Katie+K+Journal+5

Katelyn Kelly Assessment Journal # 5 March 9, 2009 EDC 452 In the classroom I observed an essay test. On the essay test the students were allowed to use any materials they wanted that would help them to write the essay. This essay was graded by the teacher and she was mainly looking for the content and correct grammar when writing. The teacher previously taught about sentence structure and connection words. Also, the students should divided their paragraphs and start with an opening sentence and a closing sentence. The class was able to view an example of a writing piece that meet the standard. The topic of the paper was to write a descriptive piece. A descriptive piece is when the reader can visualize what the student is writing about; it paints a picture in their head. The students had to make sure to use words that describe what they were talking about. In the third grade, this was a complex writing paper to complete. The writing was done individually, but could use their neighbors or the teacher for help. The teacher and I were helping and reviewing the student’s work. The students would first write a sloppy copy and then do a formal paper. The formal paper is what the teacher read over and assessed using the standards. The students can receive a 5 for exceptional, 4 for above the standard, 3 for meets the standard, 2 for below standards, and 1 does not meet the standard. After the paper is wrote and graded the student’s work is displayed on a bulletin board about writing. The results of the papers meet or exceeding the standards. The students received help with their writing, but the paper was about their ideas and they had to make the sentences flow. Writing is a hard skill that is used throughout a person’s life. The teacher is having the students start to form writing skills and use a certain kind of writing, like descriptive in the piece the students wrote about. Most of the students at least meet the standard because the teacher and I were able to help with their understandings. This assessment took about forty five minutes to complete and the students read their writing later in the afternoon to the class. The students performed well on their essays. The teacher does have the students write at least once a week on a topic, but they are not always assessed. When they are not assessed the students write in their writer’s notebook. I would definitely use this assessment in my classroom. In the third grade the essay test was more of a paper that was graded than an actual test. The third graders have not had enough practice to fully explain themselves through writing and need help along the way. Writing to me is something that I wish I had more practice with. Writing happens throughout life and the students need to learn about correct writing early on to develop the skills. In third grade the students now know how to write and need practice with their spelling. Writing has the students ideas come together and form a paper that needs to flow and use correct spelling and grammar.
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