How DO you start off your multi-level classroom?  How do you gauge where
everyone is?  How do you figure out which materials will fit their
skills? We also give both online and face-to-face students assignments
in Skills Tutor and Aztec. We use the CASAS score to locate what level
to place them in for this software program. Face-to-face students also
get placed in group lessons for writing or math. We have credit and
non-credit students who attend the group lessons.  We have two levels of
math and writing.  There are only two of us so it is difficult to do
more than that.  The large numbers of teens enrolled have benefited from
the groups a lot as they are so social. The instructor and instructional
assistant work to create a whole class lessons for these sessions; these
lessons try to meet the needs of the group in the class. Each semester
we will have different needs and will tailor the lessons accordingly.
Oregon and Chemeketa have Standards, and we aim to meet these with both
the individualized and whole group lessons.

 

We adjust our curriculum as we do follow up CASAS and Official Practice
testing. When we find a student advancing, we feel we are being
successful with meeting his/her needs. We also encourage them move ahead
when they find the work we have assigned to them to be easy.  When we
find a student is not advancing, we adjust the curriculum to see how we
can better meet his/her needs. We try to get students to work with each
other.

 

We offer opportunities for feedback in the form of spelling quizzes,
writing essays and editing each other's work, doing small group work,
etc. to make sure the students are getting what is being taught during
the class period. We also spot check work done out of workbooks and
review scores on the software lessons. Our program really does a lot
with informal, formative and standardized assessment, and I think that
helps the students stay on task and accomplish their goals.

 

 

________________________________

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Marie Cora
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 12:32 PM
To: 'The Assessment Discussion List'
Subject: [Assessment 594] Re: Your classroom today

 

Hi Virginia,

 

Thanks for this - can you answer some of your own questions for us?!  

 

I would love to hear other subscribers answer the questions that
Virginia poses here.

 

Thanks!



Marie Cora

Assessment Discussion List Moderator

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Virginia Tardaewether
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 2:44 PM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 593] Re: Your classroom today

 

What you have described is the art of ABE teaching.  How do you start
your multi-level classroom off to a great start, while meeting the goals
and needs of each learner?  Materials need to fit their skills and be
useful and current as well as align with your program goals and course
outlines....yipee...and how do you train new staff to do this "magic"?
Making each class room identical doesn't fit what I've seen for 37
years, as each group of students has variable needs and strengths.  We
are peer learners too; how would we each feel if all classes never were
specific to our joys and needs? We all need success and challenge,
affirmation, caring and push.

va

 

________________________________

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Field, Mary
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 10:51 AM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 592] Re: Your classroom today

 

We have a set syllabi of assignments and "course objectives" which all
instructors are to follow. Instructors have some leeway on how they
teach the class but  similar tests and points have to be given in all
sections-the idea being you get the same content in any section you
might take (sort of a quality control thing). We are a community college
so some things are "lock step". However, the issue becomes what if your
class needs more background or catch up work (different needs). I do the
old "monitor and adjust" with activities because we all know that what
works with one group does all work with the next. We have used some pre
and post tests in some areas (developmental writing and reading) but
more and more each instructor is picking one of the course objectives
and "assessing" it for a semester and then reporting results to the Dean
of Instruction at the end of the semester.

 

In a somewhat related area, I would like to hear from anyone who teaches
the same course online and face to face and how you handle assignments,
etc. There is a philosophy being promoted with us that the online and
face to face classes should be identical with types of assignments,
activities, etc. Thanks!

 

________________________________

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Marie Cora
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 10:03 AM
To: Assessment at nifl.gov
Subject: [Assessment 589] Your classroom today

 

Hi out there!

 

Ok, how about this:

 

How do you know what to do in your classroom today?  Do you strictly
follow some plan, or do you take cues from the reality of the present
situation?  If you follow a plan (strictly or not), how do you develop
your lesson plan?  Describe how you do this.

 

For those folks working in the GED realm:  how do you know where to
start with your adult students?  Just from the practice test or pre-test
or do you do other things as well?  Once the student is placed in an
appropriate level, how do you know what to do today with her?  How do
you know what she needs?

 

Thanks!! for any of your thoughts!!

 

marie

 

 

 

Marie Cora

marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com <mailto:marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com> 

NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment

Coordinator, LINCS Assessment Special Collection

http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/

 

 


_______________________________________________________________________
Scanned for viruses by MessageLabs SkyScan!
_______________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________
This MSCC e-mail has been scanned for viruses by MessageLabs SkyScan!
_______________________________________________________________________

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/assessment/attachments/20070123/5ee55f4e/attachment.html