This week during my observation, I examined the types of assessment that are infused into the lessons. I found that by watching specifically for this and asking the teacher, there are many more types of assessment going on then are noticeable if you're not specifically looking for it.
The teacher conducts informal assessments by asking the students questions to gauge their understanding throughout, and after, a lesson is being taught. She also does a closed book review of the material learned the day before prior to beginning new material. The teacher often asks the students questions that help them apply what they learned to reality. For example, when the students learned about how heart rate increases with exercise, she asked the students who they thought would have a more rapid heart rate; a class of students that just came from P.E. or a class that just came from library?
The teacher uses formal assessments, such as; tests, quizzes, lab reports, and projects. I specifically like the types of projects the teacher assigns, as she assigns projects that help the students relate the learned material to everyday life. For example; when the students were learning about the periodic table, they were assigned a project to do in small groups in which they had to create their own periodic table consisting of whatever items they choose. Some of the tables created were; a periodic table of candy, of sports teams, of recording artists, of phone apps, and of countries. They had to be assigned a symbol and an atomic number. They also had to be arranged in a specific sequence and grouped into families. This is a project that I hope to incorporate into my curriculum someday, as I believe it gives the students a practical understanding of the structure of the periodic table of elements.
The teacher assigns homework on an occasional basis. The students are always required to study daily or complete any class assignments that they did not complete in class, but specifically assigned homework is not given daily. When homework IS assigned, the homework is handed in, graded and averaged into their final grade.
My cooperating teacher is very fair to her students, in my opinion. If she does not feel that the students have properly grasped the material, she will postpone a test until she feels the students are well prepared for it. In my opinion, she is a teacher who sets her students up for success and not for failure. She knows her students and she takes a vested interest in their learning and understanding...what a teacher SHOULD do!
The teacher conducts informal assessments by asking the students questions to gauge their understanding throughout, and after, a lesson is being taught. She also does a closed book review of the material learned the day before prior to beginning new material. The teacher often asks the students questions that help them apply what they learned to reality. For example, when the students learned about how heart rate increases with exercise, she asked the students who they thought would have a more rapid heart rate; a class of students that just came from P.E. or a class that just came from library?
The teacher uses formal assessments, such as; tests, quizzes, lab reports, and projects. I specifically like the types of projects the teacher assigns, as she assigns projects that help the students relate the learned material to everyday life. For example; when the students were learning about the periodic table, they were assigned a project to do in small groups in which they had to create their own periodic table consisting of whatever items they choose. Some of the tables created were; a periodic table of candy, of sports teams, of recording artists, of phone apps, and of countries. They had to be assigned a symbol and an atomic number. They also had to be arranged in a specific sequence and grouped into families. This is a project that I hope to incorporate into my curriculum someday, as I believe it gives the students a practical understanding of the structure of the periodic table of elements.
The teacher assigns homework on an occasional basis. The students are always required to study daily or complete any class assignments that they did not complete in class, but specifically assigned homework is not given daily. When homework IS assigned, the homework is handed in, graded and averaged into their final grade.
My cooperating teacher is very fair to her students, in my opinion. If she does not feel that the students have properly grasped the material, she will postpone a test until she feels the students are well prepared for it. In my opinion, she is a teacher who sets her students up for success and not for failure. She knows her students and she takes a vested interest in their learning and understanding...what a teacher SHOULD do!