Response to Discussion 1

Respond to discussion with at least – words

Markeshia

   The information provided in the descriptive text of the fourth-grade teacher, Dolly Davis was informative. While reading through the text analyzing her reasonings for administrating two different tests was not clear at first to comprehend the reason why. The teacher created a goal for the students to reach in order to see which goals have been achieved. In the passage of the decision time, on-demand assessment, one goal was mentioned to achieve mastery of skills learned. I believe that Dolly taught the lesson well. Dolly begins to explain the instructions clearly, and set directions for students to follow. Discovering how Dolly used the social studies curriculum and assessment to observe student learning. According to the text information, Dolly Had several ideas to give an assessment. In the text,  Dolly had two different strategies of the oral assessment and the written assessment (Popham, 2020 p.38) to give the students. If I were Dolly, my decision would be to administer the same text to the whole class. The standards that have not yet been mastered will show incorrectness. The viewpoint of the skills that need to be mastered will show as the reasonings behind selecting the answer. As a teacher, my motive is for every student to learn the objective and be able to pass the assessment. The skills will show mastery and the students will engage more in learning together. I would also revert back to the former practice of written examinations. The written examinations would help highlight the decreased learning met of each student. The oral assessment will be implemented several times throughout the final for students. Students will be able to list, describe and inform other students about what they have learned from the assessment. Students are to always complete an assessment rather than not options are provided. A teacher should always implement what works best for the students in the classroom and the standard or objective to use.

Linda

     I was so impressed reading and analyzing Ms. Dolly Davis's fourth-grade social studies class. Ms. Davis social studies class is awesome because they are fourth-grade students, reading and working successfully at their own pace. Ms. Davis's social studies classroom I feel outweighs the negativity from some of her students, pertaining to how the questions are randomly drawn for the students.

    The technique that Ms. Davis designed to assess the students' knowledge of their reading assignments, I give it a thumbs up because Ms. Davis is spending 10-15 minutes assessing the students' comprehension of the reading assignments (Popham p. 38).  The oral assessment is valid because the students are not reading from paper, but are actually speaking from the knowledge that they have acquired from their reading assignments. I commend Ms. Davis for creating such an awesome technique to assess her students reading comprehension, without using the same questions for the students, which will assess their individual knowledge (Popham, p. 38). Speaking orally isn't the easiest to do, especially as an assessment for students. Ms. Davis is preparing these fourth-grade students to read at their own pace and test whenever they feel that they are ready, is definitely a winner. 

I do not think that Ms. Davis can assess all of her students orally during the same class period because she is spending 10-15 minutes per student (Popham, p.38). So, I think that is not possible and I know that will likely depend on the number of students within the classroom.

Ms. Davis's social studies classroom I feel outweighs the negativity from some of her students, pertaining to how the questions are randomly drawn for the students. 

Joia

I can say that I understand and agree with Ms. Davis' assessment. I say that because it is a way for students to not be able to give each other the answers. However, it can feel like students will feel left out or like they have a harder test than the other person. But another way to look at it is if they study the passage the way they are supposed to then they should be able to answer any question given to them and the questions shouldn't be harder. In order to let the students, continue to work at their own pace, they will need to continue with how things are going. If students want to have their test together, they will need to all have the same time frame to complete the reading. It seems unreasonable to have everyone complete the reading at their own pace and take the test at the same time simply because it may mean that the curriculum will be slowed down and all of the work won't be completed in the school year. I would however see what the students suggest by taking a vote and trying the most picked option and we will reassess and re-evaluate from there. "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test," (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV). Just as Christ has us as Christians to examine themselves to make sure they are in faith; Ms. Davis can test another option to see which one she can get a better response from. Christians are supposed to make sure they are in tune with Christ. Ms. Davis must have faith in herself to make sure she is teaching the right way to benefit the students. If she feels she is right and the kids agree after they assess the situation then she can continue with such, if not she can reassess the situation and do what's better.