Instruction
1.Maria Martinez, a 3rd grade teacher, has decided to try out portfolio assessment in mathematics. She is concerned that she won’t be able to do it properly. She follows the guidelines of NCTM to stress problem-solving and the integration of math understanding with content in other disciplines. She poses quantitative problems for her students and requires them to provide an initial solution and revise the solution at least twice. She conducts 15-min. conferences with her students in which they engage in self-assessment. Soon the 10-week grades must be determined. Should Maria base the grades on her own judgments or on students’ self-appraisals? Post an original response and reply to at least 1 other student's original response.
2. Suppose that Mr. and Mrs. Holmgren, parents of your student, Harry, stopped by your classroom during Back-to-School Night. After spending 30 minutes examining their son’s portfolio, they express their concerns to you with the following comments: “When we stopped by Mr. Bray’s classroom earlier this evening to see how our daughter, Elissa, is doing, we encountered a series of extremely impressive portfolios. Elissa’s was outstanding. To be honest, Harry’s portfolio is a lot less polished. It seems that he’s included everything he’s done in your class, rough drafts as well as final products. Why is there this difference?” How would you respond? Provide an original response and reply to at least one other student's original response.
3. Lance Larson, a kindergarten teacher, wants to measure his students’ attitudes toward school. He uses an orally administered, anonymously completed inventory where he reads a question and students respond by circling a smiling face or a frowning face on a form. At the end of the first week of school, results of the assessment indicate 100% of his students really like school. Three months later, however, the same assessment indicates that over half of his students no longer look forward to coming to school. Almost 75% were often bored in class. If you were Lance, what would you do? Post an original response and reply to at least 1 other student's original response.
4. “You’re messing with my child’s head,” was a comment made by a parent, Mrs. Jillian, of one of your students. Mrs. Jillian continued by saying she had heard from her son that you were getting students to fill out “attitude tests” to try to find out if kids have the right attitudes. Mrs. Jillian concluded by asking, “How dare you delve into Paul’s values and attitudes! Isn’t this something his dad and I should be influencing?” How would you respond to Mrs. Jillian? Provide an original response and reply to at least 1 other student's original response.