Monday, April 13, 2009

Portfolios

Portfolios are defined as a collection of the students work that either
shows their skills in a certain subject, or it could be used as an
assessment of improvement in a particular subject. I feel as a teacher
each student should have a folder with the work they have done in it,
and periodically it should be sent home for their parents to view and sign.
This portfolio would also pose as an assessment to the parents because
they would be able to see, if they need to have a conference with me
about their child’s educational performance. Portfolios should be kept
throughout each marking period in order to keep track of the students
work and progress and class and to see if I obtained my objective for
my class at the start of the year. Although portfolios should go home
once a week for parents to see them, they should be administered to
students at the end of the day closer to three o’clock in order to prevent
children teasing because of grades.


Though while Dr. Luongo was giving her last lecture she did come
across a good point. Students should have a say in what goes in
their portfolio, because they know what best represents their
learning goals. They alone are the only ones who know what they
want to achieve by learning, so their portfolio should be up to them
alone to decide what work or projects go into the portfolio. Because
the portfolios currently are going on with them to the next teacher
the student will have. These portfolios can help them by providing
the next teacher with the knowledge to know what subjects they
did good in, and what subject they struggled in. Portfolios are not
out to hurt students, they are there to be a crutch in the learning
process!

Hey: Multiple Choice Testing!

Ah, tests are a touchy subject for any student regardless of grade
or age. But especially in elementary and middle school grades, tests
are a make or break even for students. Different students from different
testing levels such as: multiple choice answer tests and essay tests. For
my own knowledge and liking, I like essay test format only because it
would give my student a chance to explain the answer they have in
mind, without just having to play “Iny Miny Miney Mo” on an answer.
Because during my sophomore field I have realized that students
struggle more with multiple choice format only because if you do
not know the precise answer, those points for that answer are
gone way before the student begins. While on the essay format
side, the student could have a clear understanding of the material
and be able to explain what they know, they just are unable to
pick a correct answer, or there may be multiple correct answers.
This is where I feel essay tests provide the best help in the
learning experience by giving students a chance.

While on the other hand, multiple choice answers are good
for some reasons, for instance, Language Arts tests. In
Language Arts there are definitions, synonyms and antonyms
which can be comprised with just a one word answer. For example,
the definition or SCARED is FEAR. A simple one word answer,
answered that question without having to have a long explanation
on why it was that answer. At time multiple choice tests can be
the right answer and at time essay question tests are the right
answer, we just have to pick the right time to use them and choose
when they will benefit our students most.