The Journey (Genre Reflection #1)

For my first Genre Reflection, I created a poem that details my teaching journey.  To make this more meaningful I used the Haiku form to emphasize the natural process that becoming a teacher has been for me. I then formatted my words in an image to further reiterate the development I have undergone and the journey that has taken place for me to become a teacher. Enjoy!

Diagnosing Diagnostic Assessment (Online Reflection #2)

Last time, I posted about engaging my students in meaningful discussion through the use of literature circles.  I am really excited to facilitate this activity with my students starting Wednesday of this week. I think this will be a great opportunity to open up to each other and really dig into the memoir The Glass Castle that we have been reading.  I originally planned this activity in order for my students to meaningfully interact with each other and the text.  This is still my goal, but I have noticed that, especially in the last couple of weeks, my students have really begun to open up, rather organically.  I am excited by this because it shows me that they are engaged and interested in the work we are doing in class, and honestly it makes class with them much more fun, a bonus for all of us. 

Something that has really stood out to me in the last couple of weeks of my placement, and something that I had never really considered before is learning what to teach from your students.  I have heard of diagnostic assessment in classes in the past, but had never considered that it becomes more of a learning process for the teacher.  Recently, my MT gave me the chance to grade one class of student essays over a goal setting analysis.  These were considered a diagnostic assessment of the students’ basic ability to assess their strengths and weaknesses that will help them achieve their goal, and what obstacles they may need to circumvent.  The purpose of this short essay was to diagnose the writing skills of the class and determine where more instruction was needed.  Diagnostic assessment involves gathering and assessing data using students’ prior knowledge and skills.  This is created to help teachers effectively scaffold instruction. 

McTighe and O’Connor (2005) state that this assessment, no matter the form, must be carefully evaluated in order to be effective (pg. 14).  A careful consideration is important so that students can be best served and the teacher (me in this case!) can analyze students’ performance with that medium. With this diagnostic information, a teacher can gain greater insight into what to teach, how to teach, and how to connect to their students.   Reading and working with these “SWOT Analyses” really gave me the chance to understand what my students know.  For example, they were comfortable (pretty much across the board) with creating a thesis statement and supporting that with examples.  I was pleased overall with this fact given that it is a significant part of academic writing.  What I found most interesting however was the fact that a majority of my students need practice giving specific examples and creating a concise and coherent argument. As the semester continues I hope to incorporate activities that reinforce what they do know and bolster their confidence in the areas in which their skills are lacking.  This is important because another crucial piece to diagnostic assessment is actually doing something with the results of the evaluation.  If the essays are never returned to, progress cannot be made.  I think that forgetting about assignments can be a teacher’s kryptonite.  It can be incredibly easy in the hustle and bustle of everyday to overlook this crucial step which eliminates a prime learning opportunity for both teacher and student. It will be my job this year and in the future to make an effort to return to these diagnostic assessments. On a related note, Bomer (2011) mentions that it is easy for Secondary English teachers to “think a lot about grading” (pg. 219).  Grading, however, cannot be the only focus of an assignment. “Assessment, the more complex, descriptive, qualitative activity of understanding and recording who these learners are and how they are growing, is a constant and ongoing process” (pg. 220).  I absolutely love this statement.  In one short sentence it sums up the importance of any assessment, especially diagnostic, and the role of the teacher in facilitating the learning of their students.

Overall, through my time at my placement, I have grown to really appreciate and understand the art of diagnostic assessment.  I learned a technique in which I can enrich my students’ learning without undermining their prior knowledge and skills. Another aspect of diagnostic writing that I found beneficial was the personal nature of this essay. It gave me the ability to gain some insight into my students’ personal lives so that I can continue making connections with them throughout the semester and year. 

Works Cited

Bomer, R. (2011).  Building adolescent literacy in today’s English classroom (1^st ed.).  Portsmouth, NJ: Heinemann.

McTighe, J., & O'Connor, K. (2005). Seven Practices for Effective Learning. ASCD. Web.

Differentiating Classroom Discussion (Online Reflection #1)

Although I have only been at my placement for a couple of weeks, I have already begun to notice trends regarding student participation, especially in class discussions.  In class discussion, both in small and large groups, is an essential part of the English/Language Arts classroom and the learning process in general.  In order for my students to be successful in my MT and I’s classroom, they need to be able to express their thoughts and ideas about our classroom work and turn them into articulate statements.

What I have noticed specifically so far in my placement is a lack of participation in whole group discussion.  I want my classroom to be a collaborative environment where students feel comfortable expressing themselves and their ideas.  On the other hand, when students are asked to pair up with one of their classmates and share their opinions and writing they are engaged and fully focused on the task at hand – real learning seems to be happening. These observations led me to put on my cap as a “teacher researcher” and try to discover why this is a tendency for my students and what I can do to ensure that I am using the best educational practices to support their learning.

When I first began my research, I didn’t realize how whole-group discussion can negatively impact students. But, it seems through research and practical experience in the classroom, this is true.  According to Randy Bomer (2011), while teachers are excited by whole-class discussion that might “hook students into an intellectual life” (a prospect that most definitely thrills me), these are inefficient ways of distributing discourse and participation (p. 18).  This means that whole-class discussion, meant to engage students in literacy activities and thinking, can often turn students off and should be used less than it is in today’s classrooms.

A way to combat the passive behavior that can result from whole-class discussion and teaching is simply by utilizing partnerships and small(er) groups.  Much research supports the use of small groups in facilitating class discussion and getting students involved in the subject matter.  “Small groups offer special opportunities for active learning and substantive conversation that are essential for authentic achievement” (Cohen, 1994, p. 1).  Utilizing cooperative learning, in which students can work together in groups that encourage participation on a clear task without direct supervision of the teacher, will increase collaborative and cooperative learning.  Although small groups can be effective in the English/Language Arts classroom, Bomer (2011) notes that students must first be taught how to engage in discussions respectfully, knowing how to listen and respond to each other, and how to have different points of view (p. 11).   Teachers must take a proactive stance in instructing students how to perform these tasks as well as facilitate and model questioning skills that will increase comprehension and understanding.  Setting parameters and varying discussion types will hopefully yield more significant and participatory discussions (Finley, 2013).

My preliminary research has created an opportunity for me to explore some options regarding increasing participation in my pre-student teaching classroom.  Because I have honors level seniors, the first strategy that I want to try is literature circles with the memoir we are reading, The Glass Castle. Giving students the ability to explore a text in depth with only a discussion framework, and limited teacher involvement will hopefully allow them to feel comfortable analyzing and interpreting a text in depth and with their peers.  I also like the literature circle activity because, especially as an introduction to discussion, it gives students the ability to develop their thoughts and ideas about a text outside of the classroom and on their own time; this will hopefully encourage participation during the in-class dialogue!

Throughout the semester, I want to continue my research into student participation in class discussion using other small-group techniques; including fishbowl discussions, Socratic seminars, and more.

References:

Bomer, R. (2011).  Building adolescent literacy in today’s English classroom (1^st ed.).  Portsmouth, NJ: Heinemann.

Cohen, E. G. (1994).  Restructuring the classroom: Conditions for productive small groups. American Educational Research Association, 64.1.

Finley, T. (2013).  Rethinking whole class discussion. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/rethinking-whole-class-discussion-todd-finley.