tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414622914006646376.post8441484273604750150..comments2024-01-27T08:49:12.307-05:00Comments on An "Old Math Dog" Learning New Tricks: An answer to my quizzing dilemma?Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928419408011193721noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414622914006646376.post-65304288057125286832012-01-22T11:55:23.321-05:002012-01-22T11:55:23.321-05:00I'm in a very different situation, but I had a...I'm in a very different situation, but I had a thought as I was reading your post. I wonder whether it would help to split the quizzes into two different, shorter quizzes. So one would be a free quiz (feedback only) and the other would be the one that counts (on what was free last week). So even though it already seems bite-sized, it would be micro-bite-sized. And if the only thing on the page is a set of free problems, they would probably work on those, right? But if there is something graded there, too, they might feel like all or most of their time should be spent on the part that they are "paying for" with a grade. Just an idea. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414622914006646376.post-62275849977558469212012-01-14T10:17:10.540-05:002012-01-14T10:17:10.540-05:00I am not currently working in a high poverty level...I am not currently working in a high poverty level school but I have in the past and I did start using SBG in my grade 8 math classes this year. <br /><br />What I decided to do was give short (under 20 min) weekly quizzes, every Monday, where I ask questions on the previous concepts. I assess each concept at least twice depending on the scope of the standard. So my 1st week of the grading period (we have 5 of them a school year) is extremely short and then the 2nd week includes the 1st and 2nd, etc. The quizzes do not take too long to grade and I give the students an overall score for each standard with quick feedback on each question. These quizzes have not been more than 5 - 6 questions max and some week as few as 3 or 4. <br /><br />Personally, I much prefer grading these smaller weekly quizzes to hours spend on a unit test and my students are feeling more confident about taking them. They also know that the newest grades replace older ones so they can improve in an area and know they can't forget about things we have already learned.<br /><br />Would love to talk further with you about all this.Dvora Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05916308640129030865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414622914006646376.post-30424040489548232292012-01-12T21:21:50.742-05:002012-01-12T21:21:50.742-05:00I have a similar situation to yours. My school is ...I have a similar situation to yours. My school is 75%+ free-reduced lunch. I went to a standards-based grading system this year and I have been very pleased with the results so far. I was extremely worried that the students would not do the work if it wasn't graded. However, I always say, "If I give you something to do, it isn't optional--graded or not." Basically my students don't have the option to turn something in to me blank. That is a behavior (for the most part--sometimes it's skills, but I would have other evidence to show me that.) <br /><br />You need to get your principal on your side before you implement something like that because it may mean you have to send a few students to the office for "insubordination-refusal to complete assigned classwork." After you have done that a few times they will see you are serious and just do whatever you put in front of them. <br /><br />Also, I always say things like, "I don't care if you get every problem wrong. I need some evidence for every single question. This is improving your education! It is for me to see if we should practice more or move on" or sometimes "there is absolutely no point in writing down crap. I will know if you are just guessing. I want to know what you actually know--not that you can multiple-guess correctly."<br /><br />I work really hard to set up that atmosphere of failure still being a valuable learning experience. I try to make it really safe for them to attempt, screw up, and then fix it the next day. That seems to make them more willing to try instead of just writing IDK. <br /><br />Another thing...and maybe you have blogged about this elsewhere...but why are you testing each thing three times? That seems like a whole lot of work. I have one grade per standard in my gradebook. However, I don't test it right away after learning it. Every single day my students complete an exit ticket. It isn't every anything I've spent lots of time creating. Most of the time I pass out a post-it note and write two questions on the board. That gives me the day-to-day feedback I need and its really quick to mark valuable feedback for them on just a couple questions. I don't give the "official" test until I'm sure at least 80% of my students "got it." So between the initial teaching and the test...I move on, but make connections as often as possible (through activities or bell ringers). After seeing it and again and again and again...then finally I test. They are always able to re-test if the first doesn't got well, but using this strategy they mostly all pass the first time around. <br /><br />Anyway, I've written a novel and maybe I haven't even answered your question.Ashleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08117941986339375118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414622914006646376.post-34631564390023685322012-01-12T06:11:47.861-05:002012-01-12T06:11:47.861-05:00Cathy Hamiliton worked with/studied under (I forge...Cathy Hamiliton worked with/studied under (I forget with) Ruby Payne. She's from the Cincinnati area, so she's (somewhat) near us. If I remember correctly, the information I shared was her version of what Ruby Payne talks about.<br /><br />I haven't asked my students to be honest. Might be a thought.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11928419408011193721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414622914006646376.post-86343428466395697132012-01-12T01:43:24.439-05:002012-01-12T01:43:24.439-05:00Ruby Payne has done a lot of work with poverty. I ...Ruby Payne has done a lot of work with poverty. I read her book and it was really interesting. She mentions just what you mention here. <br /><br />Have you tried asking the students why they don't try the feedback problems or ask them how they study?miss.calcul8https://www.blogger.com/profile/02014623484245570719noreply@blogger.com