Module 6 Reflection

Module 6 Reflection -

This module has helped me think about self-directed learning and the role of differentiation in the following ways…

In today’s classroom I have many different types of students and learners.  I have some students that learn visually, auditory, and kinesthetically. I also have students that are in special education and some that are in the gifted program.  So, in today’s classroom as a teacher I have to differentiate my lessons, assessments, and projects.  I feel that sometimes, actually a lot of the time my gifted students may get left out.  I try to let them help me as much as possible, whether it is leading a small group or checking answers during a formative assessment.  It is not always my gifted students that do this, I have some children that are very smart and are not in the gifted program.  Also, with some lessons it maybe a “C” student that just grasps the lesson that day and to me that is one of my favorites!!  

I also have to make sure that my special education children’s assessments and projects are differentiated.  I think that a lot of them are more of kinesthetic learners.  It is not always easy to find hands-on activities for reading, but this module has reiterated that as a teacher I must  make sure that I am differentiating my activities and assessments because what works for one child may not work for another.  I also find that students can sometimes be more receptive to a peer’s idea than the teacher’s idea or method. 

Another group of students that I have to differentiate for is EL students.  I really have to put a lot of time into differentiating for this group of students because I am not familiar with the language.  I use Google translate, pictures, and peers to help me with differentiating my lessons.

  This module has shown me other ideas to use for differentiating lessons or project assessments such as making a template for student support.  I have not thought of this before and it would be an easy way to guide students that need extra assistance without giving them the answers.  Self-directed learners could create their own template and share it with their group or even their class.  I really need to focus and make sure that I am helping my gifted or self-directed students reach the next level and I am not holding them back.  I also need to ensure that I am giving my other students choices and helping them all to reach their potential and go beyond what is expected.   

Module 5 Blog Reflection

Module 5 Reflection –

This module has helped me think about student-centered assessment in the following way…

When I first read student-centered assessment I thought, how are the students going to assess themselves?!  After reading module 5 it became a little clearer.  I have only given my students the opportunity to assess how everyone worked together in a group.  I did not have a rubric or any of the items listed in the assessment method section.  The students were to just rank if everyone in the group did his/her job.  Next time, I will use the collaboration self-assessment checklist.  I like the way that it lets the student assess   himself/herself.  I also like the encouraging self-direction and collaboration checklist.  It seems like a great way for the students to hold each other accountable for their group work and collaboration. 

I have recently gotten Chromebooks in my classroom so I am trying to implement some of the ideas and lessons that I am learning in this class.  I am going to use some of the rubrics and checklists so I can ensure that I am giving authentic student-centered assessments.  One thing I am going to have to wrap my head around and I think my students are going to have to also, is that they will not get a grade for everything that they do.  I will have to do more formative assessments, rather than weekly/end of the unit assessments.  The students are so used to getting grades from ME for everything that they do, so it is going to take a little time to change our process and way of thinking.  My students are going to have to become more responsible and be honest with themselves about how they are really doing on their projects.  They are also going to have to stay on task during group collaboration and not get off topic, because sixth graders love to talk about anything and everything when they are in a group. 

So, this module has really opened my eyes on student -centered assessment because I am going to have to continue to change what I am doing in my classroom.  I am going to have to let my students work and grow on their own.  I have been working on this over the past couple of months, but I am really going to have to let them spread their wings and fly.  If they fail, we will have to sit down and discuss if they really put forth their best effort, understood the standard for the lesson, and what they could do differently next time. 

Blog Post 3

Blog Post 3 –

How can the creation of a student sample help me clarify my unit expectations and improve my instructional design?

How can I ensure students will achieve the learning objectives when creating their projects?

The creation of a student sample can help me clarify my unit expectations by making sure that I understand the information that I provide to my students.  If I put myself in the place of one of my students I can ensure that I have all of the instructions (detailed), materials that they will need, and that I have planned accordingly.  There have been times in my classroom when I have given students an assignment and I thought that I had it ALL PLANNED OUT, but boy was I wrong!  Sometimes a project or task may seem “perfect” to the teacher, but I already have what I want to be produced in my head so,  I  may leave out a few little instructions.  I know I have thought at times, that the little detail(s) that I left out should not matter that much, but I have to remember I am teaching children and they cannot read my mind!  When I put myself in the place of one of my students it also helps me improve my instructional design because again, I have to make sure I have provided every little detail for an assignment.  I may think something is not important, but to my students it could make all the difference to them. 

I can ensure my students will achieve the learning objectives when creating their projects by giving them a rubric or some other method of assessment that shows exactly what I am looking for.  Again, putting myself in the shoes of my students will help ensure that they will achieve the learning objectives.    If I give them instructions to simply just answer the question that I have asked instead of giving specific instructions to use text evidence to back up their answer it can make all the difference.  I may know in my head that I want them to use text evidence, but that is a perfect example clarifying expectations and communicating what I want the students to do.  

Module 2 Reflection

This module has helped me think about using standard, curriculum framing questions, and formative assessment in the following ways –

First, after reading this module I begin to question some of the things that I have been doing in my classroom.  Our current reading program is set up in six units. Each unit contains six weeks of instruction.  In my class I have been teaching the standards for the week and then testing my students on them at the end of the week.  I see how my students do on the test and move on to the next week and set of standards.  I also try to include some type of technology in my lesson so that the students are “engaged,” but are they really?!?!  Have I really been using technology effectively?  Looking back and reflecting on what I have done, I would say no!  When I just use the iPads to check off that I used technology that is not effective.  After reading module 1, 2, and learning a little more about project based learning I have researched and tried to find more efficient ways to use technology, 21^st century skills, and teach the standards.  An example, the students are going to use a storyboard app to show me that they understand the different themes of “Maniac Magee.”  I wish that I would have taken this class earlier because it has made me evaluate myself and I feel like I have not been an effective teacher!!

 As far as curriculum framing questions go, I had no clue what they were or what “CFQ’s” meant.  Each week I use the standards to formulate the objectives for the week.  There is an essential question that is given each week and the unit has a “big idea.”   We discuss the essential question and move on to the standards.  Now I realize that I should have an essential question that is very broad and sparks the students interest.  Our essential questions provided by the book seem irrelevant each week.  Our unit questions should be open-ended so that the students can formulate, come up with their own answers, and own what they are learning.  The content questions need to be straightforward and fact based.  I believe I use more content questions than unit questions, and this is not promoting higher-order thinking skills.  I am going to work on using curriculum framing questions in my lesson next week in my classroom.

Formative assessment is done weekly with tests from our reading program.  I have also taught a skill, put it in a center, the students self-check and the students are responsible for coming to me with their questions.  Next week, I am trying a new way to assess my students.  They will create a storyboard, and I will monitor their progress.  They will have a checklist that they have to turn in every other day.  For the final assessment, the students will present their storyboard to the class that their group created.  I feel like this class is helping me grow as a teacher each week. 

Module 1 Reflection

This module has made me think about my role as an instructional designer in the following ways:

 Before reading module 1, I thought I was doing an okay job with student-centered activities.  It seems that I am just scratching the surface.  My activities may seem student-centered, but they do not allow the students to have a choice in their assessment options.  I need to research options for different types of assessments so that my students have a choice.  Also, my activities do not always require higher-level thinking.  Instead of me asking and making the questions maybe, I should get the students to make up their own questions.

As a sixth grade Reading and Language Arts teacher in an elementary school setting, I find it difficult to use technology effectively in my classroom.  I feel like Mrs. Richardson in room 72 before her classroom became a 1:1 classroom.  We have iPads at our school, but you must check them out,  and they are not always available (we have sixty iPads and twenty-one teachers).  I tried using WebQuest in my classroom one week, and the students enjoyed it but did not finish.  It was a week later before we were able to continue and the students could not remember where they were or what they were doing.  This is an example of me trying to use technology to engage the students and feeling it was not effective.  So, this makes me ask myself, “Are the students really engaged and learning when we use technology, and it is not a complete lesson?”    As I reflect back on my lesson, I would say no.  I know there are ways that I can incorporate and use technology effectively in my classroom, I just have to research and modify lessons to make them work in my classroom.

I do not feel like my students are taking ownership of their work because they cannot relate the lesson and activities to the real world.  I need to come up with activities that relate and are relevant to a sixth grader’s life.  I also need to provide my students with more opportunities to self-reflect, self-assess, and to be able to choose or make decisions about their learning.