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It's time for proficiency tests. Kids who are proficient move on. Those who aren't get to "spiral".[/quote]
I like this. Rather than have grades levels have proficiency levels. The important thing is they get it. If they don't learn it again, but why punish the whole class. All kids have there strengths and weaknesses.
Seems like the problem with the child moving around is that she doesn't enjoy math. Math isn't about, I've learned it, let's move on so I never have to see it again. Maybe get a job where you don't have to move around so much so there can be some consistency to her education.
I get the "I didn't learn this last year" all the time. Funny thing is we only have two 5th grade math teachers. So when I ask if anyone learned the concept last year and few hands come up, I will ask them who they had as a teacher. When they say Mrs. Blah, I will say, so nobody else had Mrs. Blah last year. Tim was the only person who had Mrs. Blah.
When I ask the Pre-AP class if they learned it last year, all of them raise their hands even though they had the same teachers as the others.
Who won the American Revolution?
Who was the 1st President?
List a common name for each side in the Civil War.
Which American wrote the Declaration of Independence?
List two reasons for the Civil War.
The American (rebels) or Continental Army
George Washington
North/South or Free States/Slave States
Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston
Issue of state's rights and fight between slave/anti-slavery proponents
The cry that, "We weren't taught that" is most likely true.
I get the "I didn't learn this last year" all the time. Funny thing is we only have two 5th grade math teachers. So when I ask if anyone learned the concept last year and few hands come up, I will ask them who they had as a teacher. When they say Mrs. Blah, I will say, so nobody else had Mrs. Blah last year. Tim was the only person who had Mrs. Blah.
When I ask the Pre-AP class if they learned it last year, all of them raise their hands even though they had the same teachers as the others.
They're being honest. The AP-bound kids are in that class because they did learn it.
Try asking, "Who was taught this last year?" or "Did your teacher talk about this last year?" Maybe Mrs. Blah needs to pay more attention to mastery.
It's time for proficiency tests. Kids who are proficient move on. Those who aren't get to "spiral".
I like this. Rather than have grades levels have proficiency levels. The important thing is they get it. If they don't learn it again, but why punish the whole class. All kids have there strengths and weaknesses.[/quote]
It's funny you mentioned that, because I am tutoring students for the proficiency test (Math) that is required to graduate. I am not a contract teacher--but it just kind of bothers me that they make excuses, and blame everybody, but themselves.
One student has been diagnoses with ADHD (surprise) and takes Ritalin. Yet he refuses to put away his ear-buds. More than ironic.
I like this. Rather than have grades levels have proficiency levels. The important thing is they get it. If they don't learn it again, but why punish the whole class. All kids have there strengths and weaknesses.
It's funny you mentioned that, because I am tutoring students for the proficiency test (Math) that is required to graduate. I am not a contract teacher--but it just kind of bothers me that they make excuses, and blame everybody, but themselves.
One student has been diagnoses with ADHD (surprise) and takes Ritalin. Yet he refuses to put away his ear-buds. More than ironic.[/quote]
The BIGGEST thing we do wrong is we treat learning as everyone's job EXCEPT the student. If we could instill a sense of responsibility for their own learning in our kids, we could cure most of what ails our education system over night. Until kids take responsibility for their own learning, we're pushing a rope.
The BIGGEST thing we do wrong is we treat learning as everyone's job EXCEPT the student. If we could instill a sense of responsibility for their own learning in our kids, we could cure most of what ails our education system over night. Until kids take responsibility for their own learning, we're pushing a rope.[/quote]
How do you do this? How do you make a child intrinsically motivated to learn, to do well for the sake of doing well? If I could change my son's sense of responsibility he would definitely be a more successful student. I read A great book that addressed this very issue, claiming kids were not lazy, they were just motivated by different things, however I must have failed in the implementation of the ideas. The majority of the time, my son doesn't care, FEAR seems to be a motivator, but I would much rather desire and enjoyment of learning be the key.
Intrinsic motivators include fascination with the subject, a sense of its relevance to life and the world, a sense of accomplishment in mastering it, and a sense of calling to it.
The big idea on HOW to get students intrinsically motivated, imo, is
Quote:
Give students as much control over their own education as possible. Let students choose paper and project topics that interest them. Assess them in a variety of ways (tests, papers, projects, presentations, etc.) to give students more control over how they show their understanding to you. Give students options for how these assignments are weighted.
just let them watch MTV everyday, and you might be voted "Most Popular Teacher".
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