FA, a Note to Follow "So?"

Any time I can incorporate a Sound of Music reference, don't doubt that I will take that opportunity.

But really, I know the first time I heard about formative assessment, it was almost like a "So? It's just how we teach, right? Like when we walk around the room, right?" moment for me. But I can tell you that in further researching and discussing the concepts and practices behind it, I have come to realize the responsibility we have to students to make these ideals a part of our daily routines.

I have come to really enjoy and appreciate the NCTE articles we read. I think they are realistic and clear, yet not oversimplified and obvious. For example, I know that when I read this week's article, I found myself relating to the visual they used on pp. 2-3. I like having some foundation-type reading before diving into texts that foster more critical analysis on my part.

I guess I need my own scaffolding and formative assessment, eh?

And therein lies the point.

Isn't the idea of formative assessment just so real-world and true-to-life? There are sometimes those "life" days that inhabit many struggles...many instances that cause me to wonder if the day will ever come to a close. But in order to maintain a full-steam-ahead mindset, we must compartmentalize and focus on the "baby steps" so that we might eventually find ourselves content and complete.

So I find that we must also think this way in teaching our students. Yes, they're all going to be able to write a research paper and annotated bibliography by April 30, 2014, but my goodness, doesn't this seem so daunting to them to hear on the first day of class? I know I feel similarly about course objectives. They actually cause me to take a deep breath and say, "I can do this." In that regard, I find it so helpful to incorporate my own experiences in creating useful and kind lessons so that students can take their own deep breaths as the class carries on. They might feel overwhelmed at first, but our job is to break the task down into smaller goals, even as small as minute-by-minute, to help them feel a sense of accomplishment, or even feel a sense of failure, so that it is apparent and we are aware enough to do something about it.

In the end, I want my own students to eye up a task, large or small, and say, "I can do this." And formative assessment can get us there.

"I Can Post In My Blog So That I Can Reflect Upon This Week's Discussion"

I have thoroughly enjoyed and been intrigued by this week's discussion. I get the notifications of a new posting sent to my gmail, which pops up on my phone, so I've had some interesting reading all week. I especially like this week because it's giving me a fresh perspective on a topic that we discuss a lot in my district. I feel like sometimes we (my colleagues) can get pretty grumbly about in-service, so this is a nice take on a topic that has much importance in the classroom.

I liked reading Shephard's article about the history and research of assessment, which ended like kind of a "where are we going and how are we going to get there" vibe for me.  Regarding this new type of assessment, I found myself agreeing that they made much more sense. But to my surprise, I also found myself coming to the conclusion that regular old summative assessment has its place, too. I know that I use those types of assessments, but sometimes I would feel guilty about it. However, this week has given me some peace in that regard. Perhaps formative assessment can be more catered to the s/c mindset, and I think it just does that naturally, and this will lead students down a path in order to be summatively assessed.

May I digress here for a second to display my amusement/concern that the word "summative" keeps getting the red squiggle for misspelling? It's a word so new for a concept so old that our computers don't know what to do with it! Ahhh!

But anyway.

So I have to admit, I kind of groaned at the thought of reading about the NCTE standards, as our district (and I'm sure many others) has been just crushing us, via the state of Pennsylvania, via the national Common Core movement, with new standards and how to align our curriculum therein. It's frustrating to reinvent the wheel, especially for teachers who have very little free time. So when I started reading these standards on this website, I immediately felt defensive, as if to set out to prove that we are already doing these things! However, I ended up liking a different perspective from that of CCS; these were broader and more life-friendly. Ending with a smile-worthy expectation that families should be involved in the process, as well. So often do they just look at the end product: the grade. When in fact, there might (and usually is) much more to the percentage on the report card. (Like a girl I had who got a 96...probably wrote at the level of 90...but just tested well and turned in all of her homework. I hope her parents get a chance to really view her individual scores on assignments so they can understand what truly made her earn a 96...this would help her in the end, and I'm not trying to trick anyone, but I would think that I would want the same for my own child someday).

Initial groan aside, I thoroughly enjoyed reading through this list and understanding a little more about these expectations. So often we get tied up in the scare of the standard that we forget to step back and view them like the NCTE details for us: in a matter of simple, yet defined, real-world tactics.

Overall for the week, I feel that I learned so much and was able to pull from things that I have filed away from previous in-service days. I like being able to reflect upon these things and think about how to use them so that my students can learn better every day!

Welcome, New Friends!

So I've been teacher-blogging for a few months, but as some new followers might be stopping by, a biographical introduction is certainly in order!

My name is Lesley and I live outside of Pittsburgh, my favorite city in the entire world, with Brussels, Paris, and San Diego all tying for second place. It was a rough roller-coaster of a year for my Steelers....sigh...pause for moment of silence... Now I'm happily cheering for anyone but the Patriots until the NFL closes out for the year and I gear up for the draft and training camp.  I'll probably watch a few hockey games in the interim, as well, but I have horrible vision so it's a struggle to keep my eyes on the puck. #annoying.

Oh, and I also speak "hashtag." Sorry in advance!

Right now I am working to complete my MEd. after earning an English 7-12 teaching certificate at Pitt in 2009. I have taught in several districts since then, starting in 7th grade language arts, then up to 8th grade, and now I'm teaching 9th-12th graders in Argumentation and Debate as well as four sections of seniors in College Writing, which they take for college credit. 

I really found myself able to finish the MEd. when I discovered the entire coursework would be online. I coach boys' high school soccer in the fall, which makes anything "extra" a little challenging, but being able to flexibly manage the work to fit my time schedule was what made it all possible.

That being said, I thrive upon the thrill of being busy. I have a journalism degree (in addition to my English degree), so I thoroughly enjoy working spontaneously and to deadline. (which tends to tie in nicely with the requirements of being a teacher!) Some other things that keep me busy are playing (not just coaching!) soccer, taking ballet classes, and running running running in preparation for the Pittsburgh half marathon in May. (Gah! Thirteen miles?!) Guilty pleasures include celebrity gossip, jetting off to Miami once a year with the girls, and this little Mexican joint in my hometown where the queso is to DIE for. Like seriously I'd request it as my last meal. Just the queso. In a bowl. Nothing thrills me more than hitting a clearance rack that's an additional 50% off (any store will do), and I can often be found on Twitter, Pinterest, and/or Facebook. But you will almost never find me in the kitchen, as I detest cooking, which is weird because I REALLY love food and eating.

Also, nerd alert, I really like going to work every day. Right now I teach mostly seniors, and even though it's a major switch from middle schoolers, which is all I knew from student teaching until this year, I enjoy them and the class so very much. In fact, seniors are why I went back to school for teaching to begin with, as I started my grown up life as a college recruiter for the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, working with seniors from high schools all over the PA, OH, WV, VA, MA... it was very rewarding but I was looking for more "face time" with the kids rather than just a few moments before moving on to the next school. I have finally stumbled upon my niche: working to help students polish their writing and language arts skills as they prepare to enter college and begin molding their adult lives. Plus, I am VERY luck to have an awesome group of students who love to learn and almost always do their homework. (That's a noticeable difference from middle school!)

I'm excited to start on a new course at Pitt, as colleagues and I often discuss our methods of assessment and the reasoning behind them. I am intrigued at the idea of formative versus summative assessment, and I'm constantly trying to revamp my skills and efforts to help students get the most out of their short semester with me. I know this class will greatly expand upon my knowledge and help me understand more about these ideas and concepts.

Thanks for reading! Looking forward to a fun and rewarding semester!