MichellePaquinJournal+6

Michelle Paquin EDC 452 3-30-09 Assessment Journal #6

This past week in my placement, I observed a very different type of assessment. During my time spent there, I taught my science lesson. In this lesson, I introduced different ways to classify objects based on their physical properties. We then learned and explored a new property, if an object was magnetic or not. Students worked with me to classify several objects, and then worked with a partner to finish classifying the other objects. We then reported out as a class and recorded data on a class chart on the chalkboard. Students were to then predict whether or not they thought an object would be magnetic, and then tested each object. We then reported out again as a class to record the data that the students found. While I was teaching, since my cooperating teacher could not help me teach the lesson, she told me that she would sit in the back of the room, observe, and take notes. Although this is not a form of //me// actually assessing the students, I feel as though it is a good example of the teacher using anecdotal records. Most of the time, the teacher is teaching the students, makes mental notes of the development of each student, but does not usually get to write everything down. However, while I was teaching the lesson, this gave the teacher an excellent opportunity to truly observe the students in several ways.

My cooperating teacher observed the way the students responded to questions, what students asked questions, how the students used the manipulatives from the lesson, followed direction, and completed the required chart. She was also able to note which students were answering questions and participating in the activity. Most of the time, when we are teaching, we may just call on students that raise their hand, or students who do not look like they are following the lesson, but we never write it down and actually record when a student participates. However, in this case, the teacher took notes on each student while observing my lesson.

As we have been told already, anecdotal records are the most difficult types of assessment because many teachers observe and learn about the progress of each student just by being in the classroom with them everyday. However, it is difficult to actually write down each note that you make of a student. I believe this was a prime opportunity for the teacher to take notes on each student during the lesson. Since taking anecdotal records of each student is difficult in the classroom, it does not happen very often. However, we have learned several ways to improve this. Many teachers use clipboards and have stickers for each student. When they walk around the room and notice certain things about each student, they take notes on the sticker, and then put the sticker onto that child’s sheet they have in a folder. This is an excellent way to keep track of students’ progress. Anecdotal records are very important as pieces of evidence to show parents. During meetings, teachers can easily say what they see in a child every day, but having it on paper is more convincing to the parents and also the teacher. They have notes that can help them describe how the student is progressing.

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