Formative Assessments Database Modifications

Data-based Modifications of Formative Assessments

Some ways that I will collect the data from my formative assessments in the fourth grade will be through Kahoots.  In Activity 1 I created a quiz to determine how much the students learned or remembered about the weekly lesson on Metamorphosis of butterflies and frogs.  

Metamorphosis Life Cycle Quiz

The Kahoots assessments can be edited to modify the content and results are available within the site. This assessment was used to see if the entire class can progress to the next lesson which involves some memorization. I can choose to edit the same assessment or choose from assessments that are already created within the Kahoot database. I will use this resource because students enjoy the game like quizzes and the data is easy to collect. 





Teacher and Student Databases for Research

Educational database and journal articles are the most reliable sources of accurate information. Teachthought.com lists one hundred reliable educational research sites to use for reliable and accurate information.

100 Search Engines For Academic Research

Exit Ticket will change frequently and will be used for real-time assessment of knowledge retention on current assignments.  Exit ticket might be simple questions the students will answer with a piece of scrap paper.  There may be days when I switch up the exit ticket by asking a simple question and rewarding each with an origami design or small reward. 

Graphic by Sandra Hathaway

The hierarchy chart that was used for memorizing the animal taxonomy but can be used for any content students need to memorize. The boxes are saved in Google Draw and can be copied for more content or removed for less. 








Most of the assessments I create myself will be saved as templates because I appreciate not being redundant or wasting time. 

I can keep a Google spreadsheet it would allow me to share the information with students using a graphic chart that shows their scores without I disclosing peer scores. Discovering tools that are already created are best for me because this saves teachers and schools time.  Creativity is wonderful but unless I have very specific data that cannot be organized in a usual way I will use tools and programs that help teachers organize their data. The school may have a system for data storage as well. I will be flexible and explore what tools are going to be available within the school system.

Students can be involved in charting their own progress levels, this may provide some motivation to complete tasks. Simple Graph line on paper or within google spreadsheet is one-way students can measure their individual progress. Younger students may enjoy doing this on a piece of graph or scored construction paper with the achievement levels marked for rows with dated columns. This way they are learning how to enter data and have something they can visualize and hold. 

This is my first experience as a classroom teacher so I will ask the mentors I work with about the best tools, what online resources the school offers and have my own Teach-Now resources available online whenever I need them. 

Today was the first day of public school in Chandler, Arizona.  I have a school that I will be student teaching soon and will be absorbing as much information as I am able to while I have this opportunity. I am proud to be teaching at a time in history when we have so many resources and tools available. I am also thankful that discipline strategies have changed to positive behavior reinforcement. 


References

Kahoot.com (ND) Retrieved on July 23, 2018, from: 

 https://create.kahoot.it/details/metamorphosis-life-cycles-quiz/853b71fd-41e3-4f36-8cfa-755666c02c06

TeachThought (ND) Retrieved on July 23, 2018, from: 

https://www.teachthought.com/learning/100-search-engines-for-academic-research/

Applying Classroom Rules and Procedures

An effective teacher has clear rules and procedures, has taught them to the students and students begin working on an assignment immediately. Managing a full classroom of multiple behaviors and personalities can be challenging but teachers who teach rules and procedures are the most successful (Wong and Wong, 2005). 

Teachers should be consistent with their consequences. Consequences can be positive or negative. There is clear evidence that the teacher who models a calm and positive demeanor will positively affect his or her students’ behavior. Behavior in the classroom can be dealt with in a harsh way or managed using positive behavior modeled by the teacher. Research has proven that positive verbal feedback or even a simple nod from a teacher can make a positive impact on the classroom behavior (Good and Brophy, 2003).

Modeling the behaviors of a positive individual will be especially important for teaching students how to be in control of emotions in a group setting. The students come from different cultures and family scenarios that affect how each of them expresses emotions to other people. Some families have an affectionate and loud approach in groups and some are quiet. Teachers can introduce the concept of using a quiet voice when appropriate and also speak up and be heard when appropriate (Marzano, 2007).

When I begin managing my own classroom I will be sure to teach the rules and procedures, as well as review them whenever they need to be relearned. At the beginning of the year, the whole class will relearn the rules when one or more students display behaviors that are not in alignment with the classroom rules and this will encourage the whole class to help monitor peer behavior.

There will be times when a student makes the decision to break the rules and cause a disturbance in the class. Consequences for breaking the rules will be decided on by the class and the students will already know what they will have to do to make the action right.

Consequences will vary depending on the severity of the disruption. A gentle reminder as a warning and a look of concern may resolve a problem. If a student defaces or breaks property which belongs to the school or another student he or she will need to right the wrong. Parents will be notified and overcorrection may be used as a discipline. Young students should understand if they have caused anyone sadness or broken something. My tone would remain caring and concerned. Parents would be contacted.

Teachers should not feel bad that they are following through with consequences that were understood by the entire class. The intervention while the student is young is vital so that he or she does not miss the steps and have to experience the consequences as an older child or adult with more severe punishment. A caring heart and concern for the student should guide the teacher to correct the student's behavior.

The flowchart below explains the process which I will use in my classroom for resolving unacceptable behaviors:

The process that I will use in my classroom follows the flow of this flowchart.  I will make an effort to notice positive and negative behaviors when they occur. I will recognize students who are obeying the rules and procedures verbally or with a positive facial expression or signal. Positive emails to parents will go out weekly unless something very exceptional happens. Very positive behavior would grant a phone call or email the day of the occurrence.

If the student resumes positive behavior after a gentle reminder I will be sure to recognize the acceptable behavior while the student is displaying it. If the behavior does not get resolved with a gentle reminder the entire class will take a pause and review the rules together.  If the student continues to break the rules he or she will receive a verbal warning, and parents or guardian will be contacted by email or phone call. If this resolves the problem the student will receive verbal recognition of the resolved behavior. If the problem persists after an email or calls to the parents the principal or counselor and parents will be brought in to help resolve as a group.

As an example, a student knows the classroom rules about not taking other people's property. Sue has taken Tori's pencil and broken it in half as a joke but Tori is not happy. In this case, I would probably bring both students aside to talk about what occurred. When Tori explains that Sue thought breaking her pencil was funny I would first try to come to an agreement about replacing the broken property. We would all take five minutes to review the rules about not taking or destroying the property of others. An email would go to Sue's parent or guardian about replacing a pencil for Sue and apologize. When Sue resolved the problem she would receive positive reinforcement from me.

When I was in the second grade there was a boy named Ronny who had serious behavior problems. Many times I heard the teacher say bias and mean statements about Ronny. The principal would bring him to the office and paddle him. Ronny eventually went to prison and even with wonderful parents who tried. I refuse to think bias or say negative statements about any student because of disruptive behavior. Every child deserves an even hand at life and to receive the help he or she needs when a problem arises.

Conclusions:

I will study my own rules, processes, and flowchart to assess my own behavior for positive and negative consequences. I will maintain a behavioral checklist for the class and be sure to follow through with circumstances for behaviors. These behaviors are not only for the classroom but they form the foundation of citizens who will cooperate and work with each other in communities, families and at work. 

References:

Good, T. L., & Brophy, J. E. (2003). Looking in classrooms (9th ed.). Boston: Allyn &

Bacon

Marzano, Robert J. (2007, The art and science of teaching: a comprehensive framework for effective

instruction / Robert J. Marzano.

p. cm. Includes bibliographical references, ISBN 978-1-4166-0571-3

Wong, Harry K,  and Wong, Rosemary T. (2005) How To Be An Effective Teacher,

The First Days of School,  Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc. ISBN: 0-9629360-6-5