Measuring Student Growth
My early field experiences and student teaching experiences help me understand and develop the best practices to support student learning and growth. This space will showcase the feedback I provide my students and document their development over time. I will include reflections and analysis about the effectiveness of the methods I employ.
Artifact 1: Creative Writing Exercises - Growth in Sensory and Descriptive Detail and Characterization
The two student products below are from a student in a sophomore pre-AP writing class during a creative writing unit. Between the time when the first journal was written and the final short story was turned in, we did many activities in class that probed students to think about how to describe characters, situations, emotions, etc. without stating things outright. We discussed how to use sensory and descriptive details to build mood and create better understandings of a character.
Artifact 1: Creative Writing Exercises - Growth in Sensory and Descriptive Detail and Characterization
The two student products below are from a student in a sophomore pre-AP writing class during a creative writing unit. Between the time when the first journal was written and the final short story was turned in, we did many activities in class that probed students to think about how to describe characters, situations, emotions, etc. without stating things outright. We discussed how to use sensory and descriptive details to build mood and create better understandings of a character.
Artifact 1 - Document 1
Artifact 1 - Document 2
Reflection 1:
These artifacts reflect my student's growth and learning as we discussed descriptive language and characterization in class. Through activities using stations on taste (with food) and smell, I built a foundation of understanding of how to think about specific details and put them into writing. We discussed evocative language, and then tied these lessons into how to create interesting, believable characters. We focused in class on a character's inner life, since they need to be more than an image with a job and specific actions - they need motivations, emotions, inner conflict, fears, hopes, etc. In the final short story for this segment of the creative writing unit, my students were able to tie together descriptive detail and characterization together to create deep and meaningful stories. By giving my students a story of my own to read and critique, I modeled how to proof-read and think like a writer; we discussed the difference in how to think of characters depending on your stance as a reader or writer, and students really grasped the level of understanding a writer needs to have of a character - thinking of them as a real person. The character in the story above is very well-written, with goals, reflection and memories, emotions, and actions, and my student also showed growth in his appreciation for and ability to use descriptive detail. My students looked deeply into the process of descriptive language and characterization through interactive and thought-provoking activities, journals, and discussions, and my impact through these lessons is well-illustrated in the artifacts above.
These artifacts reflect my student's growth and learning as we discussed descriptive language and characterization in class. Through activities using stations on taste (with food) and smell, I built a foundation of understanding of how to think about specific details and put them into writing. We discussed evocative language, and then tied these lessons into how to create interesting, believable characters. We focused in class on a character's inner life, since they need to be more than an image with a job and specific actions - they need motivations, emotions, inner conflict, fears, hopes, etc. In the final short story for this segment of the creative writing unit, my students were able to tie together descriptive detail and characterization together to create deep and meaningful stories. By giving my students a story of my own to read and critique, I modeled how to proof-read and think like a writer; we discussed the difference in how to think of characters depending on your stance as a reader or writer, and students really grasped the level of understanding a writer needs to have of a character - thinking of them as a real person. The character in the story above is very well-written, with goals, reflection and memories, emotions, and actions, and my student also showed growth in his appreciation for and ability to use descriptive detail. My students looked deeply into the process of descriptive language and characterization through interactive and thought-provoking activities, journals, and discussions, and my impact through these lessons is well-illustrated in the artifacts above.
Artifact 2: Understanding Transcendentalism - Growth in Ability to Comprehend, Analyze, Explain, and Make Connections
The artifacts below are by a student in an American Literature class for juniors. We started a unit on Transcendentalism by discussing important quotes from Emerson out of context, just to understand the main ideas. Students then moved into the reading, and the artifacts below are a worksheet used by students to help them understand the reading, a short response, and an in-class essay that was part of the final unit assessment. Students moved away from responding to quotes that I pulled out of the reading for them to analyze and discuss to finding their own quotes and asking their own questions. Finally, students moved into making connections to the material and synthesizing the main tenets of Transcendentalism by themselves.
The artifacts below are by a student in an American Literature class for juniors. We started a unit on Transcendentalism by discussing important quotes from Emerson out of context, just to understand the main ideas. Students then moved into the reading, and the artifacts below are a worksheet used by students to help them understand the reading, a short response, and an in-class essay that was part of the final unit assessment. Students moved away from responding to quotes that I pulled out of the reading for them to analyze and discuss to finding their own quotes and asking their own questions. Finally, students moved into making connections to the material and synthesizing the main tenets of Transcendentalism by themselves.
Artifact 2 - Document 1
Artifact 2 - Document 2
Artifact 2 - Document 3
Reflection 2:
The works above reflect both my student's growth in specific content knowledge and their development in analytical thinking and use of reading strategies. Through worksheets like the one seen in the first document of this artifact, I encouraged my students to use reading strategies to understand the text and helped promote their critical thinking. Much of the unit revolved around discussing students' unique interpretations of Transcendentalist ideas; because the subject matter is so complex, we focused around the tenets that students connected with the most. I used the worksheets students filled out for each reading to answer common questions in class and specific questions on each student's sheet, and to get a sense of which aspects resonated with them. From there, I prompted students to hypothesize about what the writer's overarching philosophies were, and how they would think and feel about certain topics and scenarios. The second document above shows one of this student's claims and support, illustrating such critical thinking. Finally, I created a final writing assignment to solidify students' connection with the writers and works of the movement, and to assess their ability to choose and write their own claims, find evidence, and use support. In my student's response (above), she illustrated her ability to take meaning from the difficult, often dense texts that we read, synthesizing the information into tangible tenets that applied to modern society and her own life. The structure of the activities within this unit helped students become independent and creative in their thinking about the main ideas of Transcendentalism. The type of writing asked of students progressively helped them become better critical readers and critical thinkers. Although Transcendentalism can often be a daunting unit for students, I was able to help students find ideas that were meaningful to them, and used that sense of connection to strengthen their analytical thinking and writing abilities.
The works above reflect both my student's growth in specific content knowledge and their development in analytical thinking and use of reading strategies. Through worksheets like the one seen in the first document of this artifact, I encouraged my students to use reading strategies to understand the text and helped promote their critical thinking. Much of the unit revolved around discussing students' unique interpretations of Transcendentalist ideas; because the subject matter is so complex, we focused around the tenets that students connected with the most. I used the worksheets students filled out for each reading to answer common questions in class and specific questions on each student's sheet, and to get a sense of which aspects resonated with them. From there, I prompted students to hypothesize about what the writer's overarching philosophies were, and how they would think and feel about certain topics and scenarios. The second document above shows one of this student's claims and support, illustrating such critical thinking. Finally, I created a final writing assignment to solidify students' connection with the writers and works of the movement, and to assess their ability to choose and write their own claims, find evidence, and use support. In my student's response (above), she illustrated her ability to take meaning from the difficult, often dense texts that we read, synthesizing the information into tangible tenets that applied to modern society and her own life. The structure of the activities within this unit helped students become independent and creative in their thinking about the main ideas of Transcendentalism. The type of writing asked of students progressively helped them become better critical readers and critical thinkers. Although Transcendentalism can often be a daunting unit for students, I was able to help students find ideas that were meaningful to them, and used that sense of connection to strengthen their analytical thinking and writing abilities.