One of the most rewarding things for a teacher to experience is when you can actually see the moment your students begin to understand a concept that you are trying to teach them. It can become very trying to get your students to reach that pivotal point in the learning process, and thus it is important to acknowledge that there are a number of different ways to get there. I have and always will be against the traditional method used to gauge understanding and learning which is by "testing" our students. Most tests don't even begin to assess whether the students are understanding something, which is why I have done away with all forms of multiple choice, true/false, and fill-in type questions for my students. Life doesn't work this way, so why are we making our students?
Yet I have found in my experience as a teacher that most students don't really care to understand. They only want to know what to do to get an "A" in the class. "Is this going to be on the test?" - has to be by far my greatest pet peeve question asked by students. Students are this way because sadly, their teachers made them like that. And most of us teach the way that we do because that is how we were taught. The system is breaking down as time goes by and unless ALL of the teachers get on board with changing the way they look to teach and assess understanding, it will only continue to be this way.
The Ubd readings went into a number of different positions about understanding and how we can get our students to reach that point. Each facet has its own level of importance on the different types of ways that we can get our students to understand. The hurdle in this process is finding ways for our students to reach these levels, and then coming up with creative ways to assess their understanding. Authentic assessments, such as projects, debates, skits etc., are just some examples of things that I do in my classroom to gauge the level of understanding of my students. On quizzes, I always give my civics students real life situations to see if they cannot only understand the laws that we discuss but to also see whether or not they are being applied correctly. Unless we change the way that we teach and assess, we will never even begin to change the way that our students think and understand.
4 comments:
I am so envious that you are allowed to take time during your class to give your students performance based tests! In my school, if it is not found on the NJASK, it BETTER not be found in your classroom, lesson plans or even in the deep cobwebbed corners of your mind or else the administration will have you teaching from your head on a plate.
I think it is fantastic that you incorporate real life problems in your civics class. This not only shows you that they were able to recall the information, but are able to also apply it (showing that higher order of thinking). I think teachers need to sit down and discuss the reasons for schools. Once we know the purpose, then our practices should reflect those reasons. If we want our students to be able to do well on tests and able to listen and take direct orders, then we can continue to teach in a traditional way. However, if the goal is to create critical thinkers and life-long learners, then our teaching has to give our students the opportunity to experience critical thinking.
I agree with the fact that students shouldn't only be concerned with information that's on the test. Sometimes they become so focused on that type of information they begin to miss important facts, and the overall idea the teacher is trying to explain. I agree to change this there would have to be a complete overhaul of the way teacher's teach, but do you believe this can ever happen?
I agree with you that life does not present you with multiple choice and fill in the blank answers. It's great that you are trying to make your teaching more related to the real world. I find the frustrating thing is that the state tests still loom over our heads and we have to make it clear how to answer questions in a particular manner in order for them to be successful. I just constantly am reminded of how the standardized tests are so against all that we are learning. Ahhh!
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