Webb of Thoughts

Now that I’m starting to get the hang of this teaching thing, I have gained back my appetite to learn more. Luckily for me (and everyone else), the internet is so easily accessible and you can learn about anything you want anywhere, anytime.  Sometimes it’s easy to find what you’re looking for, sometimes it’s not.  Now that more and more people are starting to realize this, more and more sites are popping up with the purpose to help people learn [...]

Today,  I came across an article on Makezine.com today about the world’s largest rubik’s cube mosaic that was recently built (is built the right word for art?).  Spoiler alert: the article tells you how many cubes were used. I think this could be a great lead in to a WCYDWT or a 3Acts type problem.  I hope I can develop it into one, but it would be a great start to hear your thoughts.  I’ve also posted this one 101qs.com: http://www.101qs.com/1848 [...]

I’ve been thinking a lot about final assessments, and assessment in general, lately. If we started education today, with no knowledge of what has happened in the past, would we still have tests?  Tests confined to two hours?  Tests full of multiple choice questions? Tests with questions intended to trick students?  Tests where we expect students to memorize things word for word?  Tests strictly with paper and pencil?  Test where collaboration equals cheating? Today, I don’t think anyone in their [...]

One thing I’ve learned in my first year of teaching is that real, meaningful assessment is not easy. It’s easy for me to make multiple choice tests, maybe with some true/false or matching questions.  I could probably grade more than one a minute once I got going with them.  I may even be faster if I had a scantron type machine. But when I assess this way, I don’t actually find out what my students know.  I get a number, [...]

It’s currently the end of trimester and time for finals at my school. Suddenly, all of the calm and motivated students I have taught this year have become something completely different.  Learning is out the window.  All they care about right now is what is going to be on their tests or final assessments.  The peace and order in my classroom has turned into near chaos with the looming final assessments. I even have students in my classes where I’m [...]

I’m finding it a challenge to balance my time as a first year teacher.  I’m sure the lack of time to get everything done is nothing new to experienced teachers, but I’m still battling it everyday.  I’ve never been great at managing my time as it is, so the increased expectations of being a teacher has really challenged me. Just the other day I made the commitment to blog nearly everyday for a month.  Already I’ve missed a day.  Simply [...]