EDSN 640_ Disccusion Board #8

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School

Touro College *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

640

Subject

Communications

Date

Apr 3, 2024

Type

pdf

Pages

4

Uploaded by xannedeng

Discussion #8: 1. How and when is it appropriate to use personal communication strategies, conferences, and interviews? What issues should you consider (Chappuis & Stiggins, 2020; Cohen & Spenciner, 2015)? Personal communication strategies, conferences, and interviews are great tools for assessing students' understanding, reasoning, and overall performance in the classroom. These methods can be very effective when they align with clear learning targets (Chappuis & Stiggins, 2020). As a 3K teacher, I've found personal communication strategies to be especially useful in understanding my students' cognitive and social-emotional development, as well as identifying any areas that need support. For instance, conducting informal interviews with young learners allows me to gain insight into their thoughts and behaviors, helping me tailor my instruction to meet their needs effectively. Conferences also provide an opportunity for teachers to communicate with students or work with others to discuss student performance and improvement strategies (Cohen & Spenciner, 2015). They are useful especially in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings where a student’s special needs are addressed. When using these strategies, it is important to consider several issues. One of the main issues is cultural awareness and sensitivity (Chappuis & Stiggins, 2020). For example, it is possible that a student may hesitate to respond to a teacher as they are accustomed to respecting elders and answering when they are told to do so. However, their hesitancy may be misinterpreted as a lack of understanding of the material, leading to a biased assessment. As an educator, it is important that we understand how cultural backgrounds may affect our students' learning personality. Another big issue is confidentiality. Ensuring confidentiality during interviews, especially when discussing sensitive topics, is imperative to maintain trust between students and educators (Cohen & Spenciner, 2015). Lastly, there are also chances that you may run into potential disagreements with colleagues or parents. It is important that we also plan strategies to address different viewpoints to work coherently as a team. 2. How can observation be used as an effective method of formative and summative assessment? (NCTE, 2013) What are some options for assessing students with special needs and concerns about reliability, validity, and fairness? (Cohen & Spenciner, 2015). What are some things you should keep in mind while observing? (White, 2016)? Observation serves as a powerful tool for both formative and summative assessment in the classroom. Through observations, teachers are able to gain insight on students' strengths, challenges, and learning progress throughout the instructional process (NCTE, 2013). By actively observing students, teachers are able to identify areas of improvement, tailor their teaching strategies, and provide effective feedback to enhance student learning. It is also useful in assessing students’ comprehension and application of learning objectives. Personally, I have oftenly used observations to understand my students’ development , individual learning styles, and areas requiring additional support. It is very useful and helped me gain a holistic view of my students.
When assessing students with special needs it is important that we make sure our assessments are reliable, valid, and fair (Cohen and Spenciner, 2015). Reliability in assessments is crucial for maintaining consistency and stability in observations. Concerns regarding reliability often stem from potential errors such as omissions, commissions, and transmission errors, which can compromise the accuracy of data collected during observations (Cohen and Spenciner, 2015). Concerns of validity in assessments can rise from the need to make sure that the observational measures accurately reflect what it is supposed to assess. The use of informal norms are helpful in the situation. Informal norms provide a comparative framework against which the behavior of a target student can be assessed (Cohen and Spenciner, 2015). This helps observers determine whether a student’s behavior is typical or atypical. While conducting observations, we need to be mindful of several factors. White emphasizes such factors as, having a clear understanding of learning targets, being attentive to both the teacher's and students' needs, and providing a supportive learning environment (White, 2016). In my teaching practice, I ensure to keep learning targets in mind during observations, actively observing students without disrupting their activities, and intervening only when necessary to support their engagement and learning process. I've found observation to be invaluable for understanding my students' learning and tailoring my instructional approach accordingly. During center time, I like taking pictures of their work and discreetly monitoring their progress. This allows me to gather data without disrupting their workflow or causing undue stress. By integrating observation into my daily teaching routine, I can effectively assess student progress, address individual needs, and foster a positive and inclusive learning environment for them. 3. How can we ask questions that will cause students to use higher-order thinking skills in order to answer? What are the advantages of using logs and journal as assessment tools (Chappuis & Stiggins)? As a teacher, one of the fundamental strategies I use to foster higher-order thinking skills in my students is questioning. Chappuis and Stiggins emphasize the importance of asking open-ended questions that prompt students to think critically and creatively (Chappuis & Stiggins, 2020). By framing questions that require students to think, I aim to deepen their understanding and encourage thoughtful responses. For example, during a nature walk, instead of asking “What color flowers do you see?” I might ask, "What do you think the flowers are different colors?" This not only challenges students to engage in deeper analysis but also promotes meaningful dialogue and reflection in the classroom.Incorporating wait time into questioning practices can also give students the opportunity to form a more thoughtful response. By giving students time to process information and consider their answers, I am able to create an environment where all students feel valued and encouraged to participate actively in discussions (Chappuis & Stiggins, 2020). Logs and journals provide teachers with many advantages when assessing their students. These tools enable students to articulate their thoughts, explore concepts, and deepen their understanding through written expression (Chappuis & Stiggins, 2020). They help facilitate
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