Meghan Mosher's ePORTFOLIO
Assessments
Child/Adolescent Development
Knowledge on how students learn is incorporated into the classroom. Students are given opportunities to identify and engage pre-exististing ideas, and to strengthen metacognition by participating in formative assessments directed at self-assessment.
In the classroom, students are exposed to both formative and summative assessments, as well as extensions for further learning. Formative assessments that are used frequently are think, pair, share, gallery walks, and exit tickets. Students are assessed summatively through labs, open-note quizzes, projects and presentations, and tests. Finally, students are given opportunities to push their learning with extension activities and extra credit current event assignments.
As a 1:1 school, technology is incuded in almost every lesson through short videos and presentations, student device use, such as creating digital data tables and typing responses, as well as opportunities to use phones for quick research, picture taking, calculators, and timers.
Effective Practices are demonstrated in the classroom, including; clear lesson objectives, authentic discussions, student reflection on learning, and varied instructional strategies. During class, instruction is divided into different strategies, including accessing background knowledge, direct instruction, applications, and reflection through exit tickets and discussions.
Technology
Effective Practices
Standard 3
Teachers plan and deliver effective instruction and create an environment that facilitates learning for their students.
Communication Skills
Feedback
Student Collaboration
Critical Thinking
Students work in small groups during discussions and lab experiments. Students divide up group work, but have also participated in POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) activities in which student roles are assigned. Students are divided into groups either by the teacher, or by their own choosing. Students are introduced to the concept of Interaction Styles, in which students learn what their most comfortable role is within a group (driver, reflective observer, analytical, expressive).
Students are given frequent opportunities to analyze data they have collected, as well as interpret real-world data, including graphing, and hypothesis testing.
Students are given feedback both formally and informally. Comments are written on assignments such as lab reports, and rubrics with comments are given for large projects and group work. Exit tickets are also used for feedback for the teacher, and used to direct future instruction and to decide if reteaching is necessary. Students are also given opportunities to give peer feedback on assignments. Students can also submit large assignments for "pre-grading."
Teacher-Student communication includes clear learning objectives for each lesson, including a course objectives overview in the syllabus. Students are communicated with through postings on Schoology and the Schoology calendar, as well as through emails regarding missed work and additional support or clarification for assignments.