Portfolios! I love them! I think portfolios are a great way to track students work. I think they have the potential to be extremely effective while also allowing students to showcase their work. It allows the student to show their classmates, parents and themselves some of their best work. It is also a great way for the student to see the progress they have made throughout the year.
I especially like how it gets students involved. I remember in grammar school my teacher allowing me to pick out some of my stories from my writing folder for my portfolio. I always picked the best of the best out of all my stories. I remember how excited I would be to pick out my favorite work I did for my parents to see at parent/teacher conferences.
I also believe that portfolios are helpful to teachers and aren't just for students. It's a great way for a teacher to organize a students work and allow them to track the progress of that student that much more easily. I also think that when creating the portfolio it should not be up to the student alone. I think that the teacher and student work together so that it is a fair evaluation of the progress made.
In my classroom, I can see myself using portfolios. However, I wouldn't use a simple folder--I would like something more creative [maybe the pizza box idea Dr. Luongo said in our language arts class] or atleast folders decorated by the students. Something exciting!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Teacher Expectations
To begin, homework. Since in my last blog I discussed the importance of homework I thought it would be appropriate to begin this blog about teacher expectations dealing with homework. I would expect all students to complete the assigned homework complete and best to their ability. I expect my students to do their homework and not the parents, grandparents, aunt/uncle or an older sibling. I do not expect my students to do every assignment completely by themselves because I believe students are going to need help from parents and such.
Next, classroom expectations. I would expect a good amount from my students. Some would include: respect for eachother, good behavior, hard work and such. I believe each student should try their hardest in the classroom.
I believe that what you expect from your students will reflect what you get out of them. If you do not expect a lot from one student or believe s/he is incapable of completing something, then that student will perform to the low standard you expect him or her to. To get good results out of your students the teacher has to put high expectations into their classroom and students.
Next, classroom expectations. I would expect a good amount from my students. Some would include: respect for eachother, good behavior, hard work and such. I believe each student should try their hardest in the classroom.
I believe that what you expect from your students will reflect what you get out of them. If you do not expect a lot from one student or believe s/he is incapable of completing something, then that student will perform to the low standard you expect him or her to. To get good results out of your students the teacher has to put high expectations into their classroom and students.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Homework
Homework. How many students look foward to homework? Most students (with the exception of a few) dread homework. I myself hated the sit-at-the-table and do your homework time. I remember prolonging it anyway possible. Mom I'm hungry. Mom can I just play for five more minutes? But Dad, the dog wants to go out. I have to let him out! I'm guilty of using these excuses to try and aviod homework for a few extra minutes. However, homework is necessary.
Homework can be a way of assessing students. Personally, I feel that homework can be used to assess students but kept to a minimal. Homework is done at home and how do you know a student is doing the actual work and not the parent? If it's not the student doing the work then who are you really assessing--the parent or maybe even a sibling.
Another issue I have witnessed is students rush through it. Last year I tutored at an after school program. The students were broken up into groups and rotated stations. One station they had to sit at tables and do their homework. I was helping a thrid grade boy with his math homework and this boy just was not concentrating! He was wondering what the girl at the table behind him was doing, what other groups were doing and when it would be his turn to go to the art station. I get the point that the program was trying to help the parents and make sure homework was getting done but how is homework going to benefit the child when it's getting done by a student whose attention is everywhere but on the homework. I believe students need homework but also need an enviornment where they can concentrate to do homework otherwise it is almost pointless.
Lastly, what homework is necessary? We've all had those annoying assignments we just can't figure out why we've been assigned them. (and I'm not just talking homework here, but also classwork) Was it necessary to assign it to the students? Maybe but then again maybe not.
When we are assigning homework as teachers, I believe we have to truly look at the assignment and think, "how is this going to benefit my students? Or am I just assigning it to have homework?" If it's the later of the two, then maybe we should be reconsidering the homework.
Homework can be a way of assessing students. Personally, I feel that homework can be used to assess students but kept to a minimal. Homework is done at home and how do you know a student is doing the actual work and not the parent? If it's not the student doing the work then who are you really assessing--the parent or maybe even a sibling.
Another issue I have witnessed is students rush through it. Last year I tutored at an after school program. The students were broken up into groups and rotated stations. One station they had to sit at tables and do their homework. I was helping a thrid grade boy with his math homework and this boy just was not concentrating! He was wondering what the girl at the table behind him was doing, what other groups were doing and when it would be his turn to go to the art station. I get the point that the program was trying to help the parents and make sure homework was getting done but how is homework going to benefit the child when it's getting done by a student whose attention is everywhere but on the homework. I believe students need homework but also need an enviornment where they can concentrate to do homework otherwise it is almost pointless.
Lastly, what homework is necessary? We've all had those annoying assignments we just can't figure out why we've been assigned them. (and I'm not just talking homework here, but also classwork) Was it necessary to assign it to the students? Maybe but then again maybe not.
When we are assigning homework as teachers, I believe we have to truly look at the assignment and think, "how is this going to benefit my students? Or am I just assigning it to have homework?" If it's the later of the two, then maybe we should be reconsidering the homework.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
