Classroom Update: 2.1.11

Not much to say . . . we've had a lot of snow days and I'm nowhere near where I'd like to be in this unit, which has now become horribly disjointed.

Yesterday we had a professional development day, today we had an early release, tomorrow we have a snow day.  Depending on how much snow we get another day off on Thursday isn't out of question.  The students can't remember what they learned last time they were in class, and I can't blame them, because I keep forgetting where I left off with each class.

One of my colleagues told me weather works in six week cycles, and that after this storm this snow cycle is up.  I hope he's right.

Classroom Update: 1.25.11

We just began our third quarter which I like to refer to as the World War II quarter, because it seems like everything we do this quarter is leading up to studying WWII, actually studying WWII, and then the aftermath of WWII.

Not that I'm complaining about this, the students enjoy WWII and so do I.  There's a lot of material to cover, and I constantly feel like I'm barely skimming the surface and missing so much relevant information.  At the same time there's tons of room for creativity.

Right now we're doing the inner war years.  Last I taught this unit using layered curriculum and my students really enjoyed it.

Inner War Years CP

View more documents from lherzl.

This year my students are very different from last year and I haven't done any pure layered curriculum units yet.  While they'll be getting their base level information from more traditional classroom activities I'll offer them Level 2 activities as a project.  It's always interesting to see how they design a facebook page for Hitler, Stalin, or Mussolini.

I'm back.

In the midst of my crazy busy semester I decided to take a brief break from blogging to focus more on my assessment class, which was by far one of the most challenging classes I have taken.  Thankfully I survived the semester, but never returned to blogging.

Now as my new semester is about to start I decided I'm ready to start blogging again.  I plan to post two times a week - Tuesdays and Thursdays.  On Tuesdays I will be posting updates about what I'm doing in my classroom.  Thursdays I will post on an education related topic that does not directly pertain to my classroom, or may be something I would like to try in my classroom.

So that's the plan . . . I'll be back on Tuesday.

Tests vs. Assessment

This semester I am taking a course titled "Standardized Assessment for Students with Moderate Disabilities."  It teaches me exactly what it's title suggests, how to give and evaluate assessments for students with moderate disabilities.  I've been doing a lot of testing and assessing lately, both in my regular education classroom and outside of it for this class. 

However, my biggest "take-away" from all of this so far is the difference between tests and assessments.  Most teachers would think these are the same thing.  I did up until I began taking this course.  If you asked me what's the difference between tests and assessments I would say the terminology.  While a test certainly seemed like a more rigid form of assessment, I believed anything that shows what a student has learned is assessment.

Apparently I was wrong.  Here is how my professor defined tests and assessments:

Tests - are one part of assessment, scores are final products of testing, not much information regarding the learning process.  Tends to be stagnant, little is done with the results of testing.

Assessments -  a multifaceted process which involves more than just administering a test, assessing involves considering the way individuals perform a variety of tasks in a variety of settings.  Tends to be continuous, and ongoing.  May effect students' placement or how they are taught.

 Today in class I gave an end of the unit test on nationalism and industrialization, what we've been studying for the past few weeks.  I made some changes to the test from last year and I went to upload it to my curriculum map, but I didn't know what category to put the test under.  The category options are as follows:

• Content/Concepts
• Essential Questions
• Students Will Be Able To (Skills)
• Academic Standards
• Assessments
• Learning Strategies
• Materials/Resources
• Key Vocabulary/Terms

Was this test truly an assessment?  Was my test multifaceted?  There were a variety of different questions but I no, not really.  Did it consider the way my students performed a variety of tasks in a variety of settings?  Certainly not.  Was it continuous and ongoing?  No, it just lasted one period.  We'll review the test later but I wouldn't continue to teach the material the test was on and assess them again later.  Will it effect students' placement or how they're taught? I may reflect back on how students performed on the test and change some aspects of my teaching, but overall, no major changes will take place.

Clearly by my professor's definitions I gave a test, not an assessment.  Should I put my test under the assessment category?  I didn't think so, it didn't seem appropriate.  I considered briefly putting it under "Students Will Be Able To" since it did measure those goals I had set for my students. Eventually I decided to put it under "Materials/Resources."  Could the test be part of an assessment?  Sure why not.  Could it be the entire assessment?  No, and it shouldn't be.  It wouldn't be fair to assess a student or make an important decision about placement or ability based on one test.

Which brings me to my next point - is there anything wrong with giving students a test?  I don't think so.  If I want to see how well students can define vocabulary words, respond to short answer questions, multiple-guess, and write an essay under time constraints, a test is an excellent measure of that.  If I want to determine whether a student is appropriately placed in an honors level classroom one test may give me some valuable information, but it is not enough for an assessment or to make a placement decision. I feel like some educators view the term test just like they would any other four letter word.  I don't see anything wrong with giving a test, but if you're giving it a test and calling it an assessment you're lying to yourself and your students.  Both tests and assessments have their place, and it is up to educators to determine when it is appropriate to use each.

Differentiation - when is it too much?

I recently read this post on Dangerously Irrelevant about differentiation/inidivdualized instruction being taken too far.  It got me thinking about how differentiation or individualized instruction is used in the classroom and whether or not it has indeed been taken too far.

The post quotes Ms. Senechal as saying, "New software "rescues" children from frustration and difficulty; it meets them at their level and provides hints and encouragement when they have trouble answering a question. Some researchers are developing mood-sensitive software with animation that mirrors and responds to students' moods."  She says she worries about the long-term consequences of this type of learning.  Ms. Senechal doesn't seem to be protesting the use of technology so much as she is the use of this level of differentiation/individualization.

My concern would be for a child who has a teacher that doesn't look for frustration or doesn't encourage a child when they're stuck.  How well does an overwhelmed and frustrated student learn?  In my experience, not very well.  Differentiation provides a way for a child to determine their own instructional level so they're more likely to learn.  If needed a teacher can guide the student toward the level that is appropriate for them.  It's unreasonable for an educator to think that every child in their class is at the same level and will learn in the same way.  I absolutely agree that everyone needs to be pushed outside of their comfort zone slightly in order to learn, but if you push a child who isn't ready too far they're going to retreat and you'll get nothing out of them.

Ms. Senechal also seems to mistake differentiated/individualized instruction as making things "interesting" or "easier" for students.  Hopefully a student will become interested in the content, but not always.  If a student has a deep hatred for a subject/topic that's tough to dispel and no amount of differentiated learning choices is going to alter that.  Differentiation doesn't make learning easier either, it makes it more accessible.  If you are differentiating with the intent of making things easier or fun for a student then you're doing it wrong.  You should differentiate with the intent of increasing the student's knowledge of a topic and making learning more accessible to them.  "Interesting" and "easier" may be byproducts, and often "easier" truly doesn't mean the learning is any simpler, it just means it's more accessible to the student and they don't have to struggle or become frustrated in the process as much.

I feel saddened that there are educators who don't believe meeting children at their instructional level is the best way to teach, but it also makes me happy to see the many educators who left comments on the post protesting against what Ms. Senechal had to say. 

Weekend Reading: It's Your Ship, Volume 2

A continuation of my post last week about It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy.

Chapter Three: Listen Aggressively

1. Give people your undivided attention when they're speaking to you.
2. See the ship through the crews' eyes/see the classroom through the students' eyes.  Do check-ins/interviews to see what people like the best, what they like the least.  If you get to know your people (and respect them) you wouldn't be able to look at them in a poor light.  When possible, implement some of the changes/suggestions.
3. Find round people for round holes - try to match people's personalities to jobs that fit them.
4. Use the power of word magic - back your words with actions.  Also keep encouraging your people.  Tell them they're the best damn ship in the navy, after a while they will believe you and act accordingly.  If you are confident and truly believe and embody what you say people will catch on and follow suit.

Teacher's Take

1. I wish I could say I do this all the time.  I know often when my students speak to me I'm distracted by another student's behavior or their calling for my attention.  I know how frustrated I feel when someone wouldn't pay attention to me, and I can only imagine that my student would feel likewise.  Whether or not students stay in school and work hard has to do with how valued they feel.  I can definitely work harder to truly give my attention to students when they're talking to me.  Also I think using layered curriculum in the classroom truly helps give students a lot of one on one attention they wouldn't receive otherwise.
2. Even though I was a high school student in the not so distant past (and am currently a graduate student) when you're in front of the classroom sometimes you lose perspective on what it's like to be sitting at a desk trying to learn.  I had a little wake-up call myself at the beginning of this semester when I was in class.  The professor was flying through her PowerPoint presentation, we were all struggling to take notes at her pace.  At one point someone asked her if she could slow down. She said, "Just write down the highlights,  not everything on the slide.  We need to get through this, besides, copies of the notes are on my website."  She then continued through the presentation at ludicrous speed.  Even though I knew the PowerPoint was available online I really learn best when I take notes from the lecture.  As I was sitting there simmering in my frustration at her I realized I often do the exact same thing to my students.  When they ask me to slow down they're giving me feedback - you're going way too fast for me to learn!  If I just ignore them and tell them to get the notes on my website later does that show them that I value their learning?  Does that show them that I value their input?  Does that make them want to be invested in the educational process?  Do I need to answer these questions for you?
3. Here's another example where layered curriculum comes to the rescue.  With layered curriculum students can utilize and demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways.  I can teach all the students the same lesson, but they can all demonstrate what they learned through a method that best suits them - political cartoon, newspaper article, letter, diary entry, pamphlet, campaign poster, etc.  If they can show me they learned the material and understand it, what do I care what format it's in?
4. Students can read you much easier than you think.  If I sigh and moan about how much I hate a unit (cough:nationalism:cough) they'll pick up on that and it will become contagious.  If I tell them how this unit is the greatest thing ever and they're learning fascinating intriguing stuff that most people don't know they'll believe it, and I start to believe it true.  And maybe it will become the greatest unit ever . . . maybe . . .

Chapter Four: Communicate Purpose and Meaning

1. Articulate a goal that inspires a diverse group of people to work hard - make people feel like their work is important and meaningful.
2. Make your crew/students think, "We can do something!" - use whatever resources you have, bulletin board, website, etc, to share new ideas and explain goals as well as keeping people informed.
3. Make sure information travels clearly from the top to the bottom.
4. After creating a great brand, defend it.  Make your crew/students realize they represent you.  Don't threaten, but make the consequences of misbehavior clear.
5. Freedom creates discipline - after every major action/event the group gathers to critique it.  People/students should check egos at the door and be prepared to take criticism, meaning you should too, others will follow your example.  When people feel they own an organization they take a greater role/are more invested in it.

Teacher's Take

1. A classroom generally tends to be a diverse group of people.  Making your activities/lessons appeal to a broad range of talents and abilities will make people feel more capable/likely to work, and will also make your life easier.  Once again, layered curriculum comes in really handy here.
2. I would like to do more of this with my website.  I would like to post more positive messages and examples of outstanding student work.  I do that in my classroom, but on the website would make it more public so students could receive encouragement from parents and others who rarely enter the classroom.
3. In the classroom there isn't really a top/bottom structure, it's more teacher and students.  I always try my best to convey information clearly to students.  In the school in general it's good to be open with people at all levels about what you're doing in your classroom, because you never know what kind of encouragement, support, or resources you'll receive.
4. In the book Abrashoff points out that the more he told his crew they were the best damn ship in the navy the more they believed it and embodied it.  While the collective goal of my classroom is to learn, I can help promote this by telling students why the information is relevant and interesting and make connections to their lives.  When they believe the information is pertinent and they're working towards a higher cause they're more likely to become invested in their education, and so are you (this relates to number 4 above).
5. In my classroom we certainly don't do group critiques of projects or assignments (this might be relevant in an art or drama classroom), but in using the layered curriculum model I give students the freedom to create whatever kind of final product they want to demonstrate their learning (within reason of course), and I do sit down with every student to go over their final products for each layer.  When sitting with the student I often question them on what they are trying to show me with their final product and what they learned through the process and I give them suggestions for improvement.  Sometimes I get feedback from the students such as, "I didn't really understand what I was supposed to do" or "I never understood the concept of nationalism anyway."  I realize this feedback is a golden opportunity for me to re-assess and revise some of my instructional techniques as well as for students to improve their performance in the future.

"Technology is a hassle."

I often hear educators grumbling that "technology is a hassle."  They're not necessarily opposed to technology, but they are under the false impression that it makes more work for them.  I understand that many educators don't have a lot of training in how to use the various technologies available to them (which is why I strongly advocate not only for the use of technology but for professional development so that educators can know how use technology effectively), but in many cases if they put in a little bit of time learning how to use some of the technology they would save themselves a lot of time in the long run.

I will now expose all these so called "reasons" technology is a hassle for the frauds they are.

Reason #1 - Nobody will ever look at my website/wiki/blog.

FALSE - If you make a website/wiki/blog and don't tell anyone about it and just assume they'll find it on their own by clicking on your name on the school website you're right.  If you tell students/parents/everyone about it and post things that are relevant on there and update it frequently people will indeed look at it and use it!

Reason #2 - It will lead to parents emailing/contacting me more frequently.

FALSE - Parents contact you more when information isn't available.  I teach freshmen, they have just moved up from the middle school where they were in a team setting and took classes with the same core group and had the same teachers. There was a lot of parent contact.  The high school is not set-up this way (nor should it be as far as I'm concerned), but for a lot of these students (and especially their parents) they undergo a transition period in which they're not sure what to expect.  This often results in frequent parent emails asking what the assignments are, what you're teaching their child in class, and what their child's current grade is, can they stay after, etc.  By posting this information on my website (and making the information known to parents) I save myself countless parent phone calls and emails in which I basically reiterate the same information.  Recently I gave all my students progress reports.  Instead of requiring the students to get them signed by their parents and return them to me (half of them you'll never see again regardless of how much nagging you do, and who knows how many of them have been forged) I sent an email home to all parents letting them know that I gave their child a progress report with all their grades on it and explained what would be allowed to made up.  I also encouraged parents to check out my website and explained that all homework assignments, tests, projects, due dates, etc are posted on there.  Want to know how many emails I got in response?  Two.  That's right, two parent emails, want to know what they said?  Thanks for the heads up.  On open house night last Thursday you want to know how many parents pestered me about their child's grade in my class?  One.  So lets use math skills now, two plus one equals three.  How many parents do you think would have swarmed me at open house night asking about their child's grade if I didn't send out that mass email?  Who knows.  When I was presenting my curriculum to the parents are explained about what was coming up I got very few questions.  At one point I said to them, "I'm really surprised you don't have more questions about what we do in world history."  A parent replied, "Oh, I read your website everyday, I already knew everything you went over."   

Reason #3 - It takes way too much time.

FALSE - Lets go back to reason #2; think of how many parent phone calls or emails you get a day.  How long does it take you to respond to those?  How much time does that take?  I guarantee once you get past the initial set-up of your blog/wiki/website you will never invest as much daily time in it as you would in responding to parent emails.  When a parent does email me and says, "What were the assignments for the last week when John was out?" instead of actually composing an entire email to them I simply respond with, "Please see my homework calendar and the two PowerPoints on the Nationalism and Industrial Revolution page, let me know if you have any questions."  It's very rare that I get emails like that from parents or students like that at all.  What happens most often is they return after absences with copies of the work they missed from the website and many times that work is completed.  At the beginning of a unit I spend about half and hour updating that page on my wiki.  At the end of every school day I spend maybe 5 minutes maximum updating my homework calendars. 

Reason #4 - There are plenty of ways to do things without technology.

FALSE - Of course there are.  Most things we do today were done prior to the invention of technology.  However, I wouldn't want to do a lot of things the way they were done before the technology was available.  Think of a hospital and all the technology they have.  Were there ways to save lives before the technology was available?  Yes, but I personally wouldn't want to have surgery without anesthesia and would rather have an MRI than unnecessary exploratory surgery.

Technology is everywhere.  It's not a fad, it's not going away.  The more an educator puts off using it the greater their learning curve will be when they finally do decide to learn or may be forced to learn.  Technology is not the root of all evil.  It wouldn't take over your life, it wouldn't make your life more difficult.  In fact it's likely it will make your life easier, a lot easier.  I've just given you four reasons why you should try something new.  There are dozens more, but that's a post for another day.