Chapter 4 - "The Voices and Hearts of Youth"
In Chapter 4 we read about the importance of the student/teacher relationship. Teachers are advocates for their students, and they need to build on student's belief systems to raise achievement (pg 85). How do we, as elementary school teachers keep the excitement and willingness to learn alive throughout their time with us, and as they move onto middle school?
Chapter 5 - "Empowering students and Teachers Through Performance-Based Assessment"
In this chapter there was a strong argument for Performance-Based Assessment. This type of assessment levels the playing field for all students and creates more meaningful learning and engagement.
As our state testing comes up, what are your thoughts on high-stakes standardized tests vs performance-based assessment tasks? What other questions would you want answered about these PBATs?
This chapter also dove into the role of discussion in a classroom, and how this discussion helps PBATs. As you think about what you read about discussion, think about the Habits of Discussion we use at our school. What are we doing that is confirmed or challenged in chapter 5?
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As you respond to this post, write about something that resonated with you in one, or both, of these chapters. Answer some of the questions posed above, or bring up your own ideas based on what you felt was important in this reading. What did you feel?
Chapter 4 was written by a school principal who states, “Instead of the best professionalism, our high need students often get the worst.” Linda Harper compares the medical care system to the educational system. She gives examples in this chapter of how at risk patients are not judged or blamed for their illness and discounted because of it. Rather that the “good doctors” or medical professionals do not limit or deny high quality care based on the patient’s socioeconomic background or worthiness. Ms. Harper feels that some educators may jump to conclusions about at risk students and make quick recommendations that may have long term negative ramifications for these students. She strongly believes that before placing an at risk students into special education, remedial classes, or retaining them, more thought and problem solving should occur identify the root cause to rule out an equity issue that could be resolved by a different solution. Also, the author points out that it is common practice for schools to provide the best teachers to students who make it into advanced classes which at risk students do not have access to. Ms. Harper believes that for equity to occur in the school system that the at risk students need to be taught by the best teachers which she implies are teachers of advanced subject matter. Rather than putting forth more resources and effort towards helping at risk students school systems push students out and cause them to quit their schooling because they aren’t conforming to set expectations or standards.
ReplyDeleteI feel that at Hopkins we do try to find the root cause and provide thoughtful interventions for our at risk students. I think the most important point she makes is that every child is worthy of our best efforts.
I agree, Connie, every child is worth our best efforts. I think the analogy of the brother in the motorcycle accident was very powerful. Don't consider any data but the data you need at the time of intervening. It shouldn't matter what the back story is, if the family or student has made bad choices, let's consider the person right in front of us, and ask the best possible educators to help meet the needs of that (& every) student!
DeleteMy thoughts on standardized testing...let’s play a game of word association: anxiety, stamina, overwhelmed, confusion, specificity, trickery. As educators I don’t feel like we have a positive association, so we definitely know our kids struggle to do so. My biggest issue is what I consider the “trickery”. I feel like the questions are posed and written in ways to trap students into second-guessing their thinking, rather than providing the opportunity for them to truly show their understanding of the concept. Often the answers are similar enough that it is completely subjective and could be correct with multiple options. On top of that, the tests are always changing in complexity and language at a rate that doesn’t allow for us to even catch up. We are left looking at old released questions with no new knowledge or materials on what is going to be presented to students. We don’t have clear rubrics on scoring and have to wait until the next school year to see how kids did (once they have already moved on the the next grade level). This doesn’t allow for us to reflect and strengthen any deficits we saw with our own students! It is hard to feel like we have appropriately prepared our kids before sending them into academic “battle”. Then it happens: we start the poo-pooed practice of teaching to the tests because we don’t want children to be blindsighted by the format, tools, and extremely specific content that they will be subjected to during testing. I don’t feel like these tests are structured to show student success, but instead highlight where they are failing. This begs the question: how can we maintain high expectations and assess student learning in a way that truly informs better instruction? Enter PBAs and the PBL structure that prepares and supports students to have engagement married with high expectation and learning!
ReplyDeleteIn the book it stated the stark contrast between the outcomes of standardized testing v. PBAs on student learning. On p. 102 it said, “The false assumption here is that working-class students, minority working-class students, in particular, will assimilate the middle-class value of doing well in school so as to enter the best universities and access the better paying jobs. Performance assessment, however, insists upon empowering all students, not through external motivation, and not as a one-day performance resulting from repetitive drills and test prep, but through the realization and expression of their ideas in more extensive and nuanced activities experienced over time.” At Hopkins I feel like we have laid the groundwork for inquiry based learned with things like habits of discussion and daily triad talks. We can use these skills to extend student learning and understanding through intertwining more PBL units. I like how the book highlighted “depth over coverage” and its direct impact on equity. Pulling in things like choice, open-ended and student-led discussions will allow for ALL students to better access the targeted learning skills. Isn’t the whole point to teach our students how to be deeper thinkers and further develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills?