A few days ago, I had a meeting with my liasion - I had a few questions about my project. I was worried about my data and how I was going to support my findings from my pre and post tests. Obviously, there will be a gain between the pre and post tests because teaching and exposure to the concepts will have happened between the two. To support the gains that the students make, I will have to rely heavily on my teacher journal and student examples/observations. I am going to have to amp up my journal entries and observations of my students. I can see it while working with the students during activities...they are starting to pick up the concepts and are even expanding them in some cases. I had to extend the dates for my project. Instead of 4 weeks without and 4 weeks with literature - I have extended it to 5 week periods. I had to do this because the first 'unit' (shapes and patterns) took 5 weeks to finish. I couldn't do part of that unit without lit and then a small part of it with lit - So I decided to extend since I had a few weeks to play with at the end of the semester.
On Friday, I gave the post test for the first unit-shapes and patters. I could see that the students showed gains...obviously they would have make gains because they were taught and worked with the topics. But it was nice seeing the progress they have made. After giving one pre/post test, I have learned that students do much better when they have manipulatives and can do a hands on activity. I wish I had realized this when I made the first pre/post test. I would have given them actual 3D shapes to identify rather than just a picture. I think they would have done much better on both the pre and post test when identifying those shapes. This is something for me to conside when making the next pre/post test. We are starting our next topic next week-Counting.
Since I've started my next unit, counting, I have begun to use literature in my teaching. We start each lesson with a readaloud that relates to our unit. Next week we will even be doing whole lessons based around a book! I have decided (after discussing it with others) that the best way to gather data during those readalouds to see how the students are thinking is to tape it. I can then go back and analyze what they are saying and if they seem to be understanding the concepts. The discussions are interesting...I had one student suggest putting a stick up your nose to make sure we didn't count it twice when we were seeing how many noses were in our class!
Well...I'm excited that my 12 weeks for gathering data is over!! Now comes the tedious part...analyzing. Hopefully this data extravaganza will be helpful. I'm not sure how much I will be able to 'prove' either way (I know..we weren't setting out to prove anything). But I am hoping that I will be able to pull some sort of conclusion or meaningful revalation out of my data. I guess time will tell...I am glad that I have kept my data pretty well organized throughout this whole process. Even if I can't pull any type of conclusion from my data..I have learned something important. I have learned and experienced what it means to have an 'inquiry stance'....which will be an extremely helpfull tool to have when I have my own classroom.
A few days ago, I had a meeting with my liasion - I had a few questions about my project. I was worried about my data and how I was going to support my findings from my pre and post tests. Obviously, there will be a gain between the pre and post tests because teaching and exposure to the concepts will have happened between the two. To support the gains that the students make, I will have to rely heavily on my teacher journal and student examples/observations. I am going to have to amp up my journal entries and observations of my students. I can see it while working with the students during activities...they are starting to pick up the concepts and are even expanding them in some cases.
ReplyDeleteI had to extend the dates for my project. Instead of 4 weeks without and 4 weeks with literature - I have extended it to 5 week periods. I had to do this because the first 'unit' (shapes and patterns) took 5 weeks to finish. I couldn't do part of that unit without lit and then a small part of it with lit - So I decided to extend since I had a few weeks to play with at the end of the semester.
On Friday, I gave the post test for the first unit-shapes and patters. I could see that the students showed gains...obviously they would have make gains because they were taught and worked with the topics. But it was nice seeing the progress they have made.
ReplyDeleteAfter giving one pre/post test, I have learned that students do much better when they have manipulatives and can do a hands on activity. I wish I had realized this when I made the first pre/post test. I would have given them actual 3D shapes to identify rather than just a picture. I think they would have done much better on both the pre and post test when identifying those shapes. This is something for me to conside when making the next pre/post test.
We are starting our next topic next week-Counting.
Since I've started my next unit, counting, I have begun to use literature in my teaching. We start each lesson with a readaloud that relates to our unit. Next week we will even be doing whole lessons based around a book! I have decided (after discussing it with others) that the best way to gather data during those readalouds to see how the students are thinking is to tape it. I can then go back and analyze what they are saying and if they seem to be understanding the concepts. The discussions are interesting...I had one student suggest putting a stick up your nose to make sure we didn't count it twice when we were seeing how many noses were in our class!
ReplyDeleteWell...I'm excited that my 12 weeks for gathering data is over!! Now comes the tedious part...analyzing. Hopefully this data extravaganza will be helpful. I'm not sure how much I will be able to 'prove' either way (I know..we weren't setting out to prove anything). But I am hoping that I will be able to pull some sort of conclusion or meaningful revalation out of my data. I guess time will tell...I am glad that I have kept my data pretty well organized throughout this whole process.
ReplyDeleteEven if I can't pull any type of conclusion from my data..I have learned something important. I have learned and experienced what it means to have an 'inquiry stance'....which will be an extremely helpfull tool to have when I have my own classroom.