Category Archives: Blogging Challenge

Making The Pieces Fit {20 Day Blogging Challenge}

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assessment

 

Today’s blogging challenge asked me to give a tip about assessments.  The best tip that I can give is that they be frequent and give feedback as soon as possible.  Remember, an assessment is not always a test.  We can break assessments down into three major categories:  Formative, Interim, and Summative.  Check out the image below from Scholastic.

typeof assessments

I assess my students in a variety of ways.  During direct instruction I give students information in chunks and then immediately check for feedback.  That’s why I love our Promethean devices so much.  With ActivInspire and our ActivExpression devices, students can put in answers to questions and we receive feedback as soon as the last person answers.  That way I know right away whether they’re getting it or not.  Whether we’re moving on….or I’m reteaching.

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For all paper multiple choice assessments (formal or informal), I use Edmodo.  That way students know their score immediately as well as what questions the missed (there is a way to turn the immediate feedback option off).  Plus with Edmodo, I know at a glance the class percentage of each question and can immediately do a data analysis.  I make sure that the appropriate indicator is attached to each question.

Students also take a quarterly benchmark 3x’s a year and we do MAP testing 3x’s a year.  After each benchmark we look at how each class compares against the other and focus on questions that less than 60% of the students got correct.

benchmark

Before we take MAP, students and I conference and look at where they were the last time and where they need to be this time.  Students fill out a MAP data sheet after they finish with their data and a reflection.

Frequent and immediate feedback.  There’s no use discussing the information if it’s been 3 months since they’ve last seen it.  And it’s not enough for us to look at and then put in a folder to never discuss again.  Although I don’t think standardized tests are the end all/be all, they’re here.  And probably never going away.  So it’s my goal to dual prepare my students.  They must be prepared for the end of the year standard that they will be judged by – but they must also be prepared for what the real world will expect of them.  Students who are readers and critical thinkers.

And believe you me, it’s a donkey of a job doing both.

Until the next time,

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I <3 Google! {20 Day Blogging Challenge}

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It’s unbelievable all of the resources that are available through Google!  I’ve had a Dropbox account for at least four years now and I used that primarily for online storage.  I mean, who doesn’t love the fact that you can sync across any platform you want?  I’d leave my computer at school, work on whatever I needed to at home, save it to my Dropbox, and viola!  It would be there when I got to school in the morning.  I could share files with my teammates making emailing documents a thing of the past.  What more could a girl ask for?  Well, I’ll tell you!

Google

With a Google account, you get much more than just storage space.  There’s Gmail, Goole Calendar, Google Drive, Google+,  and YouTube!  

First of all, within your Google Drive space you can continue to share documents….and you and your team can work on them at the SAME TIME!!  No more is there a necessity to have to sit down face to face to work on everything.  Or you having to repeat yourself multiple times so that the “recorder” can get the information written correctly.  Plus you can access your files anywhere, especially now that they’ve added the Google folder for your computer. YES!

No more creating a survey through some pre-made survey program.  You can create a Google Form that has whatever YOU need.  We assign our students lunch detention for inappropriate behaviors.  In the past, each teacher would assign a child lunch detention and email it to our Data Clerk.  She would then have to print out each email, type it into an Excel document, make sure that the duplicates were moved over to another day, and then email it out to us.  About 10 minutes before lunch began, she would have to call out the names over the intercom – interrupting instruction time. And if she were absent…..it put us a day behind. This year, I created a Google Form to handle all of that.  The responses go into a spreadsheet that we each have access and we call out the names right after the bell rings.<3 it!

Lunch Detention

 

My students all have Google accounts through Google for Education and it is the best way to share information between us!  With my principal’s approval, I purchased a domain at GoDaddy for $2.00 and used it to create our accounts.  It was very simple.  Before we left for Christmas break, students created a nonfiction book report video.  Once they finished they just uploaded it to our shared Google Drive folder and I had it immediately!  I use Evernote to grade projects and once I finish, I just email them a copy of their graded rubrics.

You can even create quizzes for classes through Google Forms as well – which you can set up a formula for it to grade itself….HELLO!

No need for Skype with Google Hangouts….I mean how can you not love this…..everything you need is right at your fingertips.  

I was even able to create a YouTube channel where I upload work that student’s have done, as well as videos of them working and playing.  

Click here for more idea of how to use Google Drive.

If you’re a fan of SATC like I am you’ll understand me when I say…”And just like that Google kicked my Dropbox’s sweet little a**!”

Until the next time,

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Give Me 1….2…..3! {20 Day Blogging Challenge}

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student hand

Picture this:  You’re in the middle of a direct instruction lesson.  As you’re teaching your heart out…..working you’re butt off you look to see a student raise their hand in the air.  You think, “Yes!  An inquisitive student wants to expound more on what I’m saying!”…..only to have the student ask, “Can I got to the bathroom?” *spfizzzz* (That’s the sound of the balloon in your chest deflating…..)

In order to save myself from that heart breaking experience ever again, I found the perfect management tool.  Students raise a certain finger to ask a certain question.  That way at a glance I can address it – sometimes without even speaking!

Now of course you know that nothing is ever “brand new” anymore, I found this as I was perusing my favorite playground….the internet.  But I’ve tweaked it to make it my own for my classroom.

1 finger – Pencil Issues (need one, sharpen, eraser)

2 fingers – Classroom movement (Get a book, blow my nose, hand sanitizer)

2 fingers crossed – Bathroom (Don’t you think that’s cute?  Like you cross your legs when you have to go really bad.

3 fingers – I need help with my work.

I have the signs posted onto the wall in the front, and students also have a copy glued into their ISN.

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Like I said, no more heart break for me! What management tool do you use to find out what your students need?

Until the next time,BCbutton

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The Watsons Go To Birmingham -1963 {20 Day Blogging Challenge}

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How can you ask a Reading teacher to discuss one book that they love to share or teach????  Really, just one?  Well, since I’ve had so much difficulty thinking of things to post, I can do a couple of these! 🙂

Today I’m going to share with you my favorite hurt yourself laughing (and crying) book, The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963.  Once you read the first chapter even the most reluctant reader will want to delve into the amazing book by Christopher Paul Curtis!

Watsons Pic

I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but in the first chapter the oldest son gets his lips stuck to the rearview mirror after trying to kiss his reflection.  Can you say hilarious??

I’m always amazed at how most of my children are aware of the Civil Right’s Movement, but not really, do you know what I mean?   So to introduce the book, I show them clips from the “Eyes on the Prize” series of what Birmingham was like in 1963.  They are always amazed at the violence and hatred.  So am I.

One of the 5th grade teachers at my feeder school also loves this book, and despite the fact that it’s on the 6th grade list – they “teach” it every year. 🙁  So, lately Ive been using an excerpt to teach Author’s Craft (focus on Flashback).

 

Flashback

 

Watson_Flashback_Total

 

I searched everywhere and can’t find any pictures of the kids working….I know they’re somewhere.  But I can tell you, by the time we’ve finished that chapter, if they haven’t read it….they’re begging to!

Until the next time,

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I’m Up For The Challenge! (Right???)

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Through this morning’s Bloglovin’ perusal I saw where my first blogging hero, Valerie at “I blog to share“, had decided to participate in a 20 Day Blogging Challenge that was created by Kelly over at “in the trenches“, and I thought what an awesome idea!

I’m not a resolution type of gal, but I’ve mentally committed to blogging more often.  I just want to make sure that my posts are meaningful and helpful. So when I saw this, I thought….”I’m in!”

Here’s the schedule:

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Now, I’m not going to post daily…..I’m taking it slow because you can’t go from 0 to 60 right away……right?  I’m shooting for at least twice a week.  If you’re interested, feel free to join me!

Until the next time,

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