CEP 800: Module 1 Reflection
Reflecting on Student Understanding:
Figuring out whether or not our students are understanding the things we are teaching them is a crucial part of being an effective teacher. It is not as easy as it sounds to decipher what our students understand and where they have misconceptions. We have to look very closely at the ways we choose to assess our students and how the type of assessment will reflect what the student understands. Questions need to be asked carefully with follow up questions and application type questions. Props and pictures can be used as part of assessment. Online and technology enhanced assessments should be considered. Rubrics can be coconstructed by students and teachers. Broadening our view of what is considered assessment, and moving away from a test at the end of a unit and towards constant assessment throughout a unit, will help us not only understand what our students are understanding, but make sure they are understanding more and that misconceptions are corrected.
Quality Audio:
Quality audio is the difference between the recording you force yourself to listen to (or turn off) and the one that is enjoyable and informative. Cleaning up a recording by cutting out ums and unnecessary talk, adding pauses and music, using more than one voice, and careful preparation and quality recording can make all the difference in an audio file.
In My Classroom I Will…
- Use formative assessment and scaffolding to assist my students in understanding
- Use varied types of assessments which measure that students are understanding content in a meaningful way.
- This may include online assessments, student created rubrics, interviews, and more
- Create podcasts for my students to listen to
- Let my students create their own podcasts
- Creating interview Pre and post assessments would be valuable to students to see how their understanding has changed
- Podcasts could help students share what they are learning with parents
- Creatively broadcasting a “radio segment” about a unit could be an interesting assessment
Student Understanding Podcast: CEP 800
Sometimes assessment is difficult. It is hard to know what are students are understanding and where they hold on to misconceptions. I interviewed a student to try and discover what he was understanding about the topic of democracy. While he initially can answer confidently and describe democracy, further probing made him uncomfortable and demonstrated that he had some gaps in his knowledge about democracy (which a written test may not provoke).
Listen to the podcast I created of this interview. 800_understanding.mp3
Using Digital Portfolios
I am in the process of creating a digital portfolio to publish work I have done over the course of my time at Michigan State University. I am putting up lesson plans, other teaching related papers and assignments, a poetry book I created and more. This serves as a way for me to reflect on what I have done and see how my teaching philosophies and abilities have changed over time. It is also a way for my family, friends, possible employers, etc. to see the work I have done. View my portfolio here.
Part of why it is important for me to have this portfolio is because I plan on using digital portfolios in my future classes. Having my own portfolio to show students will help demonstrate the possibilities and importance. Using portfolios with elementary students would create something longterm for students to look back at, save space in the classroom, and create all kinds of opportunities for multimedia creating, among other things. I am excited about the possibilities of using digital portfolios with my classes. This article helps explain these ideas.
Ideas for Using Blogs
How can I use a blog as a teacher?
Test student understanding
Update parents
Homework directions
Teacher to Teacher blogs
Newsletter
Post resources or reminders
“About me” page
Discussion Board
Study Tips
Community Activities
Recommend Books
Update absent students
Organization
How can I have my students use blogs?
Post questions
Literary discussions
Journals
Profile
Personal interests
Connect to community
Pen Pals
