B2+FIAE+Chapter+3

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Andrew C
Chapter 3 does a really good job showing the importance of completely understanding and then dissecting and reflecting on the standards before devising a unit on them. I knew that I had to really understand the standards in order to craft a complete lesson, but I had not really thought about how I had to prioritize them. It makes complete sense, and I think I had already started to do so subconsciously, but now I will definitely make an effort to always be reflecting on which standers are most important. I __#|agree__ with the chapter about how teachers always need to be personally reflecting, and talking about the standards with other teachers. I will always use my colleagues as resources as often as I can in my classroom. Formative assessments sound like they would be the most useful assessments for both teachers and students. I can remember in high school when teachers use to give me little writing prompts or quizzes towards the end of the week. These small assessments were a big help in seeing what I had already learned from the unit and what I still needed to master. They were the biggest help in Spanish class because that was one of my most challenging __#|classes__. Getting feedback throughout a unit is only a good thing and I think that teachers don’t do it enough. As I was reading I was thinking of little ways I could assess my students when teaching a history lesson of some sort. I think that using short response questions, or other small writing assessments would be the most effective formative assessment to use in my classroom. The last thing that I picked up from this chapter was the importance of always understanding all of the stresses going on in our student’s lives.

Phillip C.
I found one of the ideas in this chapter a bit controversial; giving students a copy of the final exam that they will take at the end of the class. It doesn’t seem like a terrible idea, but it was also mentioned that students would keep the copy and use it for the final exam after showing the teacher it was still blank. I don’t think I would do this in my classroom. I feel that there is too good a chance that some students would lose the exams or take notes directly on it and it would become a hassle. I think in my class I would be more likely to show them the final exam and then give them a study guide that would take them through the materials they would need to know. That way they could take notes on it if they wished. Something else I had not thought about a lot before, and had been mentioned briefly in other books, is the use of formative assessments. I had thought about quizzes every week or every other week, but they might be used better if they were not graded and simply guided my instruction. Possibly a participation grade could be given for doing the formative assessments. Finally, I like how they said there should be no fluff assignments. I think that having a few fluff assignments is inevitable, but for the most part I want to avoid that. I especially want to avoid giving fluff assignments that would take a long time. If my students spend a lot of time on something I want it to be useful and to extend their understanding of the essential concepts in the unit.

Cameron B.
This chapter begins with discussing the concept of giving the students the end-of-unit test on the first day of class. The reason for this is to show students exactly what they need to focus on when the teacher is explaining a topic. I find this to be controversial. I never experienced a teacher doing this so I may be out of place to talk about this. But as a student I feel like if I knew exactly what was going to be asked on the test anything irrelevant I would not have to pay any attention too. That is not how a classroom should be structured. It seems to make it too easy for the students. Another interesting piece that I believe to be true is how each teacher evaluates a curriculum. There will be content the teacher will put more emphasis on simply because they enjoy the content while other content may not have strong emphasis on. That is something that I feel is in every classroom. Everyone has something in their concentration that they truly enjoy so I feel as if it is good to get excited when teaching it. But, that does not mean it is right to not teach other content with the same amount of details. The chapter again discusses the idea of assessments. Allowing for multiple assessments will help teachers show the true results of whether or not students have mastered the information. Having only one assessment will not accurately represent if the students have mastered the content. Students could be sick, dealing with family issues, or working outside of school and not having time to devote to studying. So by giving other assessments it allows the students a chance to show their mastery of the content.

Tyler R.
One thing I learned from this chapter is that students come to school with a biased mind. Obviously this is true, but I never really thought about it. If a student grows up in a household where both parents have a hatred of math and actively say so, then there is a good chance that the student will have a bias against mathematics. This of course makes the teacher’s job even more difficult. Not only must they now teach a subject that was difficult in the first place, but also they must teach it to someone who all throughout their life has been told to hate math. This can be translated into any subject in school. As a future teacher, I believe it will be important to discuss this on the first day of school. I could come right out and ask my students if they hate history. If some of my students do, then I will at least know that it’s not my teaching they hate; they just hate the subject material. Going along with this, once that is addressed, then perhaps I could work extra hard on making my lessons more differentiated and exciting with those students in mind. Another thing was really brought to light about this chapter was the fact that most teachers use tests and other forms of assessment in order to see which students aren’t measuring up. I believe that this is an incorrect view and should be viewed more as evidence that proves that the teacher needs to work more on helping those students, which is what I will do as a future teacher in my classroom. One last thing, I thought the chapter talking about how some teachers may have the final exam on the first day was interesting because that is what my SED 101 instructor did.

Ali P.
At times I found this chapter a little overwhelming just because it was so long and held so much important information. The chapter was all about students understanding and grasp. It is important for teachers to realize when students understand a concept. Teachers need to form their own type of assessment that keeps their students and them on the same page. The chapter mentioned how the worst possible question for a student to ask a teacher is “will this be on the test?” I cannot even begin to count how many times I heard students ask this in my high school career. I remember in college my geology teacher gave us a paper with all of the exact content that was going to be asked on the final. I could not believe it. I felt like using the paper was cheating. After reading this chapter I realize that the professor was just setting clear standards for his class and what he wanted us to learn. Thinking back about the class, I realized that I still remember all of the questions and there answers. Because of this experience, I think I might do the same thing in my class. I will tell the students when we are covering material that will be on the test and make sure that they understand it. I feel that there is so much to teach, especially in history, that it is impossible. If I can narrow down the key concepts I want them to learn and tell them, I think they will be more apt to learn it.

Nicole C.
This chapter focused on what kinds of assessments we should give our students, how to design those assessments, and how our assessments are an integral part of the differentiated classroom. Much like the UbD book, this chapter made the point that all assessments and lessons should be created with the essential understandings/questions in mind. After looking at all of the assessments over the course of the year, a teacher should be able to say “Yes, my students understand each of the concepts I wanted them to. Here’s the proof.” The part that stood out the most to me was the description of the different kinds of assessments that would actually assess those things: pre-assessment, formative assessment, and summative assessment. Pre-assessment is purely diagnostic. In other words, it is the first kind of assessment I will give my students to see what they already know when the year begins. The information I gather from these ungraded assessments will help me to adjust my planned unit so that all students can succeed. Formative assessments are the ones I will be giving as the year goes on. They are “checkpoints” of a sort – I can use them to make sure that students really are understanding the material and then I can make more day-by-day adjustments as needed. Summative assessments are the ones I’ll be giving at the end of each unit. I can have students pick a format (portfolio, cumulative test, essay, etc.) where they can show me that they truly can answer and back up their answer to all of the essential questions I set out for them at the beginning of the unit. All of these assessments together are essential to the differentiated classroom, and as I plan on my classroom being as differentiated as possible, this chapter definitely provided good descriptions of how I could do that.

Emily H.
The main focus of chapter three was to look at what type of assessments in a differentiated classroom. One idea for an assessment is giving an end-of-unit test in the beginning of the unit to assess where the lesson could be changed to fit the needs of the student. An assessment like this gives a teacher an understanding of what the students already know. By doing this repetition in a negative way can be avoided. No student wants to sit through a class where the teacher is only going over what they already know. By giving a pre unit assessment, as teacher I would know where my student’s level of understanding is and where some area’s I’d need to work on it with them. The assessments need to be clear and understandable when it comes to the essential knowledge that I want my students to come out of the unit knowing. Hopefully by being clear and concise with the things I want my students to know, I will be successful in teaching. I did not like having teachers where you did not know what they were looking for you to get out of their unit. When I am a teacher I want my students to know the reasons why I am teaching them the unit. I feel like this is important in a social studies classroom because students automatically think that because it is in the past there is not reason to learn about it. In a social studies classroom a pre unit assessment could be having students define vocab words that deal with the unit, or give them a time line with events and have them put the events in order from what they know about them. These activities and assessments give me an idea where I should start my unit and which students need the differentiated lessons.

Jackson F.
Assessments are how teachers determine how their students are progressing within the classroom. There are many types of assessments which need to be used; pre-assessments are used to get an idea of where students are at before lessons are even taught; formative assessments are done frequently to provide feedback on progress of students; summative assessments sum up material which was taught. There are also other assessments such as authentic assessments which deal with real life lessons like how to write a paper or do simple math. In order for assessments to be useful they need to be given out often to help ensure students are gaining the knowledge needed to move on. If a student is not progressing along with the rest of the class it is important to avoid “fluff” and figure out a way for that student to obtain the knowledge in an easier way. There are a lot of criteria for what makes an assessment good all which can be found towards the end of the chapter. As a student I know that assessments can come in many ways, whether they are orally, written, or proved through another medium. With all students having different strengths it is important to have a variety of assessments which assesses different strengths and weaknesses of a student. Through these assessments teachers are able to change the lessons to help guide the student down the right path. Being a teacher assessing students takes a great deal of work. It takes getting to know what type of things the students go through on a daily basis such as personal issues, cultural issues, or global issues. It is important to know the learning styles of the students to help accommodate the learning to ensure those students get what they need to succeed.

Jackie B.
We start off the chapter reading about an experiment a professor did which explained that “our students come to us biased on how to see the world of math, language art, history, physical education, sexuality, grammar, literature, etc” (p. 20). I believe all kids are this way though, they observe life around them and form opinions and values based on what they see. This chapter suggests that in an attempt to be “radical” we might give our students the end of unit exam on the first day. I like the idea of testing their knowledge and seeing what they know. I also think it’s a great idea that after they’ve taken the test I mention when something will be on the test throughout the unit. I remember when I was in high school, if a teacher mentioned it would be on the test I would perk right up from my day dream and take down the notes I needed to, to ensure that I knew what to study for the test. The only thing I didn’t agree with was the part where students kept the blank test. I’m not sure I’d want them to have that as they might discover a way to cheat or use it as an aid in someway. Another point in this chapter that caught my eye was the portion about deeming what was important enough to go into your unit. Luckily the book offers us some great suggestions on how to deem what is important. For my classroom I want to be able to give my students the information they need to not only succeed in standardized testing but also in life. It’s important to pass those tests but it’s almost important to know how to write well, use proper punctuation, and grammar. These things to me are incredibly important and should be emphasized in all English classrooms in all grades.

Brittany R.
The idea that I found the most interesting in the book was giving a test to the students before even teaching a lesson. I feel that this would be extremely useful in a math classroom because you can demonstrate step by step how to do a problem. All that would need to be done would be to change a few numbers and then the students would be prepared for a test. It would also create a trust for the students as well. At the same time, it could cause students to not pay attention to anything that they present in the class. A way to avoid this would be to provide test questions that need a variety of skills to solve. Because math is so sequential, this wouldn’t be difficult to do. Many math tests I have taken in the past few years have been such that. I don’t see why I couldn’t do that for my future students. As I found on the first day of class, I tend to lean towards the clipboard type learning and I feel that taking this approach would give clear expectations for my students so they know what they need to know and demonstrate to me. Supplying different “check-ups” before the final test also allows one to check the progress of, not only the student but, yourself as a teacher. They give the educator an idea on how the students are progressing and if their lessons are successful. I want to consistently check up on my students and make my expectations clear to them.

Clayton P.
This chapter, entitled “Principles of Successful Assessment in the Differentiated Classroom,” does exactly as it sounds. It basically states that all differentiated instruction is based on some form of assessment. In order to achieve proper differentiated instruction, teachers must assess students based on where they are now and where they should be. He uses an example of two groups of students who have been shown the exact same picture with emphasis on two different parts. Once the two groups were brought together and shown the unaltered picture, the students immediately began to argue about which part of the picture is the main focus. The students were conditioned to see only one “truth.” This train of thought is also present in students on a wide range of subjects. It is the job of the teacher to differentiate instruction for these students to achieve the desired outcome. The author states that teachers need to “Begin with the End in Mind.” If you start teaching a content area knowing exactly what you want your students to know by the end of the class, you will have a far more effective way of teaching the content area. It goes back to the goals mentioned earlier. The teacher recommends giving the end-of-the-year exam during the first class. This is to serve as a sort of benchmark for the students to reach. The author also mentions “essential and enduring knowledge(EEK),” also known as “Know, Understand, Able to Do(KUD).” Again, this references the goals and standards mentioned in earlier texts. This chapter was interesting, as it presented creative ways of assessing students’ progress in a differentiated classroom. Knowing where a student is coming from in terms of their assumed “truths” about a content area is crucial for getting them the instruction they need.

Joe S.
This chapter summarizes the process of preparing students for an assessment, as well as guidelines for being a good assessor. It talks about the importance and difference between pre-assessments, formative assessments, and summative assessments, how to incorporate authentic assessment into the curriculum, and what factors may affect students’ eagerness to learn. The first question educators must ask themselves when introducing a concept comes from backwards design, and is, “What experiences do I need to provide these particular students in order for them to achieve 100 percent on every assessment.” Learning must be “tiered” for student success, and be fluid as lessons start at basic framework and proceed into abstract components as determined by the progression of the students. Forming assessments is an important part of this section, and the author identifies three major types: pre-, formative, and summative. Each plays a significant part of the learning experience, whether it is to gather information about what students already know about a topic, gauge how well students are progressing through a unit, or prove mastery of a standard or benchmark. Pre-assessments give teachers a basic understanding of where students are at the beginning of the unit, allowing them to determine a starting point, whereas formative assessments act as “checkpoints,” where students can display their knowledge of certain components of a unit. Finally, a summative assessment “reflects most, if not all, of the essential and enduring knowledge.” Towards the end of the chapter, a list of factors that may affect the readiness of students to learn is compiled, citing examples ranging from giftedness to current events. Also, at the end of the chapter, a long list of reminders is created to consider when assessing students.

Meng H.
This chapter contains so much information about assessments in the differentiated classrooms. Effective assessments in differentiated learning environment focus on EEK (essential and enduring knowledge) and KUD (Know, Understand, Able to Do). When the teachers implement backward design, it is important to prioritize the material objectives. The author categorizes them into three groups: “essential, highly desirable, desirable.” (Wormeli 23) New teachers should collaborate with colleagues, and seek help from other resources to determine what are the essentials for students to master. A differentiated learning environment means a responsive teaching and learning setting, and there are various types of assessments which are taking place at different stages of the process serving their own purposes. Pre-assessments are for determining precursor skills, learning styles, MI, etc. Formative assessments are like checkpoints along the way that help the teacher to collect data to adjust instruction and give students feedback for improvement. Summative assessments are a way to measure students’ cumulative skills and knowledge at the end of the unit. Each type of assessment can come in so many different forms based on the content materials, assessing goals, MIs, etc. I would like to try handing out the final exam the first day of class to show clear objectives of learning. I would also clarify the skills and knowledge we would attain at the end of learning so students have a better understanding of what’s expected of them. But throughout the process of learning, I don’t want to limit my teaching just to the final exam, the problems, or the formulas. I want to help the students better understand mathematical concepts, those concepts’ real world applications, and build students’ critical thinking skills as well. I hope students will be appropriately challenged so that they won’t be asking “Why do we need to learn math?”