assessment ideas

Very busy in the world of weaving these days! It's crunch time as we are preparing our work for display at a local college. All writing stories were completed today and primates made the choice of typing their stories using Stationary Studio in the computer lab, or having me type them. All but five primates chose to type their own. Reflection of pride in their work? Although I don't feel those who chose not to type their own stories lack pride in their work, but maybe they are just finished with the whole writing process.

I have much to update on projects and my observations, but it's late and I just want to get an idea down for assessment of this project. I find myself thinking more and more about individuals and what I have observed about them as learners through this project. So I am thinking of writing a paragraph (at least) about each primate and specific skills, abilities, proclivities, I observed as they worked as weavers and writers. I'll have to think about how I want to frame these written observations: around specific skills? general observations? intelligences? maybe a combination of all three...

I'd also like to write each observation as a letter to each primate from me--personal feedback. And I'd like to conference with them and read the letter together. I'm so proud of each and every one of them and the gains they've made, the effort they've shown, and the growth I've noticed.

As we near the end of this project, I feel a bit sad because it's been such a wonderful experience. Weaving will definitely continue to be a choice throughout the day, and who knows where it may lead us next. Several primates have told me they asked their parents for looms so they can weave at home. This transference of school to home is real world learning that I do believe they will carry with them.

a truly beautiful day

We had an amazing day of weaving today! YoYo Ma on the ipod, weaving and writing pieces scattered everywhere, weavers and writers working together, independently, purposefully, enthusiastically, and seriously. I have so much more to write, but this was a rare occasion for me to capture these lovely moments on video, so that's what I am sharing tonight. (please let me know if you have trouble viewing!)

not wasting my mistake

This one goes back to January 20th. We had been officially weaving for only a week or two, and one of the primates was working intently on weaving short, single strands of yarn through the warp of the loom. I could clearly see that this was not going to hold together off the loom, and the primate wasn't following the direction about making sure the warp is not seen after you comb the weft. I said nothing and let him continue.

Now I'd love to say I intentionally let it go, fully expecting what happened next, but this blog is about teaching and learning, and sometimes, the truth is ugly. Having said that, as I noticed this big mistake I walked by because I was busy and overwhelmed with the throngs of other beginning weavers shoving their looms and needles in my face. I also felt bad--he was obviously working so hard and feeling successful, and I just didn't have the energy to gently redirect him. So I rationalized that I was witnessing a mistake that will be painful to undo after all the effort this primate exhibited, but it would be a chance to refer to our big idea this year--don't waste your mistakes, with a real world experience. And I moved on.

The day quickly came when this primate brought his unwoven weaving project to me and I had to make a choice again: do I tell him it's all wrong and that he has to start all over? OR do i attempt to somehow remove the piece from the loom, and then ask him to identify what went wrong? I didn't have the heart to do the former--I was too afraid to crush his pride and accomplishment. But I didn't have time to do the latter, so I told him to leave it on my desk and I would work on it later.

Days went by and I tried to figure out some possible way to preserve this work, but ended in failure. I had no choice but to face the primate honestly. I sat with him and we looked at the piece which I did manage to remove from the loom in a heap of unwoven strands tied together. I explained why it hadn't come off the loom right--the warp was showing, and there was nothing to bind the edges because he had used single strips. I paused as the disappointment flashed on the primate's face momentarily, then he looked me in the eye and said, "I have to start again?" I nodded and said, "But don't waste this mistake! Think about how you can do it differently so this won't happen again." And off he went to begin his next project. He finished today. And I could never have imagined how powerful a learning moment would sprout from my just walking by.

This primate's work is evidence of learning--from the rumpled heap, (which by the way is hanging on the board with all finished pieces) to the tightly woven, carefully combed finished mug rug (a gift for his mom). This learning came from him making his mistake, sharing it, and not giving up--but trying again. And from me, allowing him the space to do this. He was beaming with pride and excitement--not only to be finished, but to share his work with the class--who clapped & cheered in support.*more on this later

I made a mistake--I don't like feeling like I am too busy or overwhelmed to meet every need of my primates, but I am human, and we humans make mistakes for a reason: it's how we learn. I can't always be on top of every little and not-so-little learning moment in my classroom--and that is OK, because if you nourish the soil properly, if you care and it shows....things will grow. Beautiful moment today.

Look at that tight weave!!!

weaving progress

We are moving right along with our projects, which I will blog about later.....but for now, this is where we were at just before February break..........

the process of processing

Last Thursday I read a book about why people read by Todd Parr, and asked the primates to illustrate and write an answer to the question, "why do we read?" (A colleague asked us to do this so their work can be displayed at a local teaching conference.)

I read the story to the whole group on the rug, after lunch & recess, so it was quite.....let's call it, 'exuberant' on the rug as I read...very interactive. The primates loved the colorful, bright, child-like illustrations, and delighted in reading the various signs, labels, words embedded in the illustrations. I wrote the question, "Why do we read?" on the white board and asked them to think about it as I read the story. After reading, I asked the question again and instructed them to draw & write their answers.

I noticed several primates wrote the question on their paper preceding their answer. This is interesting. And is not the first time I've noticed it. I suppose this is an instance where it is as important to notice what they do without being told vs. what you've directly asked them to do.

As a teacher influenced by MI vs. general intelligence theory, (and just a note--general intelligence--what traditional education including standardized testing is based on, IS in fact a theory with far less scientific evidence behind it), noticing this spontaneous occurrence reveals something about process and processing.

The primates who wrote the question, 1. heard me ask it, 2. read it on the board, 3. wrote it down, in their process of processing what I asked. Their answers were on topic, thoughtful, and creatively illustrated. One example: the primate wrote:

"Why do we read? Because it helps us use our imaginations."

**I substituted dictionary spelling for inventive...we are beginning writers!)

And drew a picture of a mermaid sitting on rocks above crashing ocean waves, reading a book.

Another wrote: "Why do we read? To learn and discover and to read signs."

This primate's drawing was a boy reading a book and sitting in front of a red stop sign with the word 'stop' written inside.

I hypothesize that added step of writing the question provides more time, more depth of understanding to the primate, thus resulting in a truly authentic answer to the question that shows what they really know. Now what I find most interesting is that I never asked them to write the question--they did it naturally. However, we do a lot of reflective writing where I ask a question for them to answer in words & pictures, and I always include the question I asked--usually printed on a label. Did their idea to write the question down sprout from this practice? Maybe they did it because I wrote the question on the board? I can't be sure...maybe something else entirely.

I think this is an important skill, though....and to put it in terms of MCAS, they are learning to really THINK about the question being ask before formulating their answer--a strategy many primates seem to lack when answering MCAS questions. hmmmmm, I'd like to think about this more.....

I do think this is important to recognize...and it makes me also think about how to individualize observational assessment--in a way that works with 22 primates in a class. A kind of "learning portrait"...what I notice about how they solve problems and what products they create....and their work as evidence of this......

what's important

Each session I ask the primates a question in small groups, record their responses, and post them on the bulletin board outside my room in a speech bubble next to their photograph. Visually, it is quite interesting...as are the responses! Primate responses reveal:

- how they are thinking (critical, concrete, higher level)

- what they are thinking about (personal associations they make with the ?)

- how they respond to others' responses (i.e., some repeat answers, some incite giggles or additional comments)

- how verbal linguistic they are (short-n-sweet vs. really looooooong answers!)

Plus it is a great community builder as we share our answers together and with the school community by posting it outside the classroom.

This year the focus of my questions has been on MI:

Session 1: How do you solve problems?

Session 2: What products do you like to create?

Session 3: What problems and products matter to you?

I'm phrasing the questions around Gardner's definition of intelligence (simplified): the ability to solve problems and create products that matter to society. This last question really illustrated how truly important semantics become when trying to assess what a primate knows--or in this case, thinks. No one had a response to this question, which I asked as a whole group since we were so short on time this session(see last post as to why!). In the moment, I realized I better rephrase quickly or I'd lose them, so I restated the question as: What things are important to you? This yielded beautifully revealing responses, posted below. If a primate doesn't connect easily to a question, they can easily get lost in A.) trying to figure out what you mean or B.) trying to figure out what you want them to say. The specific words we use are critical to drawing out THEIR thinking, and not what they think you want to hear...or what's right or wrong.

This in itself is a distinguishing characteristic of MI teaching from traditional teaching: The traditional teacher knows what s/he wants to hear-- there is a pre-determined "right" answer. Sometimes there is....although shouldn't there ALWAYS be room for different perspectives, alternate interpretations, outside the box thinking? The MI teacher spends time developing the question--making sure the semantics will inspire thoughtful answers that truly reflect what the primates think. Maybe there are no wrong answers, just different interpretations? Is that so bad in a world made up of unique individuals coming from diverse backgrounds? Doesn't that provide more learning opportunities for all as horizons are broadened?

The responses:

*please note I record responses as spoken by primates--grammatical errors and all.

"I think nature is important because if we didn't have nature we wouldn't have some types of food, and we need water and we need food.

"I think nature is important too. Building is important because we wouldn't have houses."

"Animals and children. I think water and plants are important because they help the environment and without water we would be suffering and everything would be dried."

"Art."

"Plants are important."

"I think science is important."

"I think friends and family are important. Trees because trees give us oxygen and without oxygen we won't be here."

"Important to me is my baby brother."

"Nature."

"I know this is weird, but playing with Q and Z everyday after school."

"I think math is important."

"I think earth is important because we actually wouldn't be able to be in a comfortable school if there was no earth!"

"I think that pets and family are important. I think parents are important."

"I think music is important because I really like to sing."

"I think recycling is important."

"I think friends are important."

"I think houses are important because if we didn't have houses when the rain keeps falling you would get really wet and sick and you might dies. I think water and food are important because if we didn't have them, we could get really sick and you could die."

"I think that a school is important because then we wouldn't study wheels and we wouldn't have cars."

"Love--it's because my dad says it's the most important thing in the world."

"I think the sea is important because without the sea those animals in the sea wouldn't be alive because they need water to breathe. And I think air is important because air helps us breathe and because without air we wouldn't be able to breathe."

Me: "Finding out what is important to my students is important to me."

ending on a good note

wow....I can't believe it's been so long since my last post, and I wholeheartedly blame the testing mania that suffocated the last few weeks of school prior to vacation. It's extremely discouraging to waste time on testing methods that are clearly out-dated and provide no valuable information on student learning. I used to hold a more politically correct stance that there is some, limited value in standardized testing, but really, honestly, there is not!

**I promise this post ends on a much more uplifting note!

I was mandated to administer a mid-year math exam to 6 and 7 year olds that was heavily literacy based--ie, if you can't read, you can't do the test independently...and if you are a beginning reader (which most are at this age), it is not appropriate to be expected to use reading as a tool to figure out other problems--the problem beg readers are focused on is reading!!! So I--one human being--had to read directions one by one to almost half the class. Having said that, even my fluent readers did not perform well because the test also included mostly "trick" questions--inappropriate because primates who have only been introduced to new material within a few months prior do not possess a deep enough understanding of the content to think about it flexibly enough to answer "trick" questions. And finally, a word about multi-step directions--it is not developmentally appropriate to expect children at this stage of development to first complete an incomplete chart of data (that has no personal relevance), analyze the data, and then answer three wordy questions about the data. Did I also mention the test included a fill in the bubble for the correct answer question? And that the answer to the question (which was about completing a pattern--circle, triangle, square, circle, triangle, square--the correct answer being circle--so most of them colored in the circle rather than the bubble next to the circle.

So my question is, if we all can at least agree that the validity of information these types of standardized tests is limited, then why are my primates and I forced to sacrifice so much valuable learning time to prepare for, administer, and then correct these tests? And even better, I can look forward to even more wasted time "analyzing" this inaccurate data so it can "inform" my instruction. Give me a break!

OK, testing frustration aside...because there really is nothing I can do about it and probably shouldn't be blasting it so openly, but some truths just cannot be silenced!...I got a lovely e-mail from a primate's mom today. They took a family trip to the American Textile Museum today and got to work on big looms, learn how fabric is made, and the mom also mentioned that her child spoke very eloquently about our weaving project--using vocab learned in class. Really wonderful to hear about this family's interest in our project & how they are extending the learning outside the classroom into the real world. Despite the hopelessness surrounding bus availability (and affordability), I am going to look into a possible trip to the museum with the primates. It would be a wonderful extension of the project--if it doesn't happen, though, I strongly encourage a family trip! I plan on making one with my family!

New Survivor began last week, so I'm taking a break from my obsession with the Winter Olympics (has it been fabulous or what?!) for at least an hour tonight.