Tests? Who needs 'em?

My abbreviated unit has forced me to really consider how I feel about tests. The fact is, I don't like them. Specifically, multiple choice, true-false, matching kinds of tests. I understand that they are a part of the landscape in schooling today, but that doesn't mean that I need to embrace them. The fact is, I don't have time for one in this unit, and I don't think I'll miss it. But, I do need to have something that will work as a summative assessment. I think the projects the students are doing will be a good measure of their learning. They're a better indicator of their deep understanding of the work. However, when I designed the projects, I was imagining I would also give the students a test similar to what my CT usually gives them after they read a book. His rationale is that the test measures whether they have a basic understanding of the book and the project will measure the deeper understanding. My thoughts are that they must have that basic understanding in order to demonstrate the deeper understanding. So, why do the test at all? I guess I don't really see the point. At the same time, I told the students they would have a test. I kind of need test scores to use in my analysis for my KPTP, also. So, I think I'll be giving a test, as promised. But, it will be open book, open notes, short answer, requiring a synthesis of their knowledge of the book, not just their ability to choose a letter from A to D. They'll be asked to explain a few quotes, find examples of literary techniques, and analyze a character's motives, using examples and quotes from the text. It will take longer for me to grade, but I think it's a better, fairer measure of their understanding of the text.

I will also be giving them a vocabulary quiz, but the truth is that I'm a little wary of that as well. I think use of the vocabulary is a better indicator that they have really assimilated it. But, in this instance, I am going to give in to the fill-in-the-blank test, simply because I want the students to know they really are accountable for memorizing it and knowing it. They have to memorize it before they can assimilate it further.

Ideally, I would like to build my entire year-long plan around writing and projects within a theme, much as has been suggested in our Bomer and Smagorinsky texts. With my student-teaching, I don't feel like I have the freedom, the authority, or the time to do it properly. In many ways, my work this semester has had to fit in with what my CT does. After all, it is still his classroom and the students are accustomed to his structure. But, working within another teacher's structure has really helped me clarify how I would like my structure to differ. It's almost like trying on another persona and realizing that yours is the best fit for you after all. It's nice to have that reassurance. It builds my confidence in my ability to create meaningful plans to create meaningful learning.

Let's go on a quest!

This week, I finally began teaching my focus unit. I had expected that I would begin about two weeks ago, but first my CT's unit ran longer than expected, then we had all those snow days. So, we work with what we've got and move on.

My CT typically presents background information for a new unit with a Power Point presentation. The students take Cornell notes and fall asleep. OK, so that last part isn't intended, but it is often a side effect. I wanted to do something a little more fun and engaging. I considered doing a book pass in groups, giving each group a subject to research, which they would then present to the rest of the class. For Romeo and Juliet, typical subjects would include Elizabethan theater, clothing, celebrations, and food, and Shakespeare's life and language. I still like this idea, but I wasn't able to wrangle up all the resources I needed with the snow days. I was also concerned with the amount of time it would take. While I believe it is certainly worth taking extra time for engaging and effective activities, time was simply not available. We need to get reading! So, instead, we did a web quest. This allowed the students to gather the information themselves in a structured way and enabled us to used some technology they like, which also increases engagement. I had the students work in pairs, both because we only had a limited number of computers and because their comprehension would increase with the opportunity to discuss the information as they discovered it. We used this web quest: R&J Webquest . I started to make my own, but didn't see the point in reinventing the wheel when Ms. Hogue has already done such a great job with it! She has tons of great materials on her website as well as some insightful blog posts from her years of teaching. Check it out: http://www.mshogue.com/

In doing the web quest, the students were much more engaged than I see them with Power Point presentations. I heard them asking questions and finding answers. They were getting excited about Shakespeare and his times. The Shakespearean insults were very popular. A few groups of students even decided to Google what they actually meant in today's English! I love to see their brains firing up! I also learned a few things from them about how to slide things around on the computer screen so a person can read the questions and have the website with the information on the screen at the same time.

Overall, it was a successful lesson. This coming week, we have a LOT of reading to do, so my challenge is finding ways to help them with the language while using effective reading strategies. Whole-class reading can be boring, but I think that's probably the best way to tackle their first Shakespeare with freshmen. They're going to need a lot of translation, especially at the beginning, and especially at the pace at which we'll be reading.

The next few weeks will be crazy, with all the work of the unit, my portfolio project, and life in general, but we're coming down the home stretch! Let's try to have some fun.