chapter 6

So once again I am running around like a chicken without a head trying to juggle everything on my plate and sometimes it seems impossible. I can't believe that the months have gone by so fast and that we are close to the end. I am still behind on my reading but I seem to be on track for my project. I had a hard time trying to figure out what I wanted to do. That was half of the battle. Anyways..... We went through the different formal assessments with the help of our little powerpoints that we did. My girls go to Holy Name Catholic School and my 12 year old would tell me that she was taking her SAT. I thought what do you mean? She is in 6th grade afterall.. well it turns out that she was taking the Scholastic Reading Inventory. Why they call it SAT, I don't know maybe that was just my daughter calling it that but anyways now I get it. What I want to know really is why do the different school districts need to use different assessments? It gets frustrating and I tell you what, both of my girls were nervous and worried for the whole week of testing. These test put alot of stress and pressure on the student and then they get consumed with the " test". It is so unfair. I have yet to get the results but my feeling is that they did well. Fortunately both of them have done well so far. We will see....

chapter 5

Okay so just when I think I am doing alright and on task....I am still behind. I am another one who is so not used to chit chatting on line or mingling etc. so bare with me. I read chapter 5 and then we heard Dr. Wilson lecture on it as well,and I have to tell you that the lecture always makes better sense than just reading it.
Chapter 5 covers formal assessments and we talked about it in class so I am not going to try to summerize the chapter. What I will say is that why does assessing a child have to be so complicated and full of bullsh**t rules. It is a good thing that there are various assesments out there to use and it is a good thing that they are used but as we have all learned just because the assessment is packaged real pretty doesn't necessarily mean that it is the answer. I thought that the video on Maddy reading was very interesting because I wonder if as parents and teachers, we look at the physical, and facial expressions of a child and assess those things. Obviously those remarks and gestures mean a whole lot more than just what is seen to the eye. Maybe what we should do is look at the physical and facial expressions to see what is really going on with the child. Kids come to school with all kinds of problems, guilt, and negativity and alot of the time that plays into what they do and don't do. Obviously what we as teachers want to know if our students are at their level and these assessments are there for that but it may not always be the ultimate solution. We as teachers also need to find ways to keep trying to help our students and I know that in the real world that doesn't always happen for whatever reason. iknow alot of people who just fell through the cracks and that is so unfair to them and to our society.