Reading Reflection 9

Brittney Cox

Reading Reflection 9

            There are many ways we can understand our students’ prior knowledge.  I would like to specifically focus on the KWL assessment.  Each student will begin a project with the KWL graphic organizer.  First they will write what they know and what they want to know about the subject.  After, or during, the process of the project, the student would then return to the KWL and write in what they have learned. 

We must establish anchors during a project because students connect new ideas to their prior knowledge.   Before we begin the project, we must know what their prior knowledge is so that we can introduce new ideas in an appropriate and effective way.  We want all of our learners to be successful, and these anchors are the first step in the right direction.

Multiple choice tests are not good tools to measure what a student knows about a subject.  Instead of using traditional summative assessment formats, like a research paper or multiple choice tests, we should make rubrics and have students present what they have learned.  This is more authentic and will allow us as teachers to get an accurate measurement of the students’ learning.  We should also break up the grading groups so late papers do not change the content grade.  If a student writes an “A” paper, but hands it in two days late and receives a “C,” we are hindering our own ability to assess their knowledge.  I am not saying they should not get docked for handing it in late, but it should not be included in the grade of the work itself. 

Our project uses rubrics rather than a traditional summative assessments.  We want our students to learn through experience and not memorize facts.  We will assess our students’ prior knowledge by using a KWL before the projects begins, this way our anchors will be put in place.  Our students will know what their learning objectives are every day and will have the freedom to make choices and mistakes.