I've been pondering the questions of what we could do more or less of in class and the first things that typically pop into my head just don't work. In most of my classes I would say that we could use more activities or concrete representations instead of a teacher simply lecturing to the class. Less lecturing and more activities seem to be my most common response but does not fit here. So, my thoughts if any, would be that we are given a few take home questions. Just a few things that we could think about. I understand that our blogs and readings are a helpful way to keep us thinking but it really helps me to process, relate, and connect information with specific questions. I think that this is one reason I see the blogs as a helpful tool. Not only do they help me to assess what I already know but they also help me to search and add to my knowledge or understanding.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Class Thus Far
As I take a step back to reflect on class until this point, I am drawn to reflect on how I think that I am doing. This class is really challenging how I view learning and grading. Ninety-nine percent of my classes are or have been the usual of do the work, remember the key points, take a test, and get an accumulative grade. Yet it seems ironic that the class to teach me assessment does not involve any of this. I could typically tell you how a class is in a given semester due to my resent assignment and test scores though I may not be able to tell you how much I have truly learned. At times I wish that we were given some sign to show our progress but then I have to consider how that would affect my motivation and focus. I'm also still trying to figure out how I am doing in this class and how this grading system should affect my future classroom.
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I have definitely had similar thoughts. I think it is really ironic that our assessment class does not actually assess us over what we are learning. But I have really noticed that I have a better understanding of the material, which I don't feel like I can say about my other "typical" classes. I definitely agree with your idea of a take home test/questionnaire, I think it is best to give students something to reflect on things that were already learned or get them to start thinking about something new!
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that you have been analyzing the way your professors are teaching, as I have been doing the same. I find myself thinking if whether or not I truly learned a concept in class. (if it truly fits into my schema and prior thoughts surrounding a concept or idea). I think of how the content could be better explained given concrete examples and connections to more familiar concepts. I know this is due to my thorough understanding of the main learning theories and I am looking forward to being able to inform my teaching interactions with children I work with, using these theories I have learned.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you. I feel like in L and A we get asked a lot of questions and they only lead us to more questions. I also agree that we start to wonder what we really have learned. It feels like we are getting into the abstract a lot more than we have ever been used to.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the openess and unexpected nature of the class makes it more interesting and educational than a lecture course. In classes where the lecture is the main focus I feel like I'm not really learning anything because I'm not getting exposed to what they are talking about and am not really engaged in the topic. Most classes we have to read a book and learn that way. I like that we don't have to read a book for this class, we read articles, but the book reading and homework seem like busy work in all of the other classes. I feel like I take more from this class than other classes because I am actually learning in class and then I am thinking about it outside of class as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree on how you can predict how every class will go, just because of your previous experiences in other classes. I know it typically goes, a couple of quizzes, a midterm, some more quizzes, and then the final. Thats how my past classes have gone, and they have groomed me to constantly think and expect my learning experience to follow that same plan. It is defiantly a nice relief to go into a class that not only breaks away from that model, but in fact critiques that model. The discussions we have in class have been way more beneficial to me than just studying out of a book.
ReplyDeleteI have had similar thoughts. Accommodating my frame of mind to what the professor is supposed to teach us and how that is to be taught. This class has been an experience to say the least and has given me a new perspective on how I want to teach my students one day.
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