Madelyne Huff- Questions to Consider (14.1)

For this Wednesday, I got to observe a second grade classroom at Alcoa Elementary School!  While I always enjoy getting to know the students, I would describe this visit as educational.  By this I mean, I learned a lot about the Common Core Standards and how to appropriately assess students.  I personally feel that some form of assessment needs to be done each day.  Otherwise, teachers would not be able to tell who understands the material and who needs extra help.  In addition, assessments provide educators with an opportunity to see how they can improve on their lesson plans, get an idea as to whether they need to go back over the material, and identify students that would benefit from special education services.  As for this blog, I will be a second grade teacher doing a lesson on point of view. 

            On the first day, I will go over the definition of point of view.  I will use descriptive adjectives and give real life examples to help my students understand the material.  For example, I might say, “I have to go to the doctor on Monday!” in a low voice.  Then I would informally assess my students by asking them, “Based on my tone of voice, do I sound excited or nervous to go to the doctor?” to see if they understand what point of view means.  After teaching the lesson, I would tell them to write everything they know about point of view on their exit cards.  This is an example of a formal assessment and would help me decide if I needed to spend one more day going over the content material. 

            On the second day, I would choose a fiction book to read aloud to the students.  We would discuss various events, and I would ask questions about point of view throughout the story.  By asking these questions, I will be able to informally assess my students and figure out which ones need extra instruction.  After we have finished reading the story, I would probably give them a worksheet, a formal assessment, with questions about point of view.  I would let them work with a partner and monitor the conversations, which is another example of an informal assessment. 

            On the third day, I probably would play a game about point of view.  I would quickly review what point of view means before beginning the game.  I would call out various scenarios and have the students write the point of view on the board.  This is a great example of a formal assessment and is a fun way to get the students excited about learning.  If a student came up to me and said, “Ms. Huff, I do not understand what point of view means.” This informal assessment would tell me that the student has not grasped the concept of point of view.  It would also indicate that I might need to work one on one with that particular student. 

            On the fourth day, I might have the students write a story about their favorite person.  Once they completed their story, I would collect them, mix them up, pass them back out, and have them read one of the stories their peers wrote.  I would ask them to tell me what the point of view of the story was and give me three reasons to back up their answer.  Next, I would ask if anyone had any questions, which allow me to informally assess my students.  I would then read their answers to evaluate their knowledge, another type of formal assessment. 

            To conclude the lesson, I might give the students a test, a formal assessment, from the textbook.  By completing all of the informal and formal assessments throughout the week would allow me to see how I could fix or improve my own style of teaching.  I would be able to figure out what activities were helpful and what activities were pointless.  Also, it would give me an idea as to how much longer I needed to cover point of view.  Therefore, assessment is obviously a major part of one’s educational experience, and I think using a combination of the two assessment types is the best way to go about the process.  Finally, assessments do not always have to be boring and mundane; teachers can make them fun and still be able to evaluate their students!