Woodcock Johnson Assessment Experience

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine practiced administering one of the Woodcock Johnson assessment tests. I played the student, and she practiced giving and scoring the test. Initially I really had no idea what to expect or what this assessment was all about. When I met with my friend and sat down to actually start taking the test, I was definitely feeling some anxiety. The whole situation is a little intimidating. We went into a quiet study room at the library and sat across from each other. She began by explaining to me that she is not allowed to give me any answers or tips and that she wouldn’t be telling me my score at the end. The test that she administered to me was the Woodcock Johnson Reading Mastery Test. There were four main sections that I could recall: word recognition, word attack, word comprehension, and passage comprehension. When taking the test, even though I knew my score was irrelevant, I still felt pressure to do well. The test is set up like a flipbook. There is roughly one question per page. The pages at the beginning of each section have easier words and concepts. Then as the test continues the difficulty increases.
A few days after taking the assessment, I met with my friend and she explained a little bit more about the test and how it is used in schools. Basically, the reading mastery test exemplifies the language and reading skill capabilities of the student being assessed. It can be seen as a predictor of how that student will perform in the future. As a future teacher, I learned that this test would most likely be administered during the referral process. The scores can work as “evidence” to support teacher or parent observations. It is a concrete way of illustrating the areas in which the student is struggling. If the scores are extremely low, then you know there is an issue. The scoring seemed a little bit difficult because there are not concrete rules. It seems that although there may be a system for scoring consistently, in the end it comes down to the administrator and how he or she hears and records the answers. It is obvious that in order to administer an assessment like this in an effective manner, it takes a lot of practice and repetition. As a result of participating in this assessment, I was able to sit in the shoes of one of my future students. I think it was an interesting experience to be on the receiving end of one of these aptitude tests. It is important to understand how a child might feel in a similar testing situation. It helped that my friend was very talkative and made the whole situation very comfortable. Overall, I enjoyed this activity and I think it will be helpful in the future as a teacher to understand these types of assessments so that I can more accurately and effectively observe, refer, and evaluate my students.

On-Campus Speakers: Senior Paper Presentations

This afternoon I attended the Communications senior paper presentations. I was not really sure what to expect. It turned out that each presenter spoke for about 10-15 minutes. Some used a power point and others used video clips, but each speaker used some form of a visual aid. The topics ranged from Charles Manson and his influential subjectivities, to analyzing romantic comedies for common trends and comparing those to real life, to gender roles in animated children’s movies, and finally to “Believing in Coke” and the ideological themes it represents to society. It was obvious that each of the speakers had done ample research, and was committed to their topic. They all spoke passionately about their topics which made listening much more interesting. I thought that all four of the presenters were excellent speakers. When listening, I tried to take what they were saying and apply it to teaching in schools today. A few of the topics really had nothing to do with education. For example, there was not much I could take away from a lecture on Charles Manson and apply it to teaching today. But the last two presenters had a lot to say that I found applicable and important to know when working with children. One of the presenters talked about gender roles in animated children’s films and how these images influence how we perceive others and ourselves. Kids, specifically young boys, see the repeated themes of a “damsel in distress” and then a “macho” prince coming to save the day. The prince is always athletic, attractive, strong, and courageous. In contrast, the princess is weak, frail, emotional, and helpless. Boys are taught never to cry or to be overly emotionally expressive. There are many different directions you could take this, but she decided to focus on the influence these images have on young boys. Some of her points caused me to think about how I as a teacher could do more to break down these socially designated gender roles. Also, the next presenter talked about influential holiday ad campaigns, and although this is not directly relatable, it just caused me to consider once again the role of the media and how easily influenced children can be. This is just another reason of why it is so important for teachers to be involved and interested in the lives of their students outside of the classroom. It is important to know the interests and personality of your students. Understanding what they do outside of school, their home life, and other influential mediums in their life can help you determine how to best teach and relate to each student.
I was impressed with the speaking skills and the overall presentation of each speaker. Several of the topics were quite thought provoking. Many of the ideas and problems that sparked my interest have no specific solution or answer, however the influence and power the media has over today’s youth is something that is extremely important to consider and stay informed about. Being aware of youth culture is important when entering the teaching profession.

NCLB

Throughout the last few Monday nights, we have heard the perspective of many different people who are in some way currently involved in the education system. Whether it be an administrator, a principal, a teacher, or a parent, each had an interesting and thought provoking perspective on NCLB. The most recent panel of parents was the most outwardly opposed to NCLB. And although they had some good points, I tend to think that NCLB is not all bad. Lowering general education standards or requirements will not help any studnets. This act puts pressure on schools to focus on improvement. I don't think that there is one correct way to accurately assess all types of children. However, as a future teacher I think it is appropriate to have some measurable standards. This holds not only students, but also teachers and administrators accountable. It is not ideal to give kids a number or a score to represent their current academic success. But what is the alternative? Taking away all measurable standards would lower the bar and school districts would be left with no accountability to the government. One of the arguments against NCLB is the fact that federal financial aid gets decreased if schools do not meet the standards. I hope that this does not have to be the case, but I also don't think it is fair that schools continue to get federal money whether they are effectively teaching kids or not. NCLB is simply calling for results in exchange for the money, and this makes sense to me. Moreover, NCLB calls for improvement in teachers as well. There are now higher standards in place that must be met in order to receive a teacher's license. I believe that having more rigorous requirements in order to become a teacher will help to "weed out" the ineffective ones, and get young, fresh, and "highly qualified" teachers into the classrooms. Raising the bar in all aspects of the education system is a positive thing. I think there is room for improvement and some revision, but overall, NCLB will continue to improve the quality of education that our children receive.

The Importance of Differentiated Instruction

During class today we divided into groups of three and each took turns teaching a different skill. It got me thinking about how hard it is as a teacher to be interesting and effective for every student in the classroom. But at the same time, it also got me thinking about how extremely important it is. In fact, right behind caring for and respecting the students, I think the most valuable thing a teacher can do is learn how to differentiate instruction and learning. There is no single right way to create a differentiated classroom. However, there are some crucial characteristics that must be in place in order for differentiated instruction to be effective. It is necessary for the teacher to have an authoritative role in the classroom, however that does not mean that it needs to be authoritarian. Students and teachers together must help each other solve problems and create solutions for classroom concerns on intellectual, social, and personal levels. Moreover, student differentiation should be studied and used as the basis of planning, rather than the more traditional view that student differences should only be acted upon when they become problematic. Teachers must continually be assessing and analyzing the current level of understanding of his/her students in order to determine how to modify future instruction. In doing so, teachers must have respect for all students and acknowledge that each child has differences in learning. It is important to always ask “what, how, and why?” These questions will lead to more successful differentiation. What is being differentiated? How is it being differentiated? And why is it being differentiated? The areas that can be effectively differentiated are in the content, the process, and the product. It is crucial that in every classroom the teacher understands the goals of each lesson. Opportunities for students to find meaning in different subjects are created when the teacher has clarity about the purpose of each unit and lesson. Clear goals for each student are crucial so that slow learners are able to focus on understanding the essentials, while at the same time advanced learners can tackle more complex ideas.
Also, another thought provoking issue is how many times advanced learners are ignored or overlooked by teachers. Because they have already acquired the basic skills for a particular section, they often times do not receive any further stimulation from teachers. Differentiating instruction is extremely important at all age levels because it is not just about helping slow learners, but also about encouraging advanced learners to expand their knowledge and to look at issues in new ways. It is a common thought that differentiating instruction is important mostly for those kids who struggle. But providing differing options for students in terms of teaching styles and learning is valuable for all as it enhances the opportunities for each student and accommodates those with all learning types.