This may sound obvious, as it pertains to most teachers, but on the outset, my grades mean that a student has either understood what I was trying to teach or has failed to understand the required content. I believe that this is a simple analysis of students grades but a good one. To delve into this concept a little deeper, for me, grades do not always consist of just whether or not student shave understood CONTENT, but also that they have acquired skills that I was aiming at building. School is not just a place where students acquire a bunch of information that they may deem useless to them. In fact, I totally understand why students would believe this notion. Many teachers do not make it clear that school is an integral place for developing the skills necessary to succeed in the real world. Having this mindset, I am able to show students the importance of their grades to their development as a person intellectually as well as socially.
Nitko and Brookhart wrote that “some persons work for concrete, tangible rewards; others work with and for symbolic rewards” (340). Within my classroom, skills are rewarded as well as intellectual knowledge of the content being assessed. Some assignments require that a grade be given, while others are solely used for the purpose of developing social skills needed to succeed in the real world. For example, at the end of the unit on Shakespeare’s Othello, I require of senior students to do two projects, one, a group project, aimed at developing social skills and creativity, the other an individual writing assessment to display their understanding of the play. The group project is graded based on the students skill level at working with other people and being able to present with a group in front of the class, while the writing assessment allows for each individual to display their knowledge of the story itself. Although both parts of the project are graded, the group project allows for me to assess different skills than the individual project thus creating a more complete, holistic view of student progress. Students are aware of this fact as I clearly communicate the different skills being assessed before beginning the two projects.
During a unit, I tend to provide feedback to students through the use of verbal communication. Not ALL assignments are graded. Instead, I use inferences based on student performance to assess the development of certain skills. For example, during a public speaking unit, I communicate immediately following speech rather than grading the students and returning grades to them the following week. Activities within my classroom are also “graded” in this style. Activities are used to show development of understanding but are not always graded. Instead, these forms of assessment are only observed, and allow for me to provide one on one feedback to each student without hindering the progress of the other students in the class. In a way, I have created a “multiple reporting system” as Nitko and Brookhart suggest (346). Students get immediate feedback in the form of words while parents can measure student achievement by reading their child’s quarterly report card.
Following this type of grading style, I am able to determine whether or not students have acquired certain skills that I am teaching. Sometimes, low grades do not necessarily mean a bad thing. Students may have acquired the necessary skill that I had set as a target, but may have failed to understand all of the content. This allows for me to review or re-teach the content but to move on from teaching and assessing the skill being assessed.
Of course, grades are sometimes critical. In the case of my classroom, senior students need English 12 to graduate. Scores become critical in this situation. Therefore, it is important that grades make sense to the students and are quickly reported back to them. For this reason, I have developed a grading system based on points rather than averages. Allotting certain point values to each assignment helps students to see the importance of assignments in relation to other assignments being given. It also allows for students to determine which assignments are more important for them to complete in order to succeed in class. Although, as a teacher, I would hope every assignment would be completed, this is not always the case. The point system allows for criterion-referenced feedback. “When a student understands what a high quality performance looks like, and how his status differs from that high quality, he will be encouraged to put forth greater (or sustained) effort to achieve the standard” (Nitko and Brookhart, 349).
I think that it is important for students to take ownership of his/her achievements and successes. At the same time, it is important for them to see and understand where they could perform better. Grades using the point system and feedback within the classroom allow for them to build this self-preservation skill, a skill that all students should have mastered by the time they graduate high school.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
I Personally Believe...
I personally believe that the appropriate focus for all teachers should be on the students in our classrooms. Teachers should not be in school to solely earn a paycheck. We (teachers) chose our profession because we have some sort of love for imparting knowledge to the youth of our society that will one day take our place. A teacher should be willing to go out of his or her way to help a student.. It is my belief that upon completion of my class, each of my students should be a better more well-developed person, morally, socially as well as intellectually and in order to reach this goal, it is important for me to realize the impact that I may have on each individual. A teacher is a role model, an educator as well as a friend and therefore should always strive to reach each individual that enters the classroom in order to learn. While we cannot know the aptitude each of our students has towards what we will be teaching them, we should work towards gaining their interest. If we cannot get them to like what we are teaching, we should at least impart our knowledge as clearly, precisely and creatively as possible with the hope that our students will grow from the experience.
As far as assessments are concerned, teachers should, once again focus on reaching the students. Classrooms should be student based rather than teacher oriented. This type of classroom format and philosophy most definitely encourages teachers to continue to modify, strengthen and perfect assessments in order to get the best result from each student. I personally feel that assessments have more value to the students when they appeal to their emotions, allow for creativity and the expressing of opinions. Of course, this tends to be my philosophy because of my content, English Language Arts. This may be different for other content areas, but the same sort of empathetic view can undoubtedly be administered within all classrooms. Nitko and Brookhart state that teachers should “craft assessments that are free from characteristics irrelevant to assessing the learning target” (87). Within the English Language Arts content area there seems to be a lot more freedom when it comes to this well-informed guideline. Learning targets tend to be more expansive ranging from lower level learning taxonomies (Blooms), as in vocabulary acquisition and plot summaries, to higher level thinking activities that draw upon student experiences and personal creativity. Still, I agree that keeping learning targets in mind while crafting assessments is critical. Students should be able to express themselves freely within a classroom, while it is the teacher’s job to make sure that what is being expressed relates to the learning target being taught.
Another point that Nitko and Brookhart make is that students should be able to understand the results of assessment techniques and be able to make connections to the focus of the learning target being assessed (87). This is also quite true. When students have to ask the question “Why are we learning this,” it should be an indication to the teacher that they have been unclear in their direction. It is the students’ right to know the importance and relevance of what they are learning and teachers should be wary of this fact. Another point found in Educational Assessment of Students that was brought up is the fact that teachers need to work alongside school administrators as well as other teachers to ensure the success of each student. Every student is different. Therefore it is the responsibility of the school district as a whole to reach out to each student providing “reasonable accommodations for classroom assessment activities” and further for the teacher to “seek the help of the appropriate school personnel” (89). Resources are available in almost every school district. The abundance of special needs that each teacher will encounter is undeniable. Therefore, I agree that assessments should be made, altered and perfected to reach the needs of all of these students. Further, I agree that collaboration between teachers can only help students to reach their fullest potential. For example, I currently work alongside another teacher, co-teaching and English 10 class. My “co-teacher” and I have worked at modifying tests and activities to be sure that his students as well as mine are able to understand the learning targets we have prescribed for each unit. Working together undoubtedly changes the success rate within the classroom. If teachers are reluctant to work together, it only hinders a student’s progress and personal growth as an intellectual human being. While working together is a good thing, I also agree with Nitko and Brookhart when they say “It is irresponsible for authorities to create a situation that pressures teachers into reporting high scores” (91). Low scores do not necessarily mean that a student is “dumb” or “stupid.” They should serve as an indication to teachers what should be changed and refined. Administrators and supporting teachers should understand this aspect of teaching and that teaching should be an ongoing learning experience for both the students as well as the teachers. Finally, there is one aspect that Nitko and Brookhart discuss that I feel may not necessarily be true. This is in the area of privacy and confidentiality. I do agree that students should not be “flagged’ when evaluating assessments or using assessments as a way of research among other teachers. However, within my own classroom, I sometimes use teaching techniques that do not keep student assessments confidential from other students. For example, I use peer-review of essays, correcting test responses and displays of student work on my walls. Nitko and Brookhart do not totally admonish these practices. In fact, they say “These practices raise the question of whether the evaluations should be confidential” (96). I do not think that these practices should be confidential. Quite on the contrary, I believe that activities such as these help students to achieve higher. It has been shown that one of the highest levels of learning is achieved when students actually teach other students what they know, while the teacher facilitates such activities. If we want students to strive to do their best within classrooms, I think there should be constant communication between the students in order for them to achieve at a higher level.
For the most part, Nitko’s and Brookhart’s ideas reiterate some of my own beliefs. I believe that teachers should strive to provide the best forms of activities and assessments for their students, allowing them to grow both emotionally and intellectually from being in the classroom. I do understand that the implications provided in Educational Assessment of Students may have a different meaning based on each teacher’s content area, the rules and guidelines are can be following within any subject. In all teaching situations, teachers should be aware of the responsibilities they have, be able to uphold those responsibilities and reach out to each individual that walks through their doors to learn.
As far as assessments are concerned, teachers should, once again focus on reaching the students. Classrooms should be student based rather than teacher oriented. This type of classroom format and philosophy most definitely encourages teachers to continue to modify, strengthen and perfect assessments in order to get the best result from each student. I personally feel that assessments have more value to the students when they appeal to their emotions, allow for creativity and the expressing of opinions. Of course, this tends to be my philosophy because of my content, English Language Arts. This may be different for other content areas, but the same sort of empathetic view can undoubtedly be administered within all classrooms. Nitko and Brookhart state that teachers should “craft assessments that are free from characteristics irrelevant to assessing the learning target” (87). Within the English Language Arts content area there seems to be a lot more freedom when it comes to this well-informed guideline. Learning targets tend to be more expansive ranging from lower level learning taxonomies (Blooms), as in vocabulary acquisition and plot summaries, to higher level thinking activities that draw upon student experiences and personal creativity. Still, I agree that keeping learning targets in mind while crafting assessments is critical. Students should be able to express themselves freely within a classroom, while it is the teacher’s job to make sure that what is being expressed relates to the learning target being taught.
Another point that Nitko and Brookhart make is that students should be able to understand the results of assessment techniques and be able to make connections to the focus of the learning target being assessed (87). This is also quite true. When students have to ask the question “Why are we learning this,” it should be an indication to the teacher that they have been unclear in their direction. It is the students’ right to know the importance and relevance of what they are learning and teachers should be wary of this fact. Another point found in Educational Assessment of Students that was brought up is the fact that teachers need to work alongside school administrators as well as other teachers to ensure the success of each student. Every student is different. Therefore it is the responsibility of the school district as a whole to reach out to each student providing “reasonable accommodations for classroom assessment activities” and further for the teacher to “seek the help of the appropriate school personnel” (89). Resources are available in almost every school district. The abundance of special needs that each teacher will encounter is undeniable. Therefore, I agree that assessments should be made, altered and perfected to reach the needs of all of these students. Further, I agree that collaboration between teachers can only help students to reach their fullest potential. For example, I currently work alongside another teacher, co-teaching and English 10 class. My “co-teacher” and I have worked at modifying tests and activities to be sure that his students as well as mine are able to understand the learning targets we have prescribed for each unit. Working together undoubtedly changes the success rate within the classroom. If teachers are reluctant to work together, it only hinders a student’s progress and personal growth as an intellectual human being. While working together is a good thing, I also agree with Nitko and Brookhart when they say “It is irresponsible for authorities to create a situation that pressures teachers into reporting high scores” (91). Low scores do not necessarily mean that a student is “dumb” or “stupid.” They should serve as an indication to teachers what should be changed and refined. Administrators and supporting teachers should understand this aspect of teaching and that teaching should be an ongoing learning experience for both the students as well as the teachers. Finally, there is one aspect that Nitko and Brookhart discuss that I feel may not necessarily be true. This is in the area of privacy and confidentiality. I do agree that students should not be “flagged’ when evaluating assessments or using assessments as a way of research among other teachers. However, within my own classroom, I sometimes use teaching techniques that do not keep student assessments confidential from other students. For example, I use peer-review of essays, correcting test responses and displays of student work on my walls. Nitko and Brookhart do not totally admonish these practices. In fact, they say “These practices raise the question of whether the evaluations should be confidential” (96). I do not think that these practices should be confidential. Quite on the contrary, I believe that activities such as these help students to achieve higher. It has been shown that one of the highest levels of learning is achieved when students actually teach other students what they know, while the teacher facilitates such activities. If we want students to strive to do their best within classrooms, I think there should be constant communication between the students in order for them to achieve at a higher level.
For the most part, Nitko’s and Brookhart’s ideas reiterate some of my own beliefs. I believe that teachers should strive to provide the best forms of activities and assessments for their students, allowing them to grow both emotionally and intellectually from being in the classroom. I do understand that the implications provided in Educational Assessment of Students may have a different meaning based on each teacher’s content area, the rules and guidelines are can be following within any subject. In all teaching situations, teachers should be aware of the responsibilities they have, be able to uphold those responsibilities and reach out to each individual that walks through their doors to learn.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Whirligig Literary Elements - Pre-Test
One of my learning targets for this unit is focused on the students’ ability to demonstrate knowledge of literary elements and their use in literature.
This pre-test would be used as a way to analyze a sophomore English Language Arts student’s prior knowledge of the literary elements that will be focused on during the Whirligig unit. (Character – Protagonist/Antagonist, Conflict – Internal/External, Symbolism, Theme)
Directions: Do your best to fill in the blanks for each of the following statements with one word answers. This test will assess your background knowledge of the literary elements we will be discussing during the Whirligig Unit.
1. The people in a story, novel, play or poem are known as ___________________.
2. The main person in a story is known as the ___________________.
3. The person, being, or force that goes against the main person in a story is known as the ___________________.
4. Each person is made up of many ___________________ traits that make us all unique and interesting individuals.
5. Any problem that arises in the story, novel, play or poem is known as a(n) ___________________.
6. When a problem arises within a subject’s mind or inner person, it is known as a(n) ___________________ ___________________.
7. When a problem arises outside of a subject’s person, it is known as a(n) ___________________ ___________________.
8. An object, word, color, or person that represents something larger is known as a(n) When a problem arises within a subject’s mind or inner person, it is known as a(n) ___________________.
9. Another word for the “main idea” is the ___________________.
10. The ___________________ is the lesson that the author is trying to get across to his/her readers.
*This is a very basic test to access prior knowledge of literary elements. Students may not even realize that these basic parts to a story are literary elements. This test will also serve as a way of informing them how easy literary elements are to locate, write about and use.
This pre-test would be used as a way to analyze a sophomore English Language Arts student’s prior knowledge of the literary elements that will be focused on during the Whirligig unit. (Character – Protagonist/Antagonist, Conflict – Internal/External, Symbolism, Theme)
Literary Elements Pre-Test
Directions: Do your best to fill in the blanks for each of the following statements with one word answers. This test will assess your background knowledge of the literary elements we will be discussing during the Whirligig Unit.
1. The people in a story, novel, play or poem are known as ___________________.
2. The main person in a story is known as the ___________________.
3. The person, being, or force that goes against the main person in a story is known as the ___________________.
4. Each person is made up of many ___________________ traits that make us all unique and interesting individuals.
5. Any problem that arises in the story, novel, play or poem is known as a(n) ___________________.
6. When a problem arises within a subject’s mind or inner person, it is known as a(n) ___________________ ___________________.
7. When a problem arises outside of a subject’s person, it is known as a(n) ___________________ ___________________.
8. An object, word, color, or person that represents something larger is known as a(n) When a problem arises within a subject’s mind or inner person, it is known as a(n) ___________________.
9. Another word for the “main idea” is the ___________________.
10. The ___________________ is the lesson that the author is trying to get across to his/her readers.
*This is a very basic test to access prior knowledge of literary elements. Students may not even realize that these basic parts to a story are literary elements. This test will also serve as a way of informing them how easy literary elements are to locate, write about and use.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Final Project - Whirligig Unit
My final project for the Whirligig unit can be described as an "alternative assessment." It includes a creative/artistic piece as well as a "paper and pencil" part to the assignment. The assessment will assess several of the learning targets in the Unit.
Target 2: Students can make connections between the protagonist of a novel and their own experiences.
Target 4: Students can use literary elements to explain a theme.
Target 5: Students can prioritize their own values and how they play into their decisions.
Target 6: Students can compare and relate similar life situations from a novel to their own lives.
Target 7: Students can show the effects one has on another by creating original fictional pieces.
Hidden Effects
You have just completed reading the novel Whirligig, by Paul Fleischman. In the novel, you learned that the “effects of an act travel[s] far beyond one’s knowledge” (70). We may not know the importance of the things we do or how they may affect another’s life in the future, but what we do know is that we can make good decisions now to be sure of the good that will come in the time to come.
For this final project, you will become “Brent,” the protagonist from the novel. Brent experienced many events that helped him to grow as a person. As Brent, you will be assigned one more state to create a whirligig for. Just as Brent built his whirligigs in the four corners of the United States, (Washington, California, Florida, Maine), you will create a whirligig that symbolizes Lea and the happiness she may have spread had she lived. You will design a whirligig that not only represents Lea, but one that also represents the state or region that you are assigned.
The second part of the project involves a creative writing activity. Once all of the designs have been created, you will then have to write a short story (with a two page, typed minimum) in which someone is affected by the whirligig you are assigned. Each of your whirligigs will be assigned to another student within your class. In this part of the project, you will make use of at least 3 literary elements to show the effects that the whirligig has on each of your characters. Your story should be fictitious. It is up to you to come up with a storyline in which someone is affected by the whirligig you are assigned. Your protagonist should have to make a major decision that is influenced by the whirligig. In the end, we will have many more stories in which something as small as a whirligig has played a large role in changing one’s life.
Your Task:
Part 1: You should draw a whirligig that is representative of both Lea and the state that you are assigned. This should be done professionally. Your drawing should look like a picture from a Polaroid camera. In the story, Brent took pictures of each whirligig for Lea’s mother. Your project should appear to be one of these pictures. You may use any media that you choose (markers, crayons, pencils, paint), but you should make the drawing look authentic like a picture taken on a Polaroid camera. You should label your “picture” with the state and significance of the design that you choose. This should look presentable, like it took a lot of time and effort to create. You will be graded on effort/craftsmanship and creativity. This part of the project will be worth 50 points.
Part 2: You will be assigned one of your classmate’s whirligig designs to write a fictitious story based around. You must write a story in which the protagonist has to make a big decision, ultimately influenced by the whirligig that you are assigned. Your story should be at least 2 pages, double spaced in a 12 point font. You must also include at least three literary elements within your writing. The storyline is completely up to you, but it must be appropriate. It should resemble one of the chapters in Whirligig in which someone was affected by Brent’s whirligig. Finally, your story should display the theme that the effects of one’s acts travel far beyond one’s knowledge. You will be graded on effort, creativity, grammar usage, and the inclusion of literary elements as well as the given theme. This part of the project will be worth 100 points.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Final Draft - Learning Targets for Whirligig Unit
Learning Targets - Alligned to NYS ELA Standards
Target 1: Students can explain human values and how they play into our everyday decisions. - Developmental Learning Target
Verbs: relate, describe, expand upon, illustrate (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
Target 1: Students can explain human values and how they play into our everyday decisions. - Developmental Learning Target
Verbs: relate, describe, expand upon, illustrate (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
NYS Standard - 1 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
make perceptive and well developed connections to prior knowledge
Target 2: Students can make connections between the protagonist of a novel and their own experiences. - Developmental Learning Target
Verbs: explain, describe, distinguish, exhibit, inspect (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
NYS Standard - 2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
identify the distinguishing features of different literary genres, periods, and traditions and use those features to interpret the work
understand how multiple levels of meaning are conveyed in a text
NYS Standard - 3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
evaluate the quality of the texts and presentations from a variety of critical perspectives within the field of study
evaluate and compare their own and others’ work with regard to different criteria and recognize the change in evaluations when different criteria are considered to be more important
Target 3: Students can properly identify literary elements within a novel. - Developmental Learning Target
Verbs: select, explain, analyze, list (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
NYS Standard - 2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
recognize and understand the significance of a wide range of literary elements and techniques, (including figurative language, imagery, allegory, irony, blank verse, symbolism, stream-of-consciousness) and use those elements to interpret the work
Target 4: Students can use literary elements to explain a theme. - Developmental Learning Target
Verbs: investigate, interpret, generalize, assess, apply (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
NYS Standard - 1 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
use a wide variety of strategies for selecting, organizing, and categorizing information
evaluate writing strategies and presentational features that affect interpretation of the information
NYS Standard - 2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
identify significant literary elements (including metaphor, symbolism, foreshadowing, dialect, rhyme, meter, irony, climax) and use those elements to interpret the work
recognize and understand the significance of a wide range of literary elements and techniques, (including figurative language, imagery, allegory, irony, blank verse, symbolism, stream-of-consciousness) and use those elements to interpret the work
understand how multiple levels of meaning are conveyed in a text
Target 5: Students can prioritize their own values and how they play into their decisions. - Mastery Learning Target
Verbs: describe, define, identify, interpret, examine, formulate, prioritize (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
NYS Standard - 3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
understand that within any group there are many different points of view depending on the particular interests and values of the individual, and recognize those differences in perspective in texts and presentations
evaluate and compare their own and others’ work with regard to different criteria and recognize the change in evaluations when different criteria are considered to be more important
NYS Standard - 4 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
listen attentively to others and build on others’ ideas in conversations with peers and adults
engage in conversations and discussions on academic, technical, and community subjects, anticipating listeners’ needs and skillfully addressing them
express their thoughts and views clearly with attention to the perspectives and voiced concerns of the others in the conversation
Target 6: Students can compare and relate similar life situations from a novel to their own lives. - Mastery Learning Target
Verbs: apply, plan, formulate, construct (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
NYS Standard - 3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
understand that within any group there are many different points of view depending on the particular interests and values of the individual, and recognize those differences in perspective in texts and presentations
evaluate and compare their own and others’ work with regard to different criteria and recognize the change in evaluations when different criteria are considered to be more important
NYS Standard - 4 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
engage in conversations and discussions on academic, technical, and community subjects, anticipating listeners’ needs and skillfully addressing them
express their thoughts and views clearly with attention to the perspectives and voiced concerns of the others in the conversation
Target 7: Students can show the effects one has on another by creating original fictional pieces. - Mastery Learning Target
Verbs: conclude, invent, pretend, organize (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
NYS Standard - 2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
recognize and understand the significance of a wide range of literary elements and techniques, (including figurative language, imagery, allegory, irony, blank verse, symbolism, stream-of-consciousness) and use those elements to interpret the work
evaluate literary merit based on an understanding of the genre, the literary elements, and the literary period and tradition
NYS Standard - 4 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
use verbal and nonverbal skills to improve communication with others
engage in conversations and discussions on academic, technical, and community subjects, anticipating listeners’ needs and skillfully addressing them
use appropriately the language conventions for a wide variety of social situations, such as informal conversations, first meetings with peers or adults, and more formal situations such as job interviews or customer service
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
My Favorite Alternative Assessment
My favorite alternative assessment would have to be a project that I did while I was in eighth grade Social Studies class. In fact, I think that I have used this assessment as a basis for many of my own assessments in school as well as during interviews to explain who/which teacher inspired me the most.
My eighth grade social studies teacher was named Mr. Corey. I can remember several lessons he taught us while in his class, but my most favorite assessment would have to be the final project for his unit on the Holocaust. The project was a interdisciplinary project dealing with families of the Holocaust that lived under harsh conditions. In ELA we read The Diary of Anne Frank. In Social Studies, we learned about what happened to families, how they lived in hiding and what they did to escape.
The final assessment was a combination of both “Paper and Pencil” tasks as well as a “Simulation or Contrived Situation.” In the project we had to take on the role of a person who would have been persecuted against during the Holocaust. We had to create a character and essentially become that character through the use of a diary or memory box. To complete the project, we had to somehow display the life of our character and the things he or she may have had to go through during the time of the Holocaust. Of course, we had to use relevant historical information, such as dates, or people, to make our simulated life more realistic. The writing aspect (that applied to both ELA and Social Studies) proved to be a worthwhile activity. First, it tested our writing abilities. At the same time, it tested our knowledge and ability to use information relating to the Holocaust. I believe that this assessment was worthwhile for many of the students. It helped us to see exactly what someone would have had to go through during that horrible time. It also provided us with something we could be proud of, something we could present to the class and our parents. The project instilled pride in our work while at the same time helped my teacher to assess whether or not we had learned what he wanted us to learn about the Holocaust.
As I said before, this assessment has helped me to develop similar assessments within my classroom. I feel like make the students’ right side of the brain work (through creative expression) helps them to think differently about what they are being taught in school. It is not all tests! This is especially important in ELA in the high school because I feel that is the goal of the HS ELA teacher to instill good values or help to build strong morale within students. These types of assessments do a good job at that.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Learning Targets - Alligned to NYS ELA Standards
Target 1: Students can explain human values and how they play into our everyday decisions.
NYS Standard - 1 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Target 2: Students can relate to the protagonist of a novel.
NYS Standard - 2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
NYS Standard - 3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Target 3: Students can properly identify literary elements within a novel.
NYS Standard - 1 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Target 4: Students can use literary elements to explain a theme.
NYS Standard - 1 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
NYS Standard - 2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Target 5: Students can prioritize their own values and how they play into their decisions.
NYS Standard - 3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
NYS Standard - 4 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Target 6: Students can compare and relate similar life situations from a novel to their own lives.
NYS Standard - 3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
NYS Standard - 4 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Target 7: Students can show the effects one has on another by creating original fictional pieces.
NYS Standard - 2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
NYS Standard - 4 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Standards Located at: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/ela/elarg.html
NYS Standard - 1 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Target 2: Students can relate to the protagonist of a novel.
NYS Standard - 2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
NYS Standard - 3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Target 3: Students can properly identify literary elements within a novel.
NYS Standard - 1 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Target 4: Students can use literary elements to explain a theme.
NYS Standard - 1 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
NYS Standard - 2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Target 5: Students can prioritize their own values and how they play into their decisions.
NYS Standard - 3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
NYS Standard - 4 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Target 6: Students can compare and relate similar life situations from a novel to their own lives.
NYS Standard - 3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
NYS Standard - 4 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Target 7: Students can show the effects one has on another by creating original fictional pieces.
NYS Standard - 2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
NYS Standard - 4 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Standards Located at: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/ela/elarg.html
Monday, February 16, 2009
Learning Targets Draft (Whirligig, by Paul Fleischman)
My Learning Targets Draft for a Unit on the novel Whirligig, by Paul Fleischman
In this unit, we will read the novel Whirligig, by Paul Fleischman, in order to discover the long lasting effects we, as human beings, have on others in the world. An emphasis will be placed on making good/bad decisions and how those decisions may influence another's life.
Target 1: Students can demonstrate an understanding of values and how they play into our everyday decisions.
In this unit, we will read the novel Whirligig, by Paul Fleischman, in order to discover the long lasting effects we, as human beings, have on others in the world. An emphasis will be placed on making good/bad decisions and how those decisions may influence another's life.
Target 1: Students can demonstrate an understanding of values and how they play into our everyday decisions.
- Developmental Learning Target
- Verbs: relate, describe, expand upon, illustrate (Bloom's Taxonomy)
Target 2: Students can relate to the protagonist of a novel.
- Developmental Learning Target
- Verbs: explain, describe, distinguish, exhibit, inspect (Bloom's Taxonomy)
Target 3: Students can properly identify literary elements within a novel.
- Developmental Learning Target
- Verbs: select, explain, analyze, list (Bloom's Taxonomy)
Target 4: Students can use literary elements to explain a theme.
- Mastery Learning Target
- Verbs: investigate, interpret, generalize, assess (Bloom's Taxonomy)
Target 5: Students canprioritize their own values and how they play into their decisions.
- Mastery Learning Target
- Verbs: describe, define, identify, interpret, examine, formulate, prioritize (Bloom's Taxonomy)
Target 6: Students can compare and relate similar life situations from a novel to their own lives.
- Mastery Learning Target
- Verbs: apply, plan, formulate, construct (Bloom's Taxonomy)
Target 7: Students can show/understand the effects one has on another.
- Mastery Learning Target
- Verbs: conclude, invent, pretend, organize (Bloom's Taxonomy)
Let me know what you think!
-Matt
Monday, February 2, 2009
Random Snapshots of me and my life...
Hey, everyone! I thought I'd take some of your leads and send some pictures your way. Here is a quick photo glimpse into my life...
This is my best friend, Laura. She is the one person who is always there for me. We met at SUNY Brockport during our undergraduate work. She is currently a school counselor at Wheatland-Chili Middle School.
This fall, I played "Linus" in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, with Spot On Productions. It was awesome being a four year old again. You don't get that chance every day!
I go through many different style changes... I guess I do what the director tells me to... for Charlie Brown, I dyed my hair dark brown to match "Lucy's"
I'm pretty dramatic... as you can see... I also like to go swing dancing, occasionally.
I got this tattoo about a year ago... I really love theater and acting. It kind of hurt getting it over my rib cage though.
I am also an artist. I make posters to cover my walls in school of poster-board sized "book covers." Usually I use chalk pastels when I do these posters (and of course, have them laminated for preservation).
I also paint landscapes - a talent that helped me out this past Christmas... cheap gifts!Hope you all have a great week! See you all Thursday!
-Matt
Who is "The Mayne Event?"
Hello everyone! Since this is my first blog post, I probably should introduce myself... A sort of "background check" for all of you avid bloggers out there.
First of all, my name is Matt. I am 24 years old and currently, I am a high school English Language Arts Teacher at Batavia High School. This is my second year at Batavia High School and I am really loving my job there. I teach Sophomore and Senior English (which is quite difficult considering the age of my students and my own age...). I am ALSO the "Drama Specialist" at the school, teaching the drama electives as well as directing the annual musical and other dramatic shows throughout the year.
I grew up in Lockport, New York and went to Lockport High School. I went to SUNY Brockport for my undergraduate degree in English and Adolescence Education (with a middle school extension, of course). While in college, I was enrolled in an advanced program known as DELTA College. This program embodies the importance of building relationships based on the mutual respect between students and teachers. The program focuses on teaching leadership skills while encouraging students to paticipate in creative group projects and public speaking activities. Much of how I teach today revolves around the skills that I learned while being a part of this great program.
Two of my coolest college experiences came from my being a part of DELTA. The program requires its students to study abroad. Honestly, I felt a little nervous to travel to other countries (in the midst of 9/11)... but Sandra (the program's director) labelled my "class" as the "brave raccoons," or students determined to get what they could out of their college experience and her support really helped me to venture out into the world.
First, I studied Victorian Literature (Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, Emily Bronte, Lewis Carrol) while taking a "literary tour" of England. This was one of the greatest experiences of my life. While there I got to visit many famous places, including the GLOBE THEATER (or the replica of it, since the original burned down). I have always loved Shakespeare and it was so awesome to actually be there.
Next, I studied abroad in Ghana, a small country on the Ivory Coast of Africa. There I studied the culture of the Asante people and the history of the country. This was quite the moving experience, an experience that has given me much to talk about in school.
If you get the chance to study abroad, DO IT! Never pass up on an experience like that!
After graduating college in 2006, I was hired as a long term substitute English teacher at Brockport High School for about half a year. Then, I was quickly hired for another long term substitute position at Orchard Park High School for the second half of the year. I felt pretty lucky, as it is VERY difficult to find an English teaching position in Western New York.
However, that next summer, I did not get hired full-time by either of the two districts I taught in. I thought that I would have to move away, and did, in fact, get hired over the phone by three school districts in South Carolina. I decided to take a job as a seventh grade ELA teacher in Beaufort County, South Carolina (right outside of Hilton Head)... but not two days later, was a called for an interview at Batavia High School! I was hired there and abandoned my thought to move down south (At some points during the frigid winter, I feel that I made the wrong decision...). The position I was hired for at Batavia turned into a full-time position and luckily I did a good enough job the first year to be hired back. That is where I am today!
Currently, I am juggling a TON of activities. I am a Board of Directors Director for the Batavia Players theater group, currently planning its one act play festival for the fall. I am also acting in Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors, with the Batavia Players (I have rehearsals three nights a week), and am playing one of the lead characters. At the same time, I am the director of the Batavia High School musical, Little Shop of Horrors. We have rehearsals for this show every day of the week (besides Thursday, to make room for my graduate class) and the show is set to open March 6. Later this year, I am participating in the HOBY conference as a youth facilitator. Presently, I am also helping to organize the conference... adding more work to my already busy work load.
One final thing about me... I am a perfectionist. It is my biggest strength and my biggest weakness at the same time. I work so hard, always overworking myself, to make sure that everything I do is done to my fullest potential. I seem to never stop working, even when I get a break... I wonder if there are others like me in this class? I wouldn't doubt it :)
This class seems like it will be quite interesting. Can't wait to hear from you all.
First of all, my name is Matt. I am 24 years old and currently, I am a high school English Language Arts Teacher at Batavia High School. This is my second year at Batavia High School and I am really loving my job there. I teach Sophomore and Senior English (which is quite difficult considering the age of my students and my own age...). I am ALSO the "Drama Specialist" at the school, teaching the drama electives as well as directing the annual musical and other dramatic shows throughout the year.
I grew up in Lockport, New York and went to Lockport High School. I went to SUNY Brockport for my undergraduate degree in English and Adolescence Education (with a middle school extension, of course). While in college, I was enrolled in an advanced program known as DELTA College. This program embodies the importance of building relationships based on the mutual respect between students and teachers. The program focuses on teaching leadership skills while encouraging students to paticipate in creative group projects and public speaking activities. Much of how I teach today revolves around the skills that I learned while being a part of this great program.
Two of my coolest college experiences came from my being a part of DELTA. The program requires its students to study abroad. Honestly, I felt a little nervous to travel to other countries (in the midst of 9/11)... but Sandra (the program's director) labelled my "class" as the "brave raccoons," or students determined to get what they could out of their college experience and her support really helped me to venture out into the world.
First, I studied Victorian Literature (Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, Emily Bronte, Lewis Carrol) while taking a "literary tour" of England. This was one of the greatest experiences of my life. While there I got to visit many famous places, including the GLOBE THEATER (or the replica of it, since the original burned down). I have always loved Shakespeare and it was so awesome to actually be there.
Next, I studied abroad in Ghana, a small country on the Ivory Coast of Africa. There I studied the culture of the Asante people and the history of the country. This was quite the moving experience, an experience that has given me much to talk about in school.
If you get the chance to study abroad, DO IT! Never pass up on an experience like that!
After graduating college in 2006, I was hired as a long term substitute English teacher at Brockport High School for about half a year. Then, I was quickly hired for another long term substitute position at Orchard Park High School for the second half of the year. I felt pretty lucky, as it is VERY difficult to find an English teaching position in Western New York.
However, that next summer, I did not get hired full-time by either of the two districts I taught in. I thought that I would have to move away, and did, in fact, get hired over the phone by three school districts in South Carolina. I decided to take a job as a seventh grade ELA teacher in Beaufort County, South Carolina (right outside of Hilton Head)... but not two days later, was a called for an interview at Batavia High School! I was hired there and abandoned my thought to move down south (At some points during the frigid winter, I feel that I made the wrong decision...). The position I was hired for at Batavia turned into a full-time position and luckily I did a good enough job the first year to be hired back. That is where I am today!
Currently, I am juggling a TON of activities. I am a Board of Directors Director for the Batavia Players theater group, currently planning its one act play festival for the fall. I am also acting in Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors, with the Batavia Players (I have rehearsals three nights a week), and am playing one of the lead characters. At the same time, I am the director of the Batavia High School musical, Little Shop of Horrors. We have rehearsals for this show every day of the week (besides Thursday, to make room for my graduate class) and the show is set to open March 6. Later this year, I am participating in the HOBY conference as a youth facilitator. Presently, I am also helping to organize the conference... adding more work to my already busy work load.
One final thing about me... I am a perfectionist. It is my biggest strength and my biggest weakness at the same time. I work so hard, always overworking myself, to make sure that everything I do is done to my fullest potential. I seem to never stop working, even when I get a break... I wonder if there are others like me in this class? I wouldn't doubt it :)
This class seems like it will be quite interesting. Can't wait to hear from you all.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
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