MichellePaquinJournal5

Michelle Paquin EDC 452 3/6/09 Assessment Journal #5

The following type of assessment I observed in the classroom was an observation assessment. There is a new writing program at Glen Hills Elementary School called //Empowering Writers//. This program involves giving students prompts about different situations. For example, a prompt may include a setting and introduce a situation, but the students are to create an entertaining beginning, use elaborate detail, include a main event with a problem and a solution in their story, followed by an extended ending. The teacher has already taught the students what is necessary for an entertaining beginning, and all of the important parts of the story. For example, the beginning of the story, and the students’ first sentence must start with a sound, dialogue, an action, or a thought or question.

In this particular assignment, the students were given the prompt, and they were to create an entertaining beginning. They were given eighteen minutes to complete their beginning and perhaps even the main event. The prompt said for students to imagine that you are in the grocery store and you walk into the frozen food aisle. Once you arrive, you open the freezer door to find… The students are to describe the character they see, the setting, and what happens, using elaborate detail and an entertaining beginning to hook the reader. After the eighteen minutes, the teacher called on a few people to share their stories out loud. By sharing the stories aloud, the teacher makes a mental note in her head if the student is writing correctly with all of the necessary parts of a story. Once the student is finished sharing, she asks the rest of the class if they have any feedback for their classmate. They must first give an example of something that the student did well and that they liked, and then if they have any suggestions, they are given second.

Once the few students shared their entire piece and the class commented on it, the teacher went around to students and asked him or her to read their first sentence to see if it hooked the reader. If it did not, the student was given a suggestion and they were to change it. Once they changed it and everyone else in the class had gone, she went back to those students and they re-read their new entertaining beginning. This is a very good exercise because it helps students with their communication skills, they practice giving feedback to their peers, and it ensures that each student has an entertaining beginning and can now go on and finish their story.

Through this exercise, the teacher is able to see if the student is completing the assignment because they have to read it aloud. The class is then responsible for being able to identify an entertaining beginning. If a student does not have one, the teacher and classmates are able to give suggestions to help them. The teacher always asks for volunteers, or will draw their number sticks out of a hat. If a student’s number is drawn and they do not want to read out loud, they do not have to. The teacher also keeps track of who has already read that week, and is sure to pick another student so that it is fair. At this time in the year, the students are comfortable with each other so that every student does read. I think this is a very effective assessment because it not only helps the students with their writing, it also helps them with social and communication skills.

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