Week 8, Blog 3 - Standardized Test Prep

The article is from the following site: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-to-make-standardized-test-prep-available-to-all-students.

With standardized testing being so prevalent in today’s educational field, this article provides some important ideas that can help teachers, schools, and students best prepare for the high-stakes tests.  The first strategy that Alexander provides is to have students read, read, read.  Not only should they be reading, but they should be reading with a focus on determining the tone, theme, structure, and purpose of the author.  If they do this, then they will be directing their reading, focusing it, and formulating an understanding of the overall piece.  From there, they’ll have a better chance at correctly answering the questions on the standardized test.  This idea is crucial.  It cannot just be about teaching students how to understand the plot of something.  I have to strive to teach my students how to think more dynamically about the works that they are reading.  If I can get students to read and think in a more complex manner, then the students will have a better chance at improving on the standardized tests.

Another strategy that is provided is for teachers to help students build their vocabularies.  This includes teaching them how to break down the words, use context clues, and so on.  One of the best ways to do this is to do think alouds.  Teachers need to show students how they can break down the words so that they can better understand the reading.  If students cannot decipher what words mean, then they will be unable to read effectively as they will be lost.  We cannot afford to have this happen.  Teachers have to instill within students a stronger vocabulary.  One other way that we can help improve their vocabulary is for students to use their smartphones when they encounter a word that they don’t understand.  They can look it up on their smartphone and have it defined for them immediately.  This should happen in the classroom.

One final strategy that she suggested was to have students do their own practicing.  This is huge.  Teachers and administrators have to make these test guides available to students.  Many are cheap and online.  The more students practice, the better they will do.  It has to be noted that it is not only the responsibility of the teachers and schools to prepare students for these tests; it is also the responsibility of the students and parents as well.

Alexander, Andrea. “Leveling the Playing Field: How to Make Standardized Test Preparation Accessible to All Students.”  6 July 2011.  Web.  Edutopia.org. 7 Aug. 2011.  <http://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-to-make-standardized-test-prep-available-to-all-students>.

Week 8, Blog 2 - Assessment

The article is from the following site: http://www.edutopia.org/stw-assessment-ten-lessons-get-started.

With assessment being such an important and vital aspect within teaching, the Edutopia Staff provided ten key elements that comprise quality authentic assessment.  I’d like to focus on a few of these components in depth.

According to the article, one of the key aspects of authentic assessment is to use a rubric.  I completely agree.  By providing students with a rubric, they have an understanding of the expectations that they need to meet.  Furthermore, when they get their assessment back, they will be able to see exactly where they need to improve and where they did very well.  Rubrics have to be designed smartly so that students know exactly what is needed.  In my school, we’ve really focused on developed high-quality rubrics so that our assessments are more valid and stronger.

Another concept found within the article was the idea that teachers have to think backward.  In other words, we have to begin our planning with the summative assessment in mind.  After creating the summative assessment (the main point of the entire unit), teachers can then go through and create formative assessments that can help shape student understanding of the material.  The formative assessment is meant to shape the students’ understanding of the material so that they can do well on the summative assessment, thus showing mastery of the learning targets.

One other interesting idea posited by the article was that students should be given assessments on demand.  After a lesson, for example, on the following day, teachers should ask students to write a response in correlation with what had just been learned.  I often do this and it is effective.  First, I can gauge how well students are learning.  Second, I can understand where students were erroneous in their thinking.  From there, I can re-teach the material so that students can have misunderstandings clarified.

The article also suggested that teachers provide students with the opportunity to assess themselves.  This is very important that teachers provide students with the opportunity to reflect on their own learning.  This will help students learn to reflect so that they will know how they’ve grown and also understand where they need to continue to improve.  Understanding your own strengths and weaknesses is very important in learning, and it is more valuable coming from yourself than from somebody else (i.e. your teacher).

One of the interesting ideas that the Edutopia staff suggested was for teachers to work together and collaborate on material.  I couldn’t agree more.  I am fortunate to work at a school where my colleagues and I are able to work together to create materials that we’re very proud of.  Of course, we are never satisfied and we constantly strive to improve our lessons, plans, and assessments.

As you can see, there are numerous characteristics that are involved in authentic assessment.  We as teachers have the awesome responsibility of creating assessments that will ensure growth within our students.  We have to continue to work hard at creating quality assessments in order to best prepare our students for the demands of the future.

Edutopia Staff.   “Ten Takeaway Tips for Using Authentic Assessment in Your School.”  No Date.  Web.  Edutopia.  7 Aug. 2011.  < http://www.edutopia.org/stw-assessment-ten-lessons-get-started >.

Week 8, Blog 1 - Classroom Groups

The article is from the following site: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-grouping-homogeneous-heterogeneous-ben-johnson.

This interesting article explores the issue of grouping students.  He notes that teachers have sometimes grouped the best students with the worst students so that they can lead the others to the promised land of disciplined learning.

With this premise, he maintains that many students can see right through what teachers are doing.  This creates tension, anger, resentment, and even hurt feelings because of trying to eliminate discipline problems. 

The points that he makes are very valid.  At times in years past, I have done this.  What often happens is the same people take the leadership and direct the learning and some people never have a voice. 

His solution was that we need to divide students up in various ways.  Highly motivated learners with highly motivated learners.  Medium with medium.  Low with low.  You can also split them up in various ways.  From there, he noted that you can split kids up based upon their favorite ice cream color, candy, etc.  This would be more random and would create a fun atmosphere as well.  And with technology, I’m sure there’s some programs that can split the kids up completely randomly.

This makes sense; kids will work with others and this will allow for some students to have more of a voice and take on more leadership skills.  Furthermore, the randomness will allow for more respect between the student and the teacher.  No longer will that resentment be there and this will help increase the learning and the motivation.

In my classroom, I often let students pick their own groups.  This works because they can work with their friends and concentrate on accomplishing the task while knowing that they can trust their partners.  Of course, I explain that there are strict expectations and that if they deviate from staying on track, then they will not be working towards mastery of the learning material. 

In sum, varying up the way that you do grouping is the way to go.  This keeps things fresh in the classroom and may help some students become stronger leaders and learners.


Johnson, Ben.  “Student Learning Groups: Homogenous or Heterogeneous?”  2 Aug. 2011.  Web.  Edutopia.org.  7 Aug. 2011.  <http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-grouping-homogeneous-heterogeneous-ben-johnson>.