Standardized Tests

Question: 

How did you feel about taking standardized tests in secondary school? In what ways did your high school prepare you for standardized tests? If you had the ways and the means how would you do it differently?

Answer:

In school I absolutely hated taking standardized tests.  I already have anxiety with taking low stake tests so giving me a test that is worth a ton makes me panic even more.  My high school really did not prepare me for these tests at all. Once a week for a few weeks leading up to our test, my teachers would remind us by saying "Remember you have your huge test coming up. Make sure you study." but that was it. It was very frustrating because I did not feel prepared at all and I did not know what exactly to study. If I could have done it differently, I definitely would have taken the extra time to sit down with my teachers to really discuss what to expect on the test rather than allowing myself to stress out and panic for weeks over it. 

Formative vs. Summative

Question: 
Differentiate between formative and summative assessment and give examples of how each might be used in your own teaching situations.


Answer:
Formative assessment occurs before or even during time of instruction and is usually ungraded. This form of assessment helps form instructions for the students.

Summative Assessment occurs after the instructions have occurred and is typically graded. This form summarizes all of the accomplishments of the students.

I would use formative assessment when beginning a new chapter because then it lets me know if the students have any type of knowledge in the topic we will be starting. Also, it tells me that, that will be a strong point when given a graded test because they that knowledge is already in their head.

I would use summative assessment at the end of a chapter to see how much of the information the student retained over the course of learning the material and how successful they were.

Assessment Pamphlet

Assessment Case Study

Question: 

   1) In addition to the criteria for what constitutes quality work and having students self-assess, list some additional guidelines for Miss Wren to remember when developing a rubric.

   2) Grades, a form of extrinsic reinforcement, can be a source of celebration for Miss Wren's students or a punishment. In order to make the most of grades and increase her students' chance for success, what should Miss Wren keep in mind when grading her students?


Answer:

1) In addition to the criteria, I think Miss Wren should keep in mind the following guidelines:
            1) Focusing on reliability will give Miss Wren the reassurance if the content (the book material on which the report is on, is consistent and shows that the students have a grasp on what the book is about. It will show their overall knowledge of the same material.
             2) Next, Miss Wren should also focus on validity because the book report should measure what it is intended to measure, which is the knowledge intended from the book report


2) When grading her students, Miss Wren should keep in mind that all students' express their knowledge in different ways and should be encouraged to express it however they know how and by using whatever ability comes strongest to them.

Motivation

Question: Do you think it is generally true that first graders have more curiosity and are more motivated to learn than sixth graders or high school students? If so, can you explain the decline?


Answer: Yes I think younger children are more curious and also more motivated to learn because they are curious about what is going to happen, excited about a whole new environment and are initially just more interested in school.  After awhile, school seems to become more of a job that students see as something that they have to do and start to lose the excitement and interest to learn.

Maslow's Hierarchy

Question:

1) Can children learn in school if they are hungry or feel unsafe in their neighborhood? Take Maslow's hierarchy of needs into account when answering this question.

2)What criticisms would you offer about this hierarchy?



Answer:  

1) No children would not be able to learn in a school setting if they are hungry or feel unsafe in their neighborhood because according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, people must fulfill their lower level needs such as for survival, safety, followed by belonging and then self-esteem first. If a child is hungry or feels unsafe for any reason, they cannot move forward with fulfilling higher-level needs until the needs of being fed and being kept safe are satisfied. Once these are satisfied, the motivation for fulfilling those needs decrease and they can now move forward with fulfilling higher-level needs such as intellectual achievement.

2)  Criticisms that have arose about this hierarchy are that people don't and won't always appear to follow the theory the way that Maslow predicts it will work out. Most people move back and forth between different needs like from higher-level needs to lower-level needs and then back again. Life is not like a pyramid where once you fulfill a need you move on and never see that need again, it will keep coming back whenever it needs to be fulfilled.

Case Study 2

Question:  Paulo Nzambi moved from his home in Angola to the United States in the fifth grade. While his English and schooling were adequate, his teacher Katie Wyant worried about his social adjustment. His quiet demeanor and soft voice were, in many ways, the opposite of his male peers. Paulo appeared hesitant when interacting with her as if he was unsure about how to behave. As the year progressed, Katie noticed he had not made any progress in adjusting to the classroom. She decided she needed to be proactive in finding a solution. (Cluster 6 / Unit 5).

         1)   In order to acquire a better understanding of Paulo and make make school a more positive experience, what three types of relationships would assist Paulo as well as Miss Wyant?

       2)  What aspects of culturally relevant teaching might Katie Wyant employ to assist Paulo Nzambi in his transition to an American classroom?

Answer: 

 1)  The three types of relationships that would assist Paulo and Miss Wyant are:
             1) Caring teacher-student relationships
             2) Effective peer relations
             3) Effective home-school relationships

2) Miss Wyant could connect with the not only the student Paulo but also get to know his parents by doing projects with all of them outside of the classroom.  Miss Wyant could ask the parents to help out in the class or to discuss with the students about their hobbies, or the history and heritage of their ethnic group.