I really enjoyed looking through all of the rubric generators out there on the internet. In the past I liked the idea of using rubrics in my classroom, but if they were not already created for me then it was unlikely that I would create a rubric from scratch on my own. Having all of these rubric generators out there takes a lot of the time consuming work out of creating a rubric. I think that I will use these generators a lot in the future because using a rubric is good to set expectations for students and also help to direct my instruction. A rubric helps me to answer the following questions: What is most important for my students in this project? What should my students be doing/focusing on? How will my students show what they have learned during my instruction? And so much more. However, while rubrics are a great way to focus your students, they are also a great way to help underachievers thrive (being one myself). You look at the bare minimum to receive an A and you do just that. There is no "should I try harder" because there is no mystery I know that there is no need to go the extra mile. If a rubric is too specific it takes away the freedom of expression and benefits those that know how to work the system. You want 5 sentences, then by golly you'll get exactly 5 sentences! Now I tend to ramble so that example doesn't fit me, but you get the gist. Taking that into mind, teachers need to be very careful when they create rubrics to make sure that the rubric is written in a way that will inspire students to go that extra mile. On another note sometimes teachers aren't specific enough and they have lots of grammar components, but forget to mention content. So I can write an error free essay about gorillas when the assignment was a personal narrative and I still get an A. Like most things in life, rubrics can be very tricky to create!
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I really enjoyed the closing remarks for this chapter under the in action with Bob James section. The following quote, while simplistic, really resonated with me, "What's the best use of my time?" Even though we as teachers know that time is always our enemy we rarely break it down to such a simple idea. Instead of fighting the epic battle with time, we need to sit down and prioritize how to use our instructional time in the best/most meaningful way possible. I also really enjoyed the following quote from the reading, "...understanding is about wise performance-transfer and use of big ideas-not mere recall." This theme keep cycling back throughout this weeks reading and lessons and I find it a very powerful theme that needs to be addressed as education continues to evolve and move forward. As educators, especially as technology usage increases in the professional world, we need to evolve with the changing times. Our focus needs to shift from memorization of facts and ideas to practical skills that will be essential to future careers. Which we all know opens its own can of worms because technology improves and changes at such a fast rate that educators almost have to be fortune tellers to try and decipher what skills students will need to be successful in their careers 10 years from now!
"Students who understand can use their knowledge and skill in new situations. Place emphasis on application in authentic contexts, with a real or simulated audience, purpose, setting, constraints, and background noise." This quote truly resonated with me. I think that this concept is very important for teachers and curriculum designers to keep in mind. By using authentic performance tasks as a form of assessment students are able to actively apply what they have learned, rather than just spit the information out in a multiple choice test. I believe that actually using their learned knowledge will help them to develop a deeper, longer lasting understanding of how to use their new knowledge in new situations throughout their life. This type of assessment actually turns the "assessment" into a learning activity and not just a way to test understanding.
I really enjoyed this week because it tied together everything I have worked on so far in this class. It allowed me to really put together my thoughts and ideas into one document. I thought that the Nearpod, posted examples, and the chapter in the book were a huge asset this week. Without them I feel like I wouldn't have been able to complete the final assignment for this week. I finally feel confident in what is being asked of me for this assignment!
This week we learned about the six facets of understanding and essential questions. I liked both chapters because they challenged my to evaluate my own curriculum designing practices and look for where I could implement positive changes. My biggest "aha" moment was when the authors distinguished the differences between interpretation and perception. At first I thought that these would be the same thing and I was wondering why the author was repeating himself. Then upon closer inspection, I realized that the interpretations are made by the reader after they read and perceptions are made by the author before they write. This was a very clarifying moment for me. I enjoyed reading about perception because readers are not the only ones with prior experiences influencing their understanding of a topic. I have to remember that the writer is also predisposed to life experiences that will influence their work and these need to be considered when reading and analyzing their work. I am feeling much more confident this week, but I am still a bit weary about how well I wrote my essential questions and I am looking forward to instructor feedback.
Write a reflection about this week's class on what was read this week in the book Understanding by Design. Did you learn anything new? Any "aha moments?" Are there things you're confused about, or things that you are hoping will become clear as the course goes on?Remember that this reflection is written and posted on the blog page of your ePortfolio. Your reflection must be at least a paragraph (5 - 7 sentences), and include your thoughts about todays class. Provide a link to your reflection in the space below.
I enjoyed reading about Understanding by Design, but I still find myself overwhelmed by the process. I like how the chapter included some graphic organizers to help support my development of curriculum, but when it came time to complete the chapter 3 Quiz and start developing a Big Idea and Core Tasks I felt unprepared and really had no idea what I was suppose to do. I think that the book could have used a few more examples to help me get a better handle on what I was suppose to be developing. I also love the integration piece, but find this hard when put into practice! All in all. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed about everything this week! This week we read about Backwards Design. My initial thoughts about this design are positive. I like it's simplicity to use and the effective impact it will have on students. The component I like the most is the Design Standards. These are in place to assist teachers in assessing their planning and personal curriculum development. I think that self refection is a vital component to good instruction. I currently reflect a lot on how my instruction went, but I rarely assess my planning or curriculum development. I feel that the Design Standards help to remind teachers that just because they put a lot of time into planning, it might not be the best curriculum for students. I also really like the Template with Design Questions for Teachers. I think that these are easy to follow guides that teachers can use to help them plan their instruction. In my old district we used Backwards Design quite a bit to design our lessons throughout the year, but with the implementation of Reading Street, here in Canyons School District, I haven't really designed my own lessons in a long time. I make tweaks here and there, but with a district focusing on fidelity there is very little opportunity to use Backwards Design personally.
Today’s class on instructional design helped me to gain a better understanding of how to develop curriculum. Instructional design practices focus on the desired learning outcomes first and then develops instructional lessons that support the student’s acquisition of the intended learning outcomes. I was able to focus my attention on the ADDIE model of instruction design. I liked how this model was set up in a linear way that was easy to follow. I tend to gravitate toward instructional practices that are developed in a linear structure, so I can see myself embracing the ADDIE model of instructional design in my classroom.
I found today’s lesson relating to the different levels of an ePortfolio to be very interesting because I could easily see people creating ePortfolios that never make it past level one. It is important for all educators to see the importance of level two and three. An ePortfolio can only be a learning experience if students are taken to levels two and three. Personal reflections, peer feedback, presenting, and rubric assessments are only a few of the key components to level two and three that allow for students to grow educationally and personally through the ePortfolio process. Sticking purely to level one cuts so many crucial learning experiences that all students would benefit from.
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Author3rd Grade Teacher Archives
November 2015
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