John Cobb and Shemika Holland improved the most on standard 1 between the benchmark quiz and the final unit. Tamara Johnson and Anderson Cooper grew the least on standard 2 between the benchmark quiz and final unit assessment.
Based on the data, the class and I fell short of the goal because there were two students whose scores are very low. If we remove those scores of John Cobb and Anderson Cooper, the class average would be above 80%.
To meet my goals, what I could have done differently prior to the final unit assessment is the following. Anderson had been deteriorating ever since Aug 1 assessment. I shouldn’t have waited until the final test to intervene. After the Aug 15 benchmark, I should have provided extra help before moving on to Standard 2. After Aug 30, I should clearly know that there was a problem and I should have differentiated the instruction and come up with unique learning pathways for the student. I would have done the same for John Cobb as well. John seems to have more problems with Standard 2 than with Standard 1.
There were other students who didn’t necessarily do great on the two standards, so I would arrange more tutorial time, taking more time in tailoring lessons (differentiating) according to the needs of the students and make sure instruction is adjusted before moving on to the next material.
Let’s assume that I was the teacher of the class above. The class just completed the first unit and I am now reviewing the unit assessment data. It is disappointing because the class average on the final unit assessment fell below 80% mastery, which is the goal set for the course. Looking at the data, John Cobb and Shemika Holland improved the most on standard 1 between the benchmark quiz and the final unit. Tamara Johnson and Anderson Cooper grew the least on standard 2 between the benchmark quiz and final unit assessment.
Based on the data, the class and I fell short of the goal because there were two students whose scores are very low. If we remove those scores of John Cobb and Anderson Cooper, the class average would be above 80%.
To meet my goals, what I could have done differently prior to the final unit assessment is the following. Anderson had been deteriorating ever since Aug 1 assessment. I shouldn’t have waited until the final test to intervene. After the Aug 15 benchmark, I should have provided extra help before moving on to Standard 2. After Aug 30, I should clearly know that there was a problem and I should have differentiated the instruction and come up with unique learning pathways for the student. I would have done the same for John Cobb as well. John seems to have more problems with Standard 2 than with Standard 1.
There were other students who didn’t necessarily do great on the two standards, so I would arrange more tutorial time, taking more time in tailoring lessons (differentiating) according to the needs of the students and make sure instruction is adjusted before moving on to the next material.
Evaluate 2.1.2 Rubrics and Competencies Quest
The heart of this quest can be represented by the following statement,
"...competency...focuses on what students should be able to do after successfully completing a course instead of listing things they should have learned."
I believe that listing things the students have learned is legitimate during delivering the instruction as form of formative assessment. But it should not be the end goal of the standard, chapter, unit, or the course. The goal; the objective must be the competency and competency is what the students will be able to do after successfully completing the standard, chapter, unit or the course. As an example I will give two competency oriented assessments: standard specific and unit specific assessment.
The Standards are:
M8A1. Students will use algebra to represent, analyze and solve problems.
a. Represent a given situation using algebraic expressions or equations in one variable
c. Solve algebraic equations in one variable, including equations involving absolute values
To teach to the standards, students will learn how to solve equations: Two-Step Equations, Multi-Step Equations and Solving equations with variables on both sides. Students must demonstrate their knowledge of these standards (competency) by solving the following three problems.
"...competency...focuses on what students should be able to do after successfully completing a course instead of listing things they should have learned."
I believe that listing things the students have learned is legitimate during delivering the instruction as form of formative assessment. But it should not be the end goal of the standard, chapter, unit, or the course. The goal; the objective must be the competency and competency is what the students will be able to do after successfully completing the standard, chapter, unit or the course. As an example I will give two competency oriented assessments: standard specific and unit specific assessment.
The Standards are:
M8A1. Students will use algebra to represent, analyze and solve problems.
a. Represent a given situation using algebraic expressions or equations in one variable
c. Solve algebraic equations in one variable, including equations involving absolute values
To teach to the standards, students will learn how to solve equations: Two-Step Equations, Multi-Step Equations and Solving equations with variables on both sides. Students must demonstrate their knowledge of these standards (competency) by solving the following three problems.
After completing the entire chapter on Equations and Inequalities, students will complete a project shown below.
Taken from holt online learning: http://my.hrw.com/hrw
Monday, May 19, 2014
Evaluate 2.1.1 Data Driven Instruction, Analytics, Reporting Tools Quest
Enrollments and Attendance
The enrollments information is important for an online teacher to have some kind of knowledge about the class he/she is going to teach. It is a good information to start with. The teacher could use this information as the semester progresses. It might be important in some cases to keep in mind the number of students you have in that class when the teacher prepares quizzes, tests, and projects.
Having data of students' attendance is a valuable information for a teacher. If a student attendance is poor, we will probably do not expect the student to do well in class. That's where we start our intervention. Research has shown student and teacher attendance is directly correlated with student achievement. Having data of student's attendance definitely helps a teacher to help the student succeed.
To have data of the communication log is important not only for accountability purposes, but also helps to come up with a strategy in collaboration with all concerned stakeholders (parents) to help the student improve if he/she is failing. So keeping parents posted about students' progress is vitally important. If you record what information you have already shared with the parent, you can continue from there. In your next communication log, you can praise the student for improving or you can update parents that the students is not improving or you can warn the parents that the students may not pass the class unless he/she show improvement as soon as possible. The point is the teacher can build on information he/she had already shared about the student.
Monitoring Course Progress With Observational Data & Analytics
This is what is going to drive your instruction. If you have the above analyzed data, you will be able to differentiate your instruction accordingly. It helps the teacher to know who is working hard, spending time accessing the course content, and actually doing the work by just observing their activity data.
Students Monitoring Their Own Learning
This information is also important in its own right. Students can see how they are doing in the course and know what it takes to get what they want to get in that course. Students can read feedback from their teachers, monitor their grade, get due dates reminders etc.
The enrollments information is important for an online teacher to have some kind of knowledge about the class he/she is going to teach. It is a good information to start with. The teacher could use this information as the semester progresses. It might be important in some cases to keep in mind the number of students you have in that class when the teacher prepares quizzes, tests, and projects.
Having data of students' attendance is a valuable information for a teacher. If a student attendance is poor, we will probably do not expect the student to do well in class. That's where we start our intervention. Research has shown student and teacher attendance is directly correlated with student achievement. Having data of student's attendance definitely helps a teacher to help the student succeed.
To have data of the communication log is important not only for accountability purposes, but also helps to come up with a strategy in collaboration with all concerned stakeholders (parents) to help the student improve if he/she is failing. So keeping parents posted about students' progress is vitally important. If you record what information you have already shared with the parent, you can continue from there. In your next communication log, you can praise the student for improving or you can update parents that the students is not improving or you can warn the parents that the students may not pass the class unless he/she show improvement as soon as possible. The point is the teacher can build on information he/she had already shared about the student.
Monitoring Course Progress With Observational Data & Analytics
This is what is going to drive your instruction. If you have the above analyzed data, you will be able to differentiate your instruction accordingly. It helps the teacher to know who is working hard, spending time accessing the course content, and actually doing the work by just observing their activity data.
Students Monitoring Their Own Learning
This information is also important in its own right. Students can see how they are doing in the course and know what it takes to get what they want to get in that course. Students can read feedback from their teachers, monitor their grade, get due dates reminders etc.
Evaluate 1.1.3 The Summative Assessment Quest
Here is an example of a summative assessment. It is a test on government. It was created using edmodo.com
Validity
It was multiple choice test and all necessary action was taken to make sure the choices have detractors to differentiate students who really learned the material and those who didn't learn. There were choices that seem like reasonable answers.
Reliability
It is expected that the item analysis to show the scores of the assessment and the overall average in the course to have high correlation.
Security
For security purposes, edmodo asks the teacher and the students to login.
Validity
It was multiple choice test and all necessary action was taken to make sure the choices have detractors to differentiate students who really learned the material and those who didn't learn. There were choices that seem like reasonable answers.
Reliability
It is expected that the item analysis to show the scores of the assessment and the overall average in the course to have high correlation.
Security
For security purposes, edmodo asks the teacher and the students to login.
Evaluate 1.1.2 Quality Feedback Quest
KEY STANDARDS:
M6N1. Students will understand the meaning of the four arithmetic operations as
related to positive rational numbers and will use these concepts to solve problems.
d. Add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators.
e. Multiply and divide fractions and mixed numbers.
f. Use fractions, decimals, and percents interchangeably.
g. Solve problems involving fractions, decimals, and percents.
Rubric
Feedback
Hi Zack,
As always you did a good job in organization, following all directions and your explanation of the steps. Your work is super. You could have done better when you divide numerator by the denominator. You should have kept dividing until you get no remainder. You stopped before no remainder was left.
Also remember to turn your work in by the due date. I deducted 1 point for the late submission.Overall, good work!
M6N1. Students will understand the meaning of the four arithmetic operations as
related to positive rational numbers and will use these concepts to solve problems.
d. Add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators.
e. Multiply and divide fractions and mixed numbers.
f. Use fractions, decimals, and percents interchangeably.
g. Solve problems involving fractions, decimals, and percents.
Rubric
Feedback
Hi Zack,
As always you did a good job in organization, following all directions and your explanation of the steps. Your work is super. You could have done better when you divide numerator by the denominator. You should have kept dividing until you get no remainder. You stopped before no remainder was left.
Also remember to turn your work in by the due date. I deducted 1 point for the late submission.Overall, good work!
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Evaluate 1.1.1 Formative Assessment Quest
One of the reasons why we use formative assessment is to know where the students are and to check if the students are getting the material during the instruction. It is also an indicator of students' engagement. I always use question-answer technique as the instruction progresses to check on students how they are doing. As of last year and especially this year, however, I have been using www.ixl.com for formative assessment purposes. Questions/problems well organized and you can go directly to the lesson you're teaching in no time.
This is how the pages of the www.ixl.com look like.
This is how the pages of the www.ixl.com look like.
- Searching your lesson...
- the problem/question...
- The most useful feature of the website is its feedback if the student do not solve the problem correctly
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