"What do you do to help students take ownership of their own learning and therefore become more self-regulated and independent language learners?"
The past two semesters I have started my classes with an introduction to the language proficiency levels. Using an shared by Kara Parker my students create sample texts in English for each of the proficiency levels (Novice low - Intermediate high). We then evaluate the texts to underscore what constitutes each level. I conclude this activity by asking each student to state what they can already do with the Spanish language, what they want to be able to do with the language, and how they will meet their goal. Their input gives me a sense of where they are when we begin and we refer back to those responses at the end of the semester to see what has been achieved.
To continue along this path of employing the performance levels, after each unit assessment students work in groups to tackle the writing performance task and the speaking performance task that were on the test. Each group brainstorms and develops a group response. The responses tend to employ more language then they produced as individuals but it shows them how to tackle the assessments and provides them with strategies for future assessments. As part of this activity they exchange group products and assign a performance level. This helps them become more comfortable with the criteria and with the idea of assessing one's own work.
I plan to expand this activity for my introductory language students to include a strategy that David Thompson presented in the Language Educator article Developing Student Awareness with Self-Assessment Exercises (Feb 2014). Students will complete a post-test reflection which Thompson refers to as a wrapper (54). The self-assessment that occurs will presumably aid students in preparing for the next assessment. I anticipate that once students have completed the post-test reflection individually they will share their ideas for preparing for the next assessment.
At the start of first semester Spanish my students read an article which presents ten strategies that one can use to learn a language. I ask them to rank the activities from the strategies they are most likely to employ and find helpful to the least and to explain why they ranked certain activities at the top. We then discuss the strategies and how they can best accelerate and solidify their learning.
Self-motivated students who spend time watching movies and programs in the target language, reading authentic text, and creating quizzes to review the vocabulary on Quizlet are precious few. Many students do the minimum and expect favorable results both in grades and in proficiency. It takes consistent guidance and encouragement to inspire these students to set personal goals and rise above the status quo.
I believe that technology has a role to play in helping students to expand and assess their growth with the language. I provide students with a list of different tools so they can use the tool which best meets their needs and interests. One current student of mine has chosen to use Rosetta Stone to add to his vocabulary and improve his pronunciation. Another creates quizzes for herself that not only reinforce unit vocabulary but have an auditory component so she can hear the words and then spell them. A third student uses Duo Lingo to expand her skills with the language. Giving these students an opportunity in class to share the merits of the tools they are using and how they are independently taking control of their own learning is another way that I can help to promote students learning on their own.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Video Games: Are they really educational?
I have been asked to reflect upon the following quote:
“What attracts and “glues” kids to today’s video and computer games is neither the violence, or even the surface subject matter, but rather the learning the games provide. Kids, likeand all humans, love to learn when it isn’t forced on them. Modern computer and video games provide learning opportunities every second, or fraction thereof.” (Prensky, 2003)
Having read this quote countless times I am still not convinced that children are attracted to games because of the learning that games provide. Perhaps this is pessimistic on my part but I believe that people in general are attracted to games because they are fun, stimulating, and often challenging. From my experience the learning that occurs is an added benefit of engaging in the game often repeatedly, but I don't believe it is the motivation.
I have a nine year old granddaughter who will spend a concerted amount of time playing a game. As I watch her, I see she is challenged to succeed in the game's objectives and she repeats the game because she is determined to surpass her own best scores. When I ask her why she plays the game she typically tells me that it is fun.
I agree wholeheartedly with Prensky that modern computers and video games provide tremendous learning opportunities for all of us. From a teaching and learning standpoint they are particularly valuable for helping our students to learn and practice their skills in a fun and engaging way. The games captivate people's attention causing them to try over and over in an effort to improve their mastery. I also believe that the quality of games continues to improve making them more dynamic and attractive to the player. Although learning may be occurring it is the dynamic nature of the interaction and competition that I believe motivates us to play.
I would argue that the more important point that Prensky makes in his article Really Good News About Your Children's Video Games is that according to an increasing amount of research children are gaining more than just knowledge from their experiences with games. He states that "on deeper levels they learn infinitely more: to take in information from many sources and make decisions quickly; to deduce a game's rules from playing rather than by being told; to create strategies for overcoming obstacles; to understand complex systems through experimentation. And, increasingly, they learn to collaborate with others." (1)
Given the mounting research demonstrating that through the use of video and digital games children develop critical skills needed for the future there would seem to be significant implications for our education system. The evidence supports a strong counter argument to the long held belief that 'play' is only valuable for elementary students. It also validates the declaration that people learn both content and critical skills through gaming.
The nature of educational transformation is a topic of debate across this nation as stakeholders demand that students graduate with adequate knowledge and skills to succeed. Although I am not one to play games I feel compelled to acknowledge that there is a valid place for games in the teaching/learning experience. These tools are yet another resource that can be used to teach, practice, and assess 21st century skills such as the ability to collaborate, problem-solve, and think critically. Perhaps it is time for educational institutions across the K-16 spectrum to adapt the learning experience to include a gaming dimension among other research based best practices and technologies.
“What attracts and “glues” kids to today’s video and computer games is neither the violence, or even the surface subject matter, but rather the learning the games provide. Kids, like
Having read this quote countless times I am still not convinced that children are attracted to games because of the learning that games provide. Perhaps this is pessimistic on my part but I believe that people in general are attracted to games because they are fun, stimulating, and often challenging. From my experience the learning that occurs is an added benefit of engaging in the game often repeatedly, but I don't believe it is the motivation.
I have a nine year old granddaughter who will spend a concerted amount of time playing a game. As I watch her, I see she is challenged to succeed in the game's objectives and she repeats the game because she is determined to surpass her own best scores. When I ask her why she plays the game she typically tells me that it is fun.
I agree wholeheartedly with Prensky that modern computers and video games provide tremendous learning opportunities for all of us. From a teaching and learning standpoint they are particularly valuable for helping our students to learn and practice their skills in a fun and engaging way. The games captivate people's attention causing them to try over and over in an effort to improve their mastery. I also believe that the quality of games continues to improve making them more dynamic and attractive to the player. Although learning may be occurring it is the dynamic nature of the interaction and competition that I believe motivates us to play.
I would argue that the more important point that Prensky makes in his article Really Good News About Your Children's Video Games is that according to an increasing amount of research children are gaining more than just knowledge from their experiences with games. He states that "on deeper levels they learn infinitely more: to take in information from many sources and make decisions quickly; to deduce a game's rules from playing rather than by being told; to create strategies for overcoming obstacles; to understand complex systems through experimentation. And, increasingly, they learn to collaborate with others." (1)
Given the mounting research demonstrating that through the use of video and digital games children develop critical skills needed for the future there would seem to be significant implications for our education system. The evidence supports a strong counter argument to the long held belief that 'play' is only valuable for elementary students. It also validates the declaration that people learn both content and critical skills through gaming.
The nature of educational transformation is a topic of debate across this nation as stakeholders demand that students graduate with adequate knowledge and skills to succeed. Although I am not one to play games I feel compelled to acknowledge that there is a valid place for games in the teaching/learning experience. These tools are yet another resource that can be used to teach, practice, and assess 21st century skills such as the ability to collaborate, problem-solve, and think critically. Perhaps it is time for educational institutions across the K-16 spectrum to adapt the learning experience to include a gaming dimension among other research based best practices and technologies.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Teaching Culture
"Teaching culture is not an easy task, and many teachers feel that they do not know the culture they need to teach well enough to be an expert in the classroom." Sabine Levet, FLTMAG, July 2013.
I agree that teaching culture is a challenge in many respects. However, given the inherent need for our students to be inter-culturally competent it is even more important that we commit to moving beyond teaching surface culture.
The biggest challenge that I am experiencing when it comes to teaching culture is one of a mindset change in how I approach teaching and learning experiences. At a recent professional development session our presenter, Kara Parker started the workshop with "Lead with culture and language will follow!" She then proceeded to show us over the course of two days that through the use of culturally authentic resources we can create student-centered language learning experiences. But this is more difficult than just finding some good stuff on the internet and introducing it into the classroom. This requires time, cultural knowledge on the part of the educator, resourcefulness, connections, and creativity.
In fact, this philosophical switch from language being the driving force to culture is very dramatic. Traditionally, I would teach a topic and weave in cultural tidbits, products, practices, and perspectives based upon my own experiences and education. I recognize now that this approach will only result in a cultural competency level of novice. Previously, students weren't asked to analyze their own culture in relation to others. They were not asked to evaluate their perspectives and those of others on a broad range of issues. The challenge of creating these experiences is great but exhilarating.
This leads me back to Sabine Levet's quote in which she points out that some teachers don't feel they have the requisite expertise to teach culture. I understand why teachers feel that way. I teach Spanish and there are 21 Spanish-speaking countries each with their own products, practices, and perspectives. It is impossible to be culturally connected to all the societies where our languages are spoken. In our classrooms we share what we have studied and experienced personally and for some teachers that is more than others. Even a native speaker of a particular country is not versed in the entire community. This is yet another challenge but one that can be managed through the use of technology. We are now able to connect with native speakers through a multitude of networked sites, conversation exchanges, and social media.
The technology of today affords us the opportunity to easily connect with people of other cultures.
By applying the strategies that make up models like Cultura our students can move beyond the superficial understanding of others to being culturally informed and competent citizens.
Another challenge we face as a profession in relation to teaching culture is the assessment component. Many if not most educational institutions and their constituents expect learning to be assessed. We are expected to prove that our students have learned what they were taught. Capturing cultural knowledge for purposes of assessment has often resulted in the meaningless regurgitation of facts rather than deep cultural understanding.
This question of 'how to assess culture' resulted in a bit of a personal transformation. I was inspired by yet another presenter, Pablo Muirhead, to rethink how what culture is taught and how the learnign is assessed. Pablo shared the Iceberg Concept of Culture and a culture project he designed that was in large part experiential. Students actually go into the community, interact with Spanish-speakers, and explore the culture. The required reflection serves as an indicator of how far along the ICC continuum a student has traveled through these experiences. These projects replaced the ten culture questions on the final exam and my students are better for it. They have expressed deeper interest and enthusiasm for the community and culture. In this respect I believe we are on the right path, but I recognize that our students need even more intensive exploratory experiences and the challenge for me is to create them.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Technology Decisions
Greetings,
At our institution I believe that our Technology Education Innovation team and our Executive Director of Technology lead the decision making process for technology purchases. There is also a committee with faculty representation that participates in the technology decisions. In the past I have not been involved in this process, but recently the budget process changed and Divisions are now being asked to propose future needs, to include technology.
After piloting two Voicethread activities this past semester, as part of the Elevate course, I reached out to the TEI team and asked if we could purchase it. At first I was informed that we may be able to be part of a pilot that the State University of New York (SUNY) system is conducting. But the concern was that only a few teachers would use the tool making it difficult to justify in the future.
I explained that I could envision its application in many different disciplines across the College and that this would be a particularly valuable tool for our online courses. Later I heard one of the faculty reps from the technology committee also praising the value of Voicethread making me think that this will be a priority in the future.
I realize now that the more I experiment with technology and learn about its application in the teaching learning process the more I can participate in these discussions. I am particularly interested in collaborating with the language faculty to identify the optimal strategies and tools for our curriculum. Currently, only a couple of us are using technology to any serious degree. I would like to set up faculty exchanges in which we introduce technology to others in our department and share activity ideas. I am confident that his will energize innovations in our classrooms and give us the concrete data needed to convince the 'powers that be' to make purchases to support our efforts.
The quote "knowledge is power" comes to mind. Prior to studying technology I didn't feel qualified to voice an opinion about technology integration, but the more I learn the more I want to try and share.
Until next week,
Photo taken by Theresa Baginski Nov 2015
New York Country Winter
At our institution I believe that our Technology Education Innovation team and our Executive Director of Technology lead the decision making process for technology purchases. There is also a committee with faculty representation that participates in the technology decisions. In the past I have not been involved in this process, but recently the budget process changed and Divisions are now being asked to propose future needs, to include technology.
After piloting two Voicethread activities this past semester, as part of the Elevate course, I reached out to the TEI team and asked if we could purchase it. At first I was informed that we may be able to be part of a pilot that the State University of New York (SUNY) system is conducting. But the concern was that only a few teachers would use the tool making it difficult to justify in the future.
I explained that I could envision its application in many different disciplines across the College and that this would be a particularly valuable tool for our online courses. Later I heard one of the faculty reps from the technology committee also praising the value of Voicethread making me think that this will be a priority in the future.
I realize now that the more I experiment with technology and learn about its application in the teaching learning process the more I can participate in these discussions. I am particularly interested in collaborating with the language faculty to identify the optimal strategies and tools for our curriculum. Currently, only a couple of us are using technology to any serious degree. I would like to set up faculty exchanges in which we introduce technology to others in our department and share activity ideas. I am confident that his will energize innovations in our classrooms and give us the concrete data needed to convince the 'powers that be' to make purchases to support our efforts.
The quote "knowledge is power" comes to mind. Prior to studying technology I didn't feel qualified to voice an opinion about technology integration, but the more I learn the more I want to try and share.
Until next week,
New York Country Winter
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Constantly Learning
Greetings from a tired language teacher,
Three weeks of class left this semester and I think it is safe to say students and teachers alike are a bit exhausted. But this week, like every other in the life of an educator, resulted in great learning for all of us. This weeks' lessons were many but I think highlighting what I learned about Fair Use is most beneficial to those of you who dedicate yourself to teaching.
In general there is a belief among educators that we can use just about anything for the purposes of teaching and we won't get in trouble. In this digital age there is a plethora of delightful images that we cut and paste without thought spicing up our lesson plans, activities, and handouts. However, what I learned is that under Fair Use there are four criteria that would be considered in a legal setting if sued for violating unauthorized use of an image or video. That's right, we could be sued.
In the FLTMAG article Teaching Materials in the Digital Age: Using and Sharing Images and Video Responsibly written by Alison Hicks and Courtney Felt we learn that a court would consider if it was used for profit or not, if the nature of the image was changed from how it was originally intended, the impact usage had on its ability to profit, and how much of the copyrighted work was used (3).
This may not have been overly important when our teaching took place solely face to face and visibility of what we used was limited to our classroom. But times have changed and our presence online expands daily as we post our lessons and activities in learning management systems, we create educational blogs, wikis, and web pages, as well as, videos.
The question I suggest we ask ourselves is: Have I borrowed anything be it an image, video, or activity that I need to cite? If the answer is yes and especially if it is part of our online presence then it would be wise to do so. In doing so we show that we value the creativity of others and we model for our students proper conduct in the digital world.
Well, now that I have reflected on this lesson learned. I think I will go check my previous posts and as the old saying goes "not just talk the talk, but walk the walk".
Happy Thanksgiving
Three weeks of class left this semester and I think it is safe to say students and teachers alike are a bit exhausted. But this week, like every other in the life of an educator, resulted in great learning for all of us. This weeks' lessons were many but I think highlighting what I learned about Fair Use is most beneficial to those of you who dedicate yourself to teaching.
In general there is a belief among educators that we can use just about anything for the purposes of teaching and we won't get in trouble. In this digital age there is a plethora of delightful images that we cut and paste without thought spicing up our lesson plans, activities, and handouts. However, what I learned is that under Fair Use there are four criteria that would be considered in a legal setting if sued for violating unauthorized use of an image or video. That's right, we could be sued.
In the FLTMAG article Teaching Materials in the Digital Age: Using and Sharing Images and Video Responsibly written by Alison Hicks and Courtney Felt we learn that a court would consider if it was used for profit or not, if the nature of the image was changed from how it was originally intended, the impact usage had on its ability to profit, and how much of the copyrighted work was used (3).
This may not have been overly important when our teaching took place solely face to face and visibility of what we used was limited to our classroom. But times have changed and our presence online expands daily as we post our lessons and activities in learning management systems, we create educational blogs, wikis, and web pages, as well as, videos.
The question I suggest we ask ourselves is: Have I borrowed anything be it an image, video, or activity that I need to cite? If the answer is yes and especially if it is part of our online presence then it would be wise to do so. In doing so we show that we value the creativity of others and we model for our students proper conduct in the digital world.
Well, now that I have reflected on this lesson learned. I think I will go check my previous posts and as the old saying goes "not just talk the talk, but walk the walk".
Happy Thanksgiving
Saturday, November 14, 2015
My Fantasy Language School
Greetings,
Before I start to dream about a Fantasy Language School I first want to imagine a world where people of all colors, cultures, languages, religions, and any other difference that currently divides our world accepted one another with arms wide open. I dream of a world where we acknowledge that everyone has the same basic needs; to be loved, to be fed, to be educated, to be accepted, and to live with dignity and security. To the people of Paris and all of France, my heart and prayers go out to you. (Click on image to see Jean Jullien's tweet.)
This week we are being challenged to dream. We are asked to imagine what our ideal language school would be like if the decisions were all ours and money was not an object. Now you know
why it is called a dream!
First, my school would exist within a society that truly valued language and culture. There wouldn't be debates over the value of studying language nor the argument that English is the only language we need to know. Language learning would be an aspiration for the many and polyglots would be recognized for their brilliance and valued as are doctors today.
My language school would be a microcosm of our multicultural world. Diversity would be present in every aspect of the institution from the administration to the staff, faculty, and students. Everyone would be appreciated for their unique perspectives and on any given day anyone could fill the role of student or teacher. The walls would visually represent the world and all the signage would be in multiple languages. The school would be partnered with other schools across the globe providing students with access to partners for projects and information exchange.
We wouldn't use text books to drive our curriculum. Instead, we would create a curriculum driven by real world problems and scenarios. Students would choose the problems they want to work on making the curriculum fluid and allowing for learning to take place naturally. The organic nature of this process would remove the time constraints of semesters or quarters. Instead students would study a unit until they were ready to move on.
Don't get me wrong, there would be learning objectives. I like "Can Do" statements because students can judge what they can do and can determine their own progress and needs. The teacher would serve to consult, advise, guide, monitor progress, redirect, while exploring and learning side by side with the students. The Can Do statements would reflect the global skills our students need now and would need in the future.
Grades would be a thing of the past! I truly don't like grades or grading for that matter. Students would receive feedback from a committee of teachers and students, as well as, the outside world who examined, admired, and critiqued the students' published work, solutions, and creations.
The school would have a theater where students could go in and see foreign films and documentaries, as well as, the news as it happens. Students would be encouraged to be aware of current events by having the flexibility to go take a break in the theater and watch the news and even create news.
We would have state of the art technology throughout the school which allowed our students to connect with people across the globe whenever they wanted or needed to for their research. Every student would have multiple devices that they could use to create and communicate. The technology would serve to give the students access to fellow students and experts while working on their individual and collaborative projects.
Every week would include students working in teams, pairs, and individually to create, communicate, and explore. There would be weekly virtual field trips and opportunities to hear from experts on the topics we were exploring. Students across grade levels or language courses would have an opportunity to share their progress with one another to include with our global partner schools.
Okay, enough dreaming, what can I do today in the real world? I can create student-centered learning activities that put me in the consult, guide, and assist role and allow my students to take center stage. I can look at alternatives to our text book and continue to explore how to optimize technology use in the teaching learning process. I can pursue additional activities that expose students to authentic world resources and the exploration of global perspectives.
Before I start to dream about a Fantasy Language School I first want to imagine a world where people of all colors, cultures, languages, religions, and any other difference that currently divides our world accepted one another with arms wide open. I dream of a world where we acknowledge that everyone has the same basic needs; to be loved, to be fed, to be educated, to be accepted, and to live with dignity and security. To the people of Paris and all of France, my heart and prayers go out to you. (Click on image to see Jean Jullien's tweet.)
This week we are being challenged to dream. We are asked to imagine what our ideal language school would be like if the decisions were all ours and money was not an object. Now you know
why it is called a dream!
First, my school would exist within a society that truly valued language and culture. There wouldn't be debates over the value of studying language nor the argument that English is the only language we need to know. Language learning would be an aspiration for the many and polyglots would be recognized for their brilliance and valued as are doctors today.
My language school would be a microcosm of our multicultural world. Diversity would be present in every aspect of the institution from the administration to the staff, faculty, and students. Everyone would be appreciated for their unique perspectives and on any given day anyone could fill the role of student or teacher. The walls would visually represent the world and all the signage would be in multiple languages. The school would be partnered with other schools across the globe providing students with access to partners for projects and information exchange.
We wouldn't use text books to drive our curriculum. Instead, we would create a curriculum driven by real world problems and scenarios. Students would choose the problems they want to work on making the curriculum fluid and allowing for learning to take place naturally. The organic nature of this process would remove the time constraints of semesters or quarters. Instead students would study a unit until they were ready to move on.
Don't get me wrong, there would be learning objectives. I like "Can Do" statements because students can judge what they can do and can determine their own progress and needs. The teacher would serve to consult, advise, guide, monitor progress, redirect, while exploring and learning side by side with the students. The Can Do statements would reflect the global skills our students need now and would need in the future.
Grades would be a thing of the past! I truly don't like grades or grading for that matter. Students would receive feedback from a committee of teachers and students, as well as, the outside world who examined, admired, and critiqued the students' published work, solutions, and creations.
The school would have a theater where students could go in and see foreign films and documentaries, as well as, the news as it happens. Students would be encouraged to be aware of current events by having the flexibility to go take a break in the theater and watch the news and even create news.
We would have state of the art technology throughout the school which allowed our students to connect with people across the globe whenever they wanted or needed to for their research. Every student would have multiple devices that they could use to create and communicate. The technology would serve to give the students access to fellow students and experts while working on their individual and collaborative projects.
Every week would include students working in teams, pairs, and individually to create, communicate, and explore. There would be weekly virtual field trips and opportunities to hear from experts on the topics we were exploring. Students across grade levels or language courses would have an opportunity to share their progress with one another to include with our global partner schools.
Okay, enough dreaming, what can I do today in the real world? I can create student-centered learning activities that put me in the consult, guide, and assist role and allow my students to take center stage. I can look at alternatives to our text book and continue to explore how to optimize technology use in the teaching learning process. I can pursue additional activities that expose students to authentic world resources and the exploration of global perspectives.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Failure in the classroom
Saludos,
Can you believe it is now November? Only five weeks of class remaining and another semester will come to an end. It seems like an appropriate time to consider the question "have you ever experienced failure in the classroom? What happened and how did you recover from it (or did you?)"?
Well, anyone who has taught more than a month would be lying if they didn't admit to failing in the classroom. To one degree or another every teacher misses the mark at some point. I have been teaching since 1991 so it is fair to say I have had days when I walked out thinking ...
"Wow, I really blew that one."
"Oh my, that was a disaster."
"This is crazy, I don't even deserve to call myself a teacher."
"Why didn't that work?????"
Then invariably what happens is I think about the lesson, the interactions, and how my students reacted. I ask myself "at what point did it fall a part?" Lots of time I don't sleep that night trying to figure out what went wrong and how to make it better. With me, I obsess more about fixing it than the failure itself.
I will give you an example of just such a day! I planned this elaborate assessment day with four different activities. The students were grouped and moved from one assessment station to the next. I thought I had it perfectly orchestrated, but quite quickly it started to break down and chaos seemed to ensue. Now it wasn't chaotic in the sense of a classroom of 20 five year olds running around, rather 20 young adults moving around confused and frustrated for a multitude of reasons. There was obvious tension and I realized fairly quickly that this wasn't a favorable situation for assessing language performance, but just wasn't sure how to fix it on the spot.
I agonized over this that night and the whole next day. I am a senior teacher. I kept asking myself "how did that happen? I thought I had it perfectly planned?"
The next class I greeted my students by simply stating that they had witnessed a teacher's plan fall apart in front of their eyes. I told them that I needed their honest input and suggestions and that I would take their input into account as I planned future assessments. That day we all learned something and fortunately I didn't lose any sleep that night.
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely.” - Henry Ford
Until next week,
Can you believe it is now November? Only five weeks of class remaining and another semester will come to an end. It seems like an appropriate time to consider the question "have you ever experienced failure in the classroom? What happened and how did you recover from it (or did you?)"?
Well, anyone who has taught more than a month would be lying if they didn't admit to failing in the classroom. To one degree or another every teacher misses the mark at some point. I have been teaching since 1991 so it is fair to say I have had days when I walked out thinking ...
"Wow, I really blew that one."
"Oh my, that was a disaster."
"This is crazy, I don't even deserve to call myself a teacher."
"Why didn't that work?????"
Then invariably what happens is I think about the lesson, the interactions, and how my students reacted. I ask myself "at what point did it fall a part?" Lots of time I don't sleep that night trying to figure out what went wrong and how to make it better. With me, I obsess more about fixing it than the failure itself.
I will give you an example of just such a day! I planned this elaborate assessment day with four different activities. The students were grouped and moved from one assessment station to the next. I thought I had it perfectly orchestrated, but quite quickly it started to break down and chaos seemed to ensue. Now it wasn't chaotic in the sense of a classroom of 20 five year olds running around, rather 20 young adults moving around confused and frustrated for a multitude of reasons. There was obvious tension and I realized fairly quickly that this wasn't a favorable situation for assessing language performance, but just wasn't sure how to fix it on the spot.
I agonized over this that night and the whole next day. I am a senior teacher. I kept asking myself "how did that happen? I thought I had it perfectly planned?"
The next class I greeted my students by simply stating that they had witnessed a teacher's plan fall apart in front of their eyes. I told them that I needed their honest input and suggestions and that I would take their input into account as I planned future assessments. That day we all learned something and fortunately I didn't lose any sleep that night.
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely.” - Henry Ford
Until next week,
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)