EWWWW EWWW EWWW EWWW EWWW, I think that saya exactly how I feel about standarized tests. I seriously hate them, but unfortunately they are part of the many test that as students we took and as future teachers our students will take. Standarized test are supposed to measure how smart some students are, but in reality it is something extra for students to worry about. When it comes to regular tests I get really nervous, and it's even worse when it comes to standarized tests. I still remember when I had to take the GEPA in eight grade and the HSPA my junior year of high school and thinking to myself " If I dont score high enough I will not be able to graduate". I was so scared that I would barely sleep at night, but after the test was over I felt ok, I felt confident, yet still nervous and I couldn't wait until the results came back and I clearly remember my junior year when a teacher came to each homeroom and called each student one by one and when I was called my hands were shaking and sweaty but when I saw my score I jumped and screamed "YES!" but theyre were also some students who were nto happy because their score was not passing.
I was happy because I had passed, but I have to say that much of the material on those type of test is not covered in class, and for some of us students whose first language is not english, those test are quite a challenge, especially in the reading/writing part.
Many students like me get nervous and don't score high enough because they are nervous and because of the time. If it was up to me, I would ban stadarized test -- lol -- but yet again that's just me.
On youtube I found this video and what the narratoe says isI believe is so true -- it is a very small video and it asks for people like us to visit a website.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkJlst6vDyY
In the other hand this other video shows how standarized test can place students in classes that can either be too challenging or not challenging enough for them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEhzvKPB7iw
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Report Cards
Report cards have always made me feel anxious. I always expect to do my best in every class, and I love looking at the letter A in my reports. It makes me feel proud of myself, and it compensates all the effort that I put to obtain the grade. Well, I remember looking at my report cards from elementary school, being an A student. Then in high school, it was pretty much the same way, always expecting to get an A in most of my classes. To get a letter B disappointed me a little bit, because I felt that I could have done better. However, it wasn't until my sophomore year that I atarted appreciating B's and C's (even thou C really upset me) because I was taking Honors Geometry, Honors Genetics and Honors Micropbiology), and those classes where extremely challenging, but I knew that I worked hard for the grade I was getting.
You start appreciating things when they are hard to get.The report cards are a communication between parents, students, and teachers. The report card shows where the student is standing at that point in the school year. Some students my try to improve, however there are some students who really do not care, how they are doing. As long as they pass with a D, for them is okay. In my case, I always wanted to do better, but I remember some students who only worried about what they parents were going to say about those C and D the day, of parent’s night. Once parent’s night was over, the anxiety was gone and they continued earning C and D. All I can say is that every student is different, and some may get motivate to improve, others will continue struggling to obtain at least a C or D, and some will not care at all what the report card says.
You start appreciating things when they are hard to get.The report cards are a communication between parents, students, and teachers. The report card shows where the student is standing at that point in the school year. Some students my try to improve, however there are some students who really do not care, how they are doing. As long as they pass with a D, for them is okay. In my case, I always wanted to do better, but I remember some students who only worried about what they parents were going to say about those C and D the day, of parent’s night. Once parent’s night was over, the anxiety was gone and they continued earning C and D. All I can say is that every student is different, and some may get motivate to improve, others will continue struggling to obtain at least a C or D, and some will not care at all what the report card says.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Le Book
This has been a very funny video --- It is very interesting how this can be very similar to teachers who are computer "iliterate" to put it in simple terms. Just like the priest didn't know how to use/open the book, many elder people feel like that when using a computer, but I have to admit that it isn't only the older people that have a problem using computer, I myslef have that problem sometimes when using that computer, and if when placed in a school to teach, a website is required, I will have a bit of a problem because even thou there are free websites like scholastic, it is not so easy, it is a bit complicated. But aside from that, like I said at the beggining, Le Book video is very very funny
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Comments
I have tried leaving comments in some of my peers blogs, but for some reason I can't, I have tried it every way possible but it seems impossible. I am so sorry, but I have to say that some of the blogs I have read are really good and things that I have not thought about have been mentioned.
Essay Tests or Multiple Choice Tests
When it comes to looking at Essay Tests or Multiple Choice Tests, I believe that these two forms of assessment are great, but personally I prefer Multiple choice. Every student/person is differently and as a teacher I believe that we need to know in what type of assessment is that our students perform better. I remember when I was in High School some of my teachers gave tests based on how the student performed better, meaning every student received different tests. I personally wouldn't use that technique because that would mean having to grade different form of tests.
Test in general I believe make students nervous ( I know I get nervous) and is not a right way to assess students, because there are times when students just memorize the material but that doesn't mean that the student has learned anything.
Test in general I believe make students nervous ( I know I get nervous) and is not a right way to assess students, because there are times when students just memorize the material but that doesn't mean that the student has learned anything.
Portfolios
When it comes to the topic of portfolios, many people think of folders filled with the work students have dont rhoughout the school year or a specific marking period. During my grammar school and high school career I can clearly remember doing a portfolio only one time and that was my senior year and it was for art class. However, it was not a portfolio that I liked because it had work that I was not happy about, work were i didn't do good because art has never been my strong point.
Portfolios, a word that after senior year for me meant a folder that had work made by me, but picked by my teacher. I did not hear or see again another portfolio uintil this past spring break while I was doing my junior field experience. I observed a second grade teacher in a school located in Union City, NJ. The first day I was there, the teacher gave me an overview/tour of the classroom and then she came to the table where she kept two 2 "boxes" and those boxes had folders, one box was labeled Math & Science and the other one Language Arts. Those folders had work done by the students and most importantly PICKED by the students. Also, those pieces of work had a paper attached to them written by the students on why that piece of work is part of their portfolio.
Students work hard on their assignments and when they are proud it should be in a place where other people can see it if needed. As a teacher, I would definetally keep a special area where their portfolios will be and the student can pick the work that should go there.
Portfolios, a word that after senior year for me meant a folder that had work made by me, but picked by my teacher. I did not hear or see again another portfolio uintil this past spring break while I was doing my junior field experience. I observed a second grade teacher in a school located in Union City, NJ. The first day I was there, the teacher gave me an overview/tour of the classroom and then she came to the table where she kept two 2 "boxes" and those boxes had folders, one box was labeled Math & Science and the other one Language Arts. Those folders had work done by the students and most importantly PICKED by the students. Also, those pieces of work had a paper attached to them written by the students on why that piece of work is part of their portfolio.
Students work hard on their assignments and when they are proud it should be in a place where other people can see it if needed. As a teacher, I would definetally keep a special area where their portfolios will be and the student can pick the work that should go there.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
