juliaparker.weebly.comjuliaparker.weebly.com/uploads/5/1/5/6/51568167/7762_i… · Web viewImpact...

Running Head: IMPACT ON STUDENT LEARNING ANALYSIS

Impact on Student Learning Analysis

Julia Parker

Kennesaw State University

November 2016

Dr. Williams

Fall 2016

IMPACT ON STUDENT LEARNING ASSESSMENT

SETTING AND CONTEXT

Smitha Middle School is located in suburban Cobb County. Cobb County has a population of 688,078

and according to the 2010 census, the population is comprised of sixty two percent white, twenty five percent

black, twelve percent Hispanic, three percent of two or more races and four percent Asian. Approximately

thirteen percent of the population is classed as economically disadvantaged; however, forty percent of Cobb

County students receive free or reduced lunches.

Smitha Middle School has 961 students of which 521 are male and 440 are female, 479 students are

Hispanic, 379 are Black, 58 are White, 29 are two or more races and 16 are Asian. Eighty eight percent of the

students are classed as economically disadvantaged, which is twice the county average. Two hundred forty

students, which is 25% of the student population are identified as ESOL and 161, almost 17% of students are

served as SWD. The majority of ESOL students are served through Science and Social Studies classes with a

push-in ESOL teacher. Most Special needs students are served in co-taught inclusion classes, in each core

academic subject in all three grade levels. Eight six students, 9 percent of the student body are identified as

gifted, which is well below the county average. There are also two self-contained special needs classes. The

building principal in conjunction with three assistant principals work to provide teachers with the support

necessary to deliver high quality data driven instruction. Always striving to improve the school climate, this

year we became a PBIS school. The school-wide behavior expectations with an emphasis on rituals and routines

have resulted in a marked improvement in student behavior. There has also be an emphasis on an effective data

team process as well as differentiated instruction, the goal being to close the gap between the upper and lower

quartile students.

The Smitha campus has a modern friendly feel. It is divided in to pods, one for each grade level. The

hallways are color coded and the commons areas are centrally located.


My classroom is located at the end of the green hall, directly across the hall from the teacher work room

the social studies wing of the 8th grade pod. The room, formally a science lab, contains eighteen lab tables, each

with two chairs, which are grouped together; this makes moving around the room optimal. There is also a

teacher desk and a desk with a computer and printer. There is a bulletin board with a display of the US

Presidents on one wall. The back wall contains a word wall and a US map. The other side wall has all the

standards listed on the cabinets. The front of the class has a large white board which is split by a Smart Board.

The left side of the white board also has roll down US and world maps.

The subject of this assessment is 6th block. The class runs from 3:05 to 4:15 in the afternoon. It is the

smallest class of the day at 25 students, and is made up of 10 boys and 15 girls of whom 20 are Hispanic, 4 are

black and 1 identifies with two or more races. This class is less ethnically diverse than the school average. The

average age in the class is 14 years old. This is an AC class. They are one of the most chatty classes I teach,

and are the most difficult to keep on topic. They ask a lot of questions; however, they do not always pertain to

the lesson. None of the students are classed as exceptional and there are no English language learners. A

majority of the students are bilingual, Spanish being their first language, and the language spoken at home. The

students in this class love to work in groups, but are sometimes too social to accomplish much on paper when

doing so. They appear to learn best through discussion. Movie clips really hold their attention and they tend to

get a lot out of them. They do not get a lot out of an individual reading assignment; they perform better when

they ‘jigsaw’ read, stopping frequently highlight and discuss important concepts. The students in this class lack

the basic school supplies like notebook paper and pencils, and at several students need a pencil every day.

I split the class into 2 subgroups, Gifted and AC. Subgroup ‘A’ is made up of 11 AC students, 9

Hispanic, one is mixed race and one is Black. Subgroup ‘B’ is made up of 14 gifted students, 11 Hispanic, and 3

are Black. For the second subgroup I chose a higher achieving gifted student and a l under achieving gifted

student. Student ‘A’ a male student, is of a higher level, academically than the rest of the class. He expressed his

desire to attend college and become a college professor like his mother. He is a quiet student who loves to read


and expresses great interest in social studies, even though he admits that it is not his favorite subject. He appears

to get along with the other students, however does not belong to a specific group or clique. He does not always

raise his hand in class, but is always ready to answer when called upon. He seems somewhat out of place in this

particular class and his frequent frustration with the silliness and conduct of other students is clear. Student ‘B’

likes to be the center of attention and is very outspoken. He has frequent absences rarely makes up missed work.

He interrupts class frequently, with questions irrelevant to the topic on hand. He proclaims his hatred of school,

how it is a waste of his time.

The fifteen day cross curricular unit used for this study had a Universal Theme of Conflict and focused on The

American Revolution, and included a study of the causes, as well as the war’s effects on Georgia.

The unit encompassed the following Social Studies Georgia Performance Standards:

SS8H3 The student will analyze the role of Georgia in the American Revolution.

a. Explain the immediate and long-term causes of the American Revolution and their impact on Georgia;

include the French and Indian War (Seven Years War), Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, Intolerable Acts, and

the Declaration of Independence.

b. Analyze the significance of people and events in Georgia on the Revolutionary War; include Loyalists,

patriots, Elijah Clarke, Austin Dabney, Nancy Hart, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton, Battle of

Kettle Creek, and siege of Savannah.

TEST (pre and post)


1. What two colonial powers fought each other for control of North America during the French and Indian War?A. Great Britain and Native AmericansB. Great Britain and FranceC. France and Native AmericansD. France and Spain

2. In what way did the French and Indian War impact Georgia?A. It devastated much of the colony because of the fierce battles that took place.B. It had no effects on Georgia because all of the battles took place in the northern colonies.C. It added territory to the colony and increased security once Britain took control of

Florida. D. It enraged Georgians because it made the colony smaller.

3. How did the people in England suffer as a result of the Seven Year’s War?A. They had to speak FrenchB. Their land was lostC. Many people were killedD. Taxes increased

4. What divided Florida into two British colonies, expanded Georgia’s territory, and angered colonists who wanted to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains?A. Treaty of VersaillesB. Charter of 1732C. Stamp ActD. Proclamation of 1763

5. Why did King George III begin Levying taxes on the colonists?A. To punish them for losing the war.B. To pay for the Proclamation lineC. To pay down the war debt. D. To buy Florida from the Spanish.

6. Which Act imposed a tax on all legal and commercial paper documents?A. Tea ActB. Townsend ActC. Stamp ActD. Intolerable Act

7. Which Act imposed a tax on tea, paper, lead, glass and paint?A. Tea ActB. Townsend ActC. Stamp ActD. Intolerable Act


8. Which Act included the Quartering Act and the closing of Boston Harbor?A. Tea ActB. Townsend ActC. Stamp ActD. Intolerable Act

9. Loyalists can best be described as which of the following?A. Colonists who supported independence.B. Colonists who supported the king.C. Colonists who didn’t really care because British laws had little effect on their lives.D. Patriots who used violence and threats to keep people from buying British stamps.

10. What was the colonists’ response to the Tea Act?A. Boston Tea PartyB. Boston MassacreC. Funeral for the TaxD. Tarring and feathering a tax collector

11. What punished colonists for rebellious activities like the Boston Tea Party?A. Intolerable ActsB. Stamp ActC. Sugar ActD. Tea Act

12. Which act forced colonists to house and feed British soldiers?A. Quartering ActB. Stamp ActC. Townsend ActD. Boston Harbor Act

13. Patriots can best be described asA. British soldiers who fought with the colonists.B. British soldiers who fought for the King.C. Colonists who wanted to break away from England.D. Colonists who remained loyal to the King.

14. How did Patriots in Georgia respond to the Stamp Act and the Intolerable Acts?A. They were concerned and refused to ratify the Constitution until these acts were removed

and replaced with the Bill of Rights.B. They were upset and immediately chose delegates to the Continental Congress.C. They were angered by them and made their protests known.D. They supported them because they still had strong ties to England.

15. Georgia wasA. The first colony to call for rebellion against the British.


B. One of the first colonies to send delegates to the Continental Congress.C. Slower than most colonies to break with England.D. The only colony not to sign the Declaration of Independence.

16. Why were the other 12 colonies upset with Georgia before July 1775?A. They thought Georgia was responsible for the Intolerable Acts.B. No Georgian would sign the Declaration of Independence.C. Up until that time, Georgia did not seem very supportive of the revolutionary cause.D. Georgia was the only colony supporting the slave trade.

17. Georgia was more hesitant than the other colonies to break with Great Britain becauseA. Georgia had been attacked by other British colonies and did not trust them.B. The colony was very dependent on Great Britain for protection and trade.C. It was one of the few colonies where most people supported the Intolerable Acts.D. Georgians liked King George and thought the laws were fair.

18. Why was the Second Continental Congress significant?A. France took control of the colony.B. It started the Revolutionary War.C. Caused parliament to repeal the Intolerable Acts.D. The Declaration of Independence was written.

19. Why was Georgia no longer considered a British royal colony in 1776?A. France took control of the colony.B. It became a Trust in that year.C. Spain began to rule it that year.D. It declared independence from Great Britain.

20. What was significant about Lyman Hall, Button Gwinnett, and George Walton?A. They each went to Philadelphia as unofficial representatives to the Second Continental

Congress.B. They each represented Georgia at the First Continental Congress. C. They each signed the Stamp Act on behalf of Georgia.D. They each signed the Declaration of Independence on behalf of Georgia.

21. How did Georgia’s representatives to the Constitutional Convention feel about the slave trade?A. They supported it because Georgia’s plantation system needed slaves.B. They hated it because it violated people’s freedoms.C. They did not care either way because they were not slave owners.D. They were upset that there was no slave trade and passed an amendment requiring one to

start shortly after the convention.


22. What Georgian helped write the Articles of Confederation, was elected chief executive of Georgia’s patriot assembly, and eventually died as the result of a duel with a political rival?A. Elijah ClarkeB. Austin DabneyC. Lyman HallD. Button Gwinnett

23. In what year was Georgia’s first constitution adopted?A. 1763B. 1776C. 1777D. 1800

24. Which of the following is true regarding Georgia’s Constitution of 1777?A. It made many colonists nervous because it gave too much power to the governor.B. The people did not trust a strong governor, so it gave the assembly most of the power.C. It did away with counties and combined Georgia into just one state.D. It was repealed once the Declaration of Independence was signed.

25. Where did the shot around the world occur?A. SavannahB. ConcordC. ChickamaugaD. Lexington

26. What Revolutionary War battle broke the British stronghold in Georgia?A. Siege of SavannahB. Battle of BritainC. Battle of ChickamaugaD. Battle of Kettle Creek

27. Who led Georgian Patriots to victory at Kettle Creek, retook Augusta in 1781, and fought numerous skirmishes against Native Americans?A. Elijah ClarkeB. Austin DabneyC. George WashingtonD. Nancy Hart

28. What was special about Austin Dabney?A. He was a slave who won his freedom for brave service during the war.B. He led a heroic attack during the Siege of Savannah.C. He captured several British leaders despite being wounded.D. He commanded the patriot troops who won a key victory at Kettle Creek.


29. Who was Nancy Hart?A. She was a Loyalist who had to leave Georgia after the war.B. She used her beauty to spy on British soldiers.C. She was the shy wife of a famous Patriot officer.D. She was a brave Patriot who captured British soldiers.

30. Elijah Clarke’s victory at Kettle CreekA. Boosted the morale of Georgia Patriots and halted British attempts to organize more

Tories in Georgia.B. Stopped the Union’s first attempt to invade Georgia during the Civil War.C. Led to the end of Native Americans’ resistance to Indian Removal.D. Allowed Lord Cornwallis to invaded North Carolina during the revolution.

31. The Battle of Kettle Creek was not a huge battle, however it showed the British thatA. They should leave Georgia alone.B. They should fight more battles in Georgia.C. The Loyalist had little support in the South.D. The Patriot forces were weak in the South.

32. Who saved Elijah Clarke’s life at the Battle of Kettle Creek?A. Button GwinnettB. Nancy HartC. William BaldwinD. Austin Dabney

33. What did Georgia do in 1779, becoming the only one of the thirteen original colonies to do so?A. They defeated the British at the Siege of Savannah.B. They boycotted the British trade of cotton.C. They restored allegiance to the British Crown.D. They joined Cornwallis in Charleston.

34. Which of the following best describes how the American Revolution was fought in Georgia?A. It caused little violence because most of the war was fought north of Virginia.B. Slaves and women played no role in the fighting.C. Most of the fighting was between the Patriot colonists and British soldiers who arrived

after the war began.D. Fighting was extremely bloody and bitter because most of the people fighting on both

sides were Georgia colonists.

35. Which Georgia statesman was appointed to the Continental Congress, was instrumental in the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, and was one of Georgia’s delegates?


A. Lyman HallB. Abraham BaldwinC. Elijah ClarkeD. Button Gwinnett

36. In addition to Abraham Baldwin, what other Georgia represented the state at the Constitutional Convention of 1787?A. William FewB. Nancy HartC. George WaltonD. Austin Dabney

Use the picture to answer questions 37 - 39

37. This political cartoon is in response to what?

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiU06v-jJPQAhUBSiYKHVc0CzcQjRwIBw&url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/442830575836344237/&psig=AFQjCNHXD96LXTDJ_4SvcQPV3k0RJdNbKQ&ust=1478486332246271


A. Repealing the Intolerable Acts B. Repealing the Stamp Act C. The Boston Massacre D. The Boston Tea Party

38. Look in quadrant 4 of the picture. What is ready to be shipped back to England? A. Tea B. Boxes C. Stamps D. A coffin

39. This picture is a good example of A. A typical Boston funeral B. Political propaganda C. Art from the period D. Political satire

Use the Chart to answer questions 40-42

CAUSE AND EFFECT: Growing Conflict Between Britain and America

DATE BRITISH ACTION COLONIAL REACTION

1763 Proclamation of 1763 issued à Proclamation leads to anger

1765 Stamp Act passed à

Boycott of British goods; Stamp act Resolves passed

1766 Stamp Act repealed;

Declaratory Act passed à

Boycott ended1767 Townshend Acts passed à New boycotts, Boston Massacre

(March 1770)

1770 Townshend Acts repealed à Tension between colonies and Britain reduced

1773 Tea Act passed à Boston Tea Party

1774 Intolerable Acts passed à First Continental Congress bans trade; militias organized

1775 Troops ordered to Lexington Militia fights British troops;


And Concord, Massachusetts à

Second Continental Congress; Continental Army established

40. What British action resulted in the Boston Tea Party?A. Proclamation of 1763

B. The Stamp Act

C. The Townshend Acts

D. The Tea Act 41. What British Action had the result of reducing the tension between the colonies and Britain?A. Proclamation of 1763

B. repeal of the Stamp Act

C. repeal of the Townshend Acts

D. none of these 42. When did the Boston Massacre take place?A. March 1770

B. 1767

C. 1775

D. not enough information given to answer READ THE PASSAGE THEN ANSWER QUESTIONS 43-45

Support for the First Continental Congress grew in the parishes of Georgia. The Scots in Darien and others spoke out strongly against Britain. A few, however, still disagreed. Elijah Clarke, William Few and George Wells signed a petition stating their disagreement. The Committee of Thirty called for another meeting, a provincial congress, to take place during the next Georgia Assembly in January of 1775. In his opening address to the Assembly, Governor Wright begged the members to consider the consequences of adopting measures that would anger England.


It grieves me that a Province that I have been so long in, and which I have seen nurtured by the Crown… and grew up from mere infancy….should, by the imprudence and rashness of some inconsiderate people be plunged into a state of distress and ruin. Governor James Wright His speech did little good. The Assembly convened and began discussing their rights as Americans. The provincial congress met also, but only five of the twelve parishes sent delegates. They discussed the resolutions of the First Continental Congress and elected Noble W. Jones, Archibald Bulloch and John Houston to represent the colony at the next Continental Congress. With delegates from only five parishes, the men did not represent all of Georgia. Even so, they hoped the Assembly would allow them to attend the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. But Wright adjourned the Assembly before it could take that action. 43. Which group spoke out strongly against Britain?A. The parishes in Georgia

B. Scots in Darien

C. The Committee of Thirty

D. The Provincial Congress 44. According to Governor James Wright, what caused “distress and ruin” in the Province?A. Disagreement by Clark, Few and Wells

B. The First Continental CongressC. the imprudence and rashness of some inconsiderate people

D. The Crown 45. Where was the first Continental Congress held?A. Washington, D.C.

B. Atlanta

C. Darien

D. Philadelphia


The quiz was given after reviewing the previous days’ work. I believed it was necessary to more formally assess student learning. The quiz was played as a game in Class Craft. Correct answers advance the student’s game characters by gaining experience points and levelling up.

Quiz

1. What was the Seven Years war fought over?

Land and resources in the Ohio River Valley

2. What did France and Spain give up in the Treaty of Paris ?

Spain gave up Florida, France gave up land east of the Mississippi River

3. What was the King left with after the war?

A huge war debt

4. What was the goal of Proclamation of 1763?

To prevent colonists from crossing west of the Appalachian Mountains

5. Explain the Stamp Act of 1765?

It places a tax on all legal and commercial documents

6. What happened in 1770 in Boston because of soldiers moonlighting in the shipyards?

The Boston Massacre: Colonists pelted British soldiers with snowballs and shots were fired, killing 5 people.

7. Whose silver inscription popularized the term Boston Massacre?

Paul Revere.

8. What did the colonist do to protest the Tea Act?

Boston Tea Party: Dressed as Indians and poured hundreds of crates of tea, from 3 ships, into Boston Harbor. .


9. What was the king’s response to the Boston Tea Party?

The Intolerable Acts

10. Which of the Intolerable Acts most angered the Colonists?

The Quartering Act

DATA ANALYSIS

Various other informal assessments were given throughout the unit which I graded with meets standard, exceeds standard, or approaching standard. These grades were not recorded in the grade book, but were used as a tool to check on student learning and as data to drive instruction.

Target 1

Target 2

Target 3

Target 4

Target 5

Target 6

Target 7

Target 8

Target 9

Target 10

Target 11

Target 12

Target 13

Target 14

Target 15

Pretest Discussion Writing RAFT Graphic Decision Political Formative Post-test


Questions assignments

Organizer Points Cartoon

Whole Group Data

Pre-test % Quiz % Post-test %Pupil 1 22 80 86Pupil 2 20 90 94Pupil 3 26 90 98Pupil 4 20 70 86Pupil 5 26 80 94Pupil 6 28 100 98Pupil 7 20 70 87Pupil 8 20 60 70Pupil 9 18 80 90Pupil 10 20 90 96Pupil 11 36 80 94Pupil 12 26 90 95Pupil 13 24 70 80Pupil 14 28 90 98Pupil 15 20 80 84Pupil 16 22 90 100Pupil 17 12 60 71Pupil 18 20 80 87Pupil 19 22 70 96Pupil 20 34 70 78Pupil 21 20 100 98Pupil 22 28 80 91Pupil 23 20 40 51Pupil 24 38 80 93Pupil 25 20 70 78


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 250

20

40

60

80

100

120

post-testPre-test

According to quantative data for the group as a whole, the pre-test exhibited a minimum score of

12 and a maximum score of 38 making the range 26. The mean grade was 23.6 and the median

was 22. The mode was 20; with a frequency of 16%. The standard deviation was 5.944.

The Class Craft quiz showed a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 100, giving a range of 60. The

mean grade was 78.4 and the median was 80. The mode was 80 with a frequency of 32%. The

standard deviation was 13.44. After grading the quiz, it was evident that some re-teaching was

required.

The Post-test showed a minimum score of 51 and a maximum of 100, giving a range of 49. The

mean score was 87.64 and the median was 91. The mode was 87 with a frequency of 16%. The

standard deviation was 11.25.


The Graph shows that a student’s previous knowledge is not a key indicator on how well they do

in the post test. However, it is still important to gauge the student’s background knowledge to be

able to scaffold.

Sub Group A

Pupil Pre-test Quiz Post-testPupil 1A 26 90 95Pupil 2A 24 70 80Pupil 3A 28 90 98Pupil 4A 20 80 84Pupil 5A 22 90 100Pupil 6A 12 60 73Pupil 7A 20 80 87Pupil 8A 22 70 96Pupil 9A 34 70 78Pupil 10A 20 100 98Pupil 11A 28 80 91Pupil 12A 20 40 51Pupil 13A 38 80 91Pupil 14A 20 70 78

studen

t 1

studen

t 2

studen

t 3

studen

t 4

studen

t 5

studen

t 6

studen

t 7

studen

t 8

studen

t 9

studen

t 10

studen

t 11

studen

t 13

studen

t 14

0

1020

3040

5060

708090

100

Pre-testPost-test

Pre-testQuizPost-test


Sub group A had a minimum pre-test grade of 12, with a maximum score of 38, equaling a range 26. The mean score was 23.86 with a median of 22 was recorded. The mode score was a 20 with a frequency of almost 36%. The standard deviation was 6.585. The post-test t minimum score was 51 with a maximum of 100, equaling a range 49. The mean and median scores were and 785.71 and 89 respectively. The modes were 98, 78 and 91 with a frequency of just over 14%. The standard deviation was 13.23.

Sub Group B

Pupil Pre-test Quiz Post-testPupil 1B 20 80 87Pupil 2B 22 90 93Pupil 3B 26 90 96Pupil 4B 20 70 87Pupil 5B 26 80 94Pupil 6B 28 100 98Pupil 7B 20 70 87Pupil 8B 20 60 69Pupil 9B 18 80 90Pupil 10B 20 90 96Pupil 11B 36 80 94

Studen

t 1

Studen

t 2

Studen

t 3

Studen

t 4

Studen

t 5

Studen

t 6

Studen

t 7

Studen

t 8

Studen

t 9

Studen

t 10

Studen

t 11

0102030405060708090

100

Pre-test

Post-test

Pre-testQuizPost-test


The minimum pre-test score for sub group B was 18, with a maximum score of 36, equaling a range 18. A mean score of 23.27 and median of 20 were recorded. A mode was 20 was recorded with frequency of just over 45%. The standard deviation was 5.312. The post-test score minimum was 69 with a maximum of 98, equaling a range 29. A mean score of 90 and median score were 93 were recorded. The mode score was an 87 with a frequency of just over 27%. The standard deviation was 8.031.

Both groups were fairly evenly matched in socioeconomic status. 6 of the boys are avid soccer players, two girls play basketball. More than half of each group is in band. Both groups exhibited a much lower standard deviation on the pre-test. As 95% of all students fell within 2 standard deviations of the mean, the students were mostly evenly matched with prior knowledge. Nonetheless, the standard deviation for the post-test was much higher for both sub group, proving different levels of mastery.

Individual StudentsPre-test Quiz Post-test

Pupil A 26 100 98

Pupil B 22 60 70

Both the Gifted (A) and AC (B) students had similar levels of prior knowledge to scaffold upon.

Nonetheless, it became apparent when taking the Class Craft assessment that included

constructed responses, that the AC student (B) misunderstood many of the standard objectives.

He complained during the assessment that he needed answers to choose from and how was he

supposed to remember this crap.

As a teacher and facilitator of learning I try to make learning as fun and interactive as possible.

This group seems to learn best by observing and then discussing. During discussions, I can

encourage students to think more critically. Showing students that you enjoy them and that you


want to be there helps win them over, and as many of them are teachers pleasers, they will try

harder. I have a genuine enthusiasm for history which also facilitates learning. I also try to build

students up with frequent praise. Although I know many of these students from student council,

this is not my regular class. I tried to fostering a safe environment, where students felt confident

to take risks, and to encourage engagement. If students do not feel safe they can be withdrawn,

therefore I encouraged them to try without the fear of ridicule.

Post-test Missed Question Frequency

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1

0

11 12 1

3

14 15 1

6

17 1

8

19 20 2

1

22 23 2

4

251234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829


30313233343536373839404142434445

REFLECTION

This unit of study was largely successful because of the differentiation strategies I

incorporated in to instruction. I used pretest data, I was able to group students together by the

learning targets with which they needed the most growth. Integrating technology in to this unit

allowed me to create content that students could interact with at their individual pace. By giving

student some choice, they felt more in control of their learning and could steer in a direction

closest to their own interests. In turn, this equates to higher engagement and ultimately better

acquisition of the standards.

When examining the data, I was surprised to discover that the learning targets I thought

we went more in depth with and spent more time on, were the targets that most students

answered incorrectly on the post-test. These learning targets were met mostly by students reading

and then applying what they learned, which this class did not seem to do well with. The

questions on the battles in Georgia, particularly the Battle of Kettle Creek, were the most missed

questions on the test. These battles were not discussed as they were part of a largely self-directed

Web Quest. I am familiar with some of the students through student council, and I talked at


length with Miss. Jasso before I designed the unit, However, I think I would have done a better

job if I had known the students better. I know the basics of their learning styles and some

interests, as well as understanding many of their cultural interests, but This experience really

showed me the importance of getting to know students at a more intimate level in order to design

lessons to fully engage them.

The students performed best on the learning targets that encompassed varying

viewpoints. For these learning targets, I introduced my personal experiences and encouraged

students to do likewise; the students were actively engaged in the content and appeared to take a

genuine interest. The learning targets linked to the taxes and acts were also mastered by most

students; the use of picture and political cartoons really held their attention. Each day I showed

them a mystery document at the beginning of class, then at the end of class they discussed how

their perception of the picture had changed. What I have learned from this is that students learn

best when the content is relatable to them and they engage in discussion. This group learns a lot

from each other by working in groups, even though on paper, it does not look like they produced

an awful lot, they seem to help each other grasp the concepts. Group work is a little like

organized chaos, and I have to continually work the room to keep groups on task.

The students with the lowest post test scores were the students with frequent absences. I

do provide make-up work, and I offer before and after school tutoring. Unfortunately the

students who are frequently absent are reluctant to come in early, and rarely do the make up

assignments. They are absent from class because they check out early; they come to school for

the minimum required time to be counted present for the day so they don’t lose their driving

license. I have sat down and talked to these students, but have had difficulty in motivating them.

One girl did come regularly for a while, but became frustrated because she was so far behind.


I cannot always relate the content to my own “Coming to America” story, or show

movies and photographs that relate to students directly. From this experience, I understand the

importance of getting to know my students and what makes them tick. There cannot be a one size

fits all plan to teach the standards; you could certainly cover the material that way, but our job is

to help students to uncover the material which is more likely to yield enduring understandings.

Eighth grade students are generally used to taking assessment in a multiple-choice format

for which the margin of error is difficult to calculate. Therefore, the validity of the testing

instrument used is flawed. We teach students test taking skills like how to eliminate incorrect

answers, increasing the odds of answering correctly. However, the ability to eliminate answers

does not show mastery of a concept. I believe constructed, short and extended response questions

a would be more accurate, as it would possible to better measure critical thinking, rather than just

rote type content questions. Nevertheless, Students are conditioned to take multiple choice tests.

As a result of this study, I will give more constructed answer questions, not only at the end of

unit tests, but also as formative assessments, so I may adjust teaching methods accordingly. I

believe that it gave me a better gauge of how well the students mastered the concepts; however,

that too has its pitfalls. It is more difficult to grade without bias therefore, creating detailed

rubrics will be essential. I found the most helpful formative data to be the quick assessments for

which I used technology. Quizizz, Socrative and Goformative all show immediate graphs that are

easy to read, so that I can tell immediately what there may be confusion about.

Teaching involves a cycle of reflective practices and there are always areas in need of

improvement. I must make sure that I keep up to date with the pedagogical methods through both

individual study and professional learning communities. Being a collaborative professional will

improve my teaching by the sharing of ideas. There is always room for improvement with one’s


personal content knowledge, not only with knowledge about a subject, but also with knew or

differing points of view. The more in depth knowledge a teacher has, the easier it is to make

content relevant to the students. Being able to make comparisons and tell stories goes a long way

to engaging students. I look forward to having my own Gifted classroom in the future.

juliaparker.weebly.comjuliaparker.weebly.com/uploads/5/1/5/6/51568167/7762_i… · Web viewImpact...

Documents

Transcript of juliaparker.weebly.comjuliaparker.weebly.com/uploads/5/1/5/6/51568167/7762_i… · Web viewImpact...