Tag: book study

To see a complete list of the reflection activities and for an explanation of the program, visit my Day By Day Main Page.

Conferring Cycle 3: Standardized Tests

Day 10: Give kids a boost of spirit

Challenge: Talk with your grade-level colleagues or your principal to determine how you will celebrate with your students before and after the testing window.

If you chose to throw a pep rally, take some time to write down what made it successful. Did students leave knowing they would be able to do well on the test?

How did you get positive messages across to your students?

How did the after-party in your classroom allow you to show your appreciation for your students’ hard work on the test?

To see a complete list of the reflection activities and for an explanation of the program, visit my Day By Day Main Page.

Conferring Cycle 3: Standardized Tests

Day 9: Proofreading

Challenge: Show your students a few pieces of writing, with various commands of Standard English, and have them discuss how they can be edited and improved so they’re easier to read. Then teach your students how to proofread their own written responses.

Is it easier for your students to find their mistakes or someone else’s?

Why do you think this is?

How will you help your students remember to proofread their writing before they close their test booklets?

To see a complete list of the reflection activities and for an explanation of the program, visit my Day By Day Main Page.

Conferring Cycle 3: Standardized Tests

Day 8: Keep writing!

Challenge: Generate a list with your students of ways to keep writing during a writing prompt. Prod them to consider ways to elaborate when writing narrative as well as nonnarrative genres.

What is the primary reason your students seem to run out of steam when writing a practice prompt?

How will you empower students to write their best first draft?

To see a complete list of the reflection activities and for an explanation of the program, visit my Day By Day Main Page.

Conferring Cycle 3: Standardized Tests

Day 6: Two Audiences

Challenge: Plan to help students visualize the person who will read their writing prompt. Ask them to conjure up an image, complete with speech or thought bubbles, and then to share the image with others.

How does audience influence your own writing?

How will you help your students understand they are writing for two audiences during a standardized test?

To see a complete list of the reflection activities and for an explanation of the program, visit my Day By Day Main Page.

Conferring Cycle 3: Standardized Tests

Day 5: How do I know what to write?

Challenge: Plan to help your students develop the skills necessary to understand the task in a writing prompt. Gather several prompts to give students practice with identifying the key parts of a prompt so they are comfortable making decisions as writers when faced with the actual test prompt.

What part of understanding the task is most difficult for your students when faced with a writing prompt?

How will you help your students develop a full understanding of the task presented to them in a writing prompt?

To see a complete list of the reflection activities and for an explanation of the program, visit my Day By Day Main Page.

Conferring Cycle 3: Standardized Tests

Day 4: Understanding the rubric

Challenge: Look at the exemplar responses for your state’s writing prompt assessment. Notice the imperfect nature of many of the top scores. When students are assessed on their response to a writing prompt, perfection isn’t expected. Develop an understanding of the expectations for your students on a standardized test.

How will you increase your understanding of your state’s assessment practices for the writing prompt?

What will you do to protect your students’ confidence when they receive their scores from the state test?

To see a complete list of the reflection activities and for an explanation of the program, visit my Day By Day Main Page.

Conferring Cycle 3: Standardized Tests

Day 3: Take time for authentic writing experiences

Challenge: Decide what works better for your classroom: independent writing projects or a consistent ten to fifteen minutes each day for the children to write. Then read Cruz’s book (2004) or Graves and Kittle’s book (2005) to help you flesh out how you’ll implement this in your classroom.

Did you decide to work with your students to undertake independent writing projects?

If so, how will you carry these out?

Will you provide your students with guidance outside of the regular school day?

What kinds of pressures or stress do you feel with regard to the upcoming state tests?

Record a list of emotions and then write, in detail, about each emotion you’re feeling.

To see a complete list of the reflection activities and for an explanation of the program, visit my Day By Day Main Page.

Conferring Cycle 3: Standardized Tests

Day 2: Doing your best on the test

Challenge: Set aside time to talk about the qualities of good writing with your students. Keep track of what they say. Then, together, create a chart about the features of good test writing. Make sure they understand the parallels between what they already know about writing well and how that will transfer to standardized testing.

Did your students seem more confident about their ability to write well on a test after your class discussion?

How will you show students what it means to write well in response to a prompt?

Will you show them well-written writing samples, or will you go about it in another way?

To see a complete list of the reflection activities and for an explanation of the program, visit my Day By Day Main Page.

Conferring Cycle 3: Standardized Tests

Day 1: Nourishing student confidence

Challenge: Use this list to develop a mini-lesson around one of the ideas. Consider how you will boost your students’ confidence as writers.

What do you notice about your students’ energy level as you prepare for the writing prompt?

How will you nourish your students’ confidence as the standardized test approaches?

What are some ways you will keep the focus on being a writer instead of taking a test?