Chapter Three: Providing Feedback

Which Strategies will Provide Evidence of Student Learning? Providing Feedback

OK, I am back! I have been on vacation. Read in the car, but the use of technology on the raod was limited by my lack of energy at the end of a long fun filled day. I was too tired to get on-line and make my postings. Also, viewing the clips and training were hampered by the lack of time spent in our hotel rooms. South Dakota was beautiful and cool -- highs in the 70's and low hunidity. Watched college world series baseball and missed my southern cuisine.

My plans for the use of technology in my career gained from the reading in this chapter can be used in my pull-out classroom. My first idea is to create pre-unit math assessments using "E-instruction". I can facilitate the use of pre-assessments with my fellow teachers I work with on each grade level. I will use the data gained through the program "E-instruction" to determine what the students already know and what they need to learn. This will help all of us focus on what truly needs to be taught and not just open the chapter and teach through the unit. "E-instruction" will focus all of us: classroom and pull-out teacher. We can determine who needs additional help on what skills, who can move forward, and if what we are doing is actually working by using the pre-assessment as a post-assessment at the end of the unit. I would encourage my new teacher that I am mentoring to do this before she teaches a unit in math also. The use of "E-instruction" should focus instruction and create a a greater learning environment for our students.

My second idea will be to use the our campus' "COW: Computers on Wheels" to offer my students the opportunity use some of the web resources found in this chapter. I do not have computers in my classroom. The web resources gave me ideas for games to use with my students. I can offer my students the opportunity to practice basic skills they need to master in a fun motivating media and also give them the immediate feedback they need. I know no District benchmarks and unit assessments, many errors are due to the lack of mastery of basic skills such as addition, subtraction and multiplication facts.

Chapter One: Setting Objectives

I will use what I learned in this chapter in my future career: school administrator. I hope to use this soon.
One of my ideas is similar to what we are doing here in this class -- a book study. I really like this venue. I can work at home and then respond to the materials, communicate with colleagues, and contemplate the discussion held in the postings. I know I do not read materials and books on educational topics as much as I should. A school-wide book study would encourage all teachers to continue their pursuits of new ideas and technology without too much discomfort. I think this could be accomplished by assigning chapters bi-monthly. Have teachers discuss in bi-monthly grade level meetings, and share the duties of blogging their thoughts and responding to the thoughts of others. Once a month, time during faculty meetings could be used to discuss the book study and get feedback from the whole campus. Now, I know this will be initially met with frustration and griping, but I think teachers will be quickly swayed once they learn the process. The benefit to our school should be positive. Teachers will learn to work more as a group, stay informed as to current thinking and topics, and have the opportunity to learn technology and use it.
The other idea I have is to implement individual goal planning. I do not think we utilize this concept. I know I do not set individual goals for my own self-improvement. I think we should start each year with short-term and long-term individual and campus goals. I think having teachers set individual goals both short-term and long-term will help keep everyone focused on the campus' goals. Using Inspiration, I will make a template with our campus long-term goal stated, then each teacher can add to the template a couple of their individual short-term goals that will compliment our long-term goal. Each teacher will add what they will need to do to accomplish their goals: professional development, training, and/or peer review.

A Vision of K-12 Students Today

OK, I am a dinosaur. I agree with the premise of the use of technology in the classroom. Our students must be able to use technology in order to become proficient tech users. Also, I know the jobs of the future will require these skills; however my concern is that our children are going to grow up not being able to communicate face to face with people. They will not be able to discuss, work cooperatively, and disagree civilly with real people because they spend their time, daily for many hours, plugged into something.

I drive down the road and see children hooked up to DVD's. I eat in restaurants where children are gaming at the table. I walk through stores and teenagers are plugged into their IPODs. Where is the communication occurring? What happened to talking to your kids? People are so busy with their everyday lives working, playing, eating, and sleeping. When do they communicate with their kids. It used to be driving in the car and eating. Mealtime used to be the greatest time to see how your kids day went: what did they learn, what did you and your friends do today at school, or did anything exciting happen today. I fear that all of this us of technology, possibly misuse, is contributing to the downfall of the family and our children's future.

As a teacher of kindergarteners and first graders, I see our children coming to school not academically prepared. They lack pre-reading skills, normally obtained through "lap time" with their parents. I can not remember the exact number of "lap time" hours our kids should have to get them prepared for school, but it is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000 plus hours.

Integration of technology into the school and family.... YES, but do not replace face to face communication.