Assessments-Prensky Chapter 10

Student assessments are important because they allow the teacher to see how her students are progressing and let students see how they are performing as well. Without any form of assessment, how would we as teachers know what our students are comprehending and what we need to review further? Assessments help teachers modify their instruction so students get the most out of it. They allow teachers to individualize instruction for every student. For example, if an assessment showed that only a handful of students are struggling with a concept, the teacher can give work with these students in a small group in the next class, while the rest of the students are working on something else. I think that peer assessments give students the motivation to do their best work. Students will want to work harder when they know that their peers will see thier work and comment on it. Also,the feedback provided may have a more positive effect when coming from another student rather than the teacher.

Partnering Levels for Students and Teachers- Prensky Chapter 8

In my observations during student teaching and subsitute teaching, I have noticed that partnering levels tend to go up based on the grade and class level. In the elementary schools, teachers make good use of the SmartBoards. DVDs,and other technology. However,most of the teaching is still done by lecturing. A teacher may allow students to come up and touch the correct answers on the smartboard, but she still controls the majority of the lesson and her student's learning. I have seen many middle and high school teachers stick to lecturing and worksheets in their classrooms. This seems to change in 11th and 12th grade classrooms,especially in accelerated and AP level classes. Teachers of higher level classes utilize partnering and technology much more, from what I have observed. I'm not sure why this is. Maybe some teachers feel that lower grades and regents level classes need more direction and lecturing in order to turn out their best work. However I can't say for sure. I think that most teachers would be able to achieve partnering level 4, but I think they are apprehensive about level 5. To be honest, it is a very scary thing to do, since you are not sure how it is going to work, and there's that fear of relinquishing total control to your students. But it never hurts to try! If it doesn't work the first time, try to figure out where it went wrong and just fix that. Don't just give up altogether. Practice makes perfect!

Let Students Create

In order to elicit maximum creation from students, I feel that teachers should start with open-ended guiding questions. Allow students to use multiple tools and technologies in order to come to an answer, and also encourage them to be more creative in their answers. Also, teachers should give students more options as to what tools and resources they want to use to complete assignments. If students are using the tools they are most familiar with or of great interest to them, they may put greater effort into the assignment and achieve their highest success. Using blogs or social networking sites is a great way to help students engage in world conversations. They can communicate their thoughts on certain world issues or anything that they are passionate about to anyone who reads the blog. Students can also post videos, podcasts , or write letters regarding certain issues and topics. I think giving students some leeway in their assignments helps to raise the bar for student's creation. Encourage them to incorporate their own interests into the assignments, but also make sure they don't limit themselves to just things that interests them. Push students to explore other areas and topics they may be unfamiliar with.

Using Technology in Partnering

The Prensky Apostasy states that the students should be the only ones using technology in the classroom. The students should set up any blogs, wikis, and/or multimedia presentations themselves without assistance from the teacher. The teacher should not use technology herself, except to briefly model a task or communicate with students. I agree that today's students have grown up with certain technology and may be more knowledgeable about it then the teacher. I also agree that students learn by doing; that they should be completing much of the work on their own, with assistance from the teacher when needed. However, I don't think that a teacher should refrain from using technology herself. A partnering teacher shares the classroom with the students. So she should be able to use the Smart Board and make her own videos or presentations whenever she sees fit. In some cases, a teacher may have a better understanding of certain technology and vice versa. Students and teachers should be able to learn from each other, especially in a partnering classroom.
The article on cell phones was great! I had never really thought about all the other distractions that students and teachers deal with every day, even though I have experienced most of them (the lawnmowers are the WORST, especially in an elementary classroom!). I agree that smartphones should be utilized more in the classroom. There are so many applications that can be beneficial to both students and teachers.

Planning

I think that when preparing guiding questions for a lesson, a teacher should keep in mind the beginning and the end of her lesson.She should develop questions that will introduce the topic to the students, and at the same time demonstrate what she wants them to be able to do at the end of the lesson. An example of this might be "What is pollution and what can we do to prevent it?"
Good guiding questions should be open-ended so that students have to use critical thinking skills to answer them. In order to answer the guiding questions, students should be able to collaborate with each other and use a variety of resources. This way, they already have an good understanding of the lesson. After the questions have been answered, then the teacher can guide them through the rest, instead of lecturing. In addition, good guiding questions should relate the content to the lesson to the real world and to students' individual interests.

June 12, 2012 4:56 PM

Relevant or Real?

What is the difference between real and relevant?

To be "relevant" as a teacher means that you incorporate content and/or materials into your lessons that students can relate to or that is popular among your students. This is a way to engage their interests in a lesson. For example, an English teacher may have her students read The Hunger Games or Twilight because they are current and motivating for students. I would say that when a teacher is "real" she always has an answer to the question that teachers always hear. That question is "Why do I need to learn this?" Real means that students make personal connections to what they are learning and use it to benefit their life outside the classroom.

How can I always be real?

I can be real by always connecting lessons to students' real lives. For instance, I would choose books that contain situations that my students may encounter in their lives and have them journal or discuss what they would do in that situation. Also, I may have students read newspaper or magazines articles and come up with their own solutions to the problems they read about. Also, teachers should utilize technology , since this is the way that most students communicate. Blogs, wikis, or social networking sites are great ways for students to collaborate and voice their opinions and feelings on certain topics.

How can I teach for the future?

I think the first thing a teacher needs to do in order to teach for the future is get to know her students. She needs to be aware of their interests, passions and backgrounds. Once she knows that, then she can create lessons that will benefit them long after they leave the classroom.

Tradition vs. Thinking/People and Passions

I think that if a teacher wants her students to respect her, she needs to learn their interests and passions. This shows the students that she cares about them and that their interests matter in life and in the learning process. Learning students' interests also allows a teacher to individualize instruction and create lessons that are motivating for all students in her classroom.

In traditional classrooms, the teacher has most of the control.She tends to lecture in front of the class while students listen and take notes. After a unit is over students are usually given a multiple choice or short answer test. There is not much interaction between students or discussion with the teacher.

Partnering allows for discussions and more interaction. The teacher may propose an open ended question to students that encourage more critical thinking. Students may find answers by group discussions, journals, research, technology, etc.... In partnering, students have more control of their own learning. Students are encouraged to use a variety of resources to come to a conclusion. The teacher is there for support and guidance when needed