The Connection Between Instruction and Assessment

In my field experience log, we were posed the question, "How does your mentor teacher link instruction and assessment? Why is it important to do so?" Upon first reading the question I took it in a way that it wasn't intended, and ran with it. Before I even started writing I became aware that the question was asking us to discuss the importance of never teaching something without assessment, but here is what ended up in my log...

"Upon first reading this prompt, I chuckled because the way that things are now, assessment and instruction are inseparable, but maybe not necessarily in a good way.

The intention of the prompt was clearly to observe and comment on the host teacher's connection of instruction and assessment in the classroom. In this respect, yes, instruction is closely tied to assessment, however, in this context I don't believe it's a good thing. Teachers scramble to prepare students for the ISTEP+ tests all year, and it is my belief that this close link between instruction and assessment can possibly be detrimental to student learning.

When  students are given no purpose to learn other than to take a test, how can we expect them to stay motivated to learn? If students aren't taught that lifelong learning serves a greater purpose than filling in the right bubble, where is the world headed?

Yes, it is important to assess based upon instruction in order to gauge student progress, I don't discount that. Students should be able to see beyond assessment though, into authentic applications of learning.

So, my question to myself is - how can I motivate my students to learn beyond the test?"

In response, my field supervisor wrote a lengthy amount. His response - too - ended with a question. He made the point that more upscale schools generally have more motivated learners and higher test scores compared to lower socio-economic schools. He asked where I would like to invest - in the school where learning and motivation comes easily, or the school where motivating can sometimes be like squeezing water out of a rock?

My answer to that question is the rock. With my lifelong learning in mind, making and impact on at least one student would make me a success in my mind. While it may be frustrating to be under the gun of "the test" all the time, I take it as a personal challenge to myself to balance the test and the authentic in a context where the authentic isn't as bright as it could be. Those students need people who are willing to fight for them, because if no one cares, why should they?

As to the question I posed at the end of my log - "How can I motivate my students to learn beyond the test?", I still have no answer.

My only conclusion is that achieving this will be a part of my own continuous authentic learning process.

Salt Dough Maps

On March 6 and 8, we did an activity in class that sought to give meaning to basic geography. We read an anecdote from a teacher who felt that any activity she did regarding geography bore no meaning. So, as a class we broke into groups to research different countries and make salt dough maps of them, on a mission to give meaning to geography.
The activity appealed to my artistic side, and we all learned a lot of new things about countries. But I think the true bright spot of the activity was the discussion afterwards of what could be done with this activity in the classroom to make it stick. I thoroughly enjoy being in a classroom of future teachers where we can all share our ideas and learn from each other, because this sparked an interesting and informative discussion.

My First Lesson in Field

On March 7, I taught my first lesson in my fourth grade field classroom. It was a very relaxed lesson on multiplication tables with the activity of multiplication bingo. Originally I had planned a more complex language arts lesson, but after finding out that the students had ISTEP+ testing I decided to do something a little easier and more fun.
The students seemed to enjoy playing a game after a long day of testing. Some students who don't normally engage in school work really enjoyed the game and even won! In the lesson plan I had planned to have students do a self-relfection on how they think they did with their multiplication facts, but I ran over on time a little bit and my mentor teacher had to move on. Otherwise, the lesson went great!

Trade Fair

Last Thursday, our class brought in items to trade at a classroom trade fair. Since I had just recently cleaned out my closet, I decided to bring my old purses to trade (sorry, Andrew.) At first, I thought that having so many  items may be a disadvantage, but it actually worked in my favor. I traded for many things that I really liked, including a scarf and flower hair accessory made by Cassie, a cup of an assortment of fruit from Stephanie (thanks for my dinner at work! ;]), and the coveted item of the class, a four framed sayings about teaching made by Elizabeth.
Ultimately, the trade fair provided a platform of discussion for the class about if we would do a similar activity in our future classrooms. Because every student has access to different resources, I felt that it was risky. In order to do it in my classroom, I would want to have more control over what was brought in and make sure everyone had something to trade that was wanted.

The framed quotes made by Elizabeth.

Some of Andrew's trades, two out of three ended up in the ERC ;)

Some trades brought in by classmates. 

Cultural Artifacts

In class last Thursday, everyone brought five artifacts that represent them or their culture. It was very interesting to see what everyone brought, and even though we have all known each other for a while, we still learned new things about one another! Some people brought in pictures, some people brought in family heirlooms, and someone in the other section of our class brought their dog! We each chose one object that we were drawn to and wrote about what it may have meant to the person, and then the person that brought it told the story behind why they did.

Some of the artifacts from our class.

Bethany taking pictures of the artifacts.