Monday, October 5, 2009

Module 2: Planning Our Unit

Welcome to week 2!

Tonight, we focused on using standards, objectives, curriculum-framing questions (CFQ's) and assessments to support student learning. Please answer the following questions in 1-2 sentences each:

  • How can Curriculum-Framing Questions help support my students' learning?
  • How can I plan ongoing student-centered assessments?

One you have completed your response, please reply to one of your colleagues. Next, in your own personal blog, answer the following prompt in detail:

This module has helped me to think about using standards, CFQ's, or formative assessments in the following ways...

27 comments:

  1. Curriculum-Framing Questions help support my students' learning by allowing higher level thinking for each student. It demonstartes organizational questioning through the project or activity. It allows the student to use their intrest and become more focused on the topic. Open-ended questions to think outside the box.

    I can plan ongoing student-centered assessments by progress monitoring my students and determining the needs of each individual students. Understanding my students needs allows them a voice in their education, along with responsibilty for their own education.

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  2. Curriculum framing provides structure and direction for unit plan. It promotes thinking, guides the unit and supports standards.

    I will plan ongoing assessments by determining what the learning outcome is.

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  3. Curriculum-Framing Questions can help my students by keeping the standards and the objectives at the center of my teaching, resulting in the student's growth. Having these questions will allow me the chance to keep their learning and the "bullseye" of the lesson at the center, so that everything that I plan for the lesson will have a central theme and purpose. Taking the time to create these questions will help keep the focus on their learning.

    Ongoing student assessment will occur daily in my classroom, ranging from informal assessments to formal assessments. These assessments also encourage the students to become more responsible for their own learning, and I can train it to their personalities so that the assessments will be effective.

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  4. Curriculum framing questions allow the teacher to streamline the focus of the unit. This allows the children to learn what they need to learn in order to be successful.
    I can plan on-going student centered assessments by having daily journal entries, centers and think pair shares to check for understanding

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  5. To Bethany
    I like your idea of student centered assesments and allowing them to voice their needs.

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  6. To Michelle: CFQ's truly promotes thinking and guides the students. These are things we want to students to do =)

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  7. Curriculum Framing can help support my students' learning because it shows the students that there is a purpose for what we are doing. The students are able to see why they are completing assignments and how they can relate it to their real world learning situation.
    I can plan on-going student assessments by using progress monitoring and using study island to determine what areas may need more work. Study Island also gives the students a chance to self control their assessments, by completing a test mode and scoring at a point then play a game on it.

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  8. to Darcylh1223
    I like your comment that the framing is there for the teacher to keep control of where you are in the learning process. The bullseye idea helps to keep the students on target for what they should be learning and why they are learning.

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  9. It supports student's learning by providing the teacher with the framework needed to relay onto the students. With this type of structure the students can utilize these questions to guide their own learning and prior knowledge.

    I can plan ongoing student centered assessments by assessing what my student needs are according to the content knowledge. These will change according to where the students are in the process.

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  10. Curriculum-Framing questions can help support my students' learning by providing them an avenue to follow for the lesson. They are able to see what they are going to be learning in an organized fashion and answer question along the way to help master the concept.
    I can plan ongoing student-centered assessments by starting with an assessment at the beginning to see what they know and continue with various ones throughout the lesson to monitor progress by using journals, drawing and group collaboration. By doing this I can see what they are retaining and where re-teaching is necessary.

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  11. to Darcylh
    I think the daily assessment is crucial and it is great that you include it in your daily lessons!

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  12. Curriculum-Framing Questions help support my students' learning because it focuses the learning and aligns objectives and standards to the content. It also helps to develop the higher order thinking with students.
    I can plan ongoing student-centered assessments by reflecting on student needs. From there I can use observation during activities and look at their daily journals to assess progress.

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  13. How can Curriculum-Framing Questions help support my students' learning?
    Essential questions are broad enough to be able to look at throughout the year, if necessary. Students are brought into focus with essential questions. An overarching question will allow students to think globally as well as personally. Unit questions will assist students in understanding a little bit more in detail what will be learned, while content questions hone the questions to the most specific. There should be more content questions than essential questions and unit questions, and they should be more pointed and assessible (right and wrong answers).
    How can I plan ongoing student-centered assessments?
    Essential questions in and of themselves, tend to create the possibility of on-going assessments. This can be done by continually asking students how they can answer the essential question through different types of assessments. Students can continually interact with the essential question on many different levels and layers.

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  14. @lillian I agree with you that depending on wht stage of the process we are at, the assessment is constantly going to change.

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  15. Curriculum framing gives an organized plan to direct student learning and by helping keep students on track by understanding the purpose of their learning.

    I will plan ongoing student centered assessments by monitoring student work, have students present and explain artwork, and have students journal art processes.

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  16. Curriculum-Framing Questions can help support my students' learning because it is student focused and the questions align with content. Higher level thinking allows students to stretch their minds beyond typical lower level thinking. There is more creativity in student responses.

    I can plan ongoing student-centered assessments by trying different ways of assessment (evaluations, journal responses, non-verbal, group activities) and reflecting on what works best for my class. However, each assessment works differentley dependent upon what the objective is. I think, ultimately, I need to have more of a "student-centered" focus when I plan. I need to contiually remind myself to make it more student-focused and interactive for them.

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  17. Lillian,
    I agree with what you say about how the framing questions support the students' learning and this is a good measurement for the teacher to monitor their progress.

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  18. michelle, I agree that it provides structure and direction. that is something that all teachers need to have when teaching, and a reason for us to stay on the same page:)

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  19. To Michelle,

    It is very important to plan the assessment based on the standards. Often times I will look at the standards, create the assessment and then plan the lesson.

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  20. It supports student's learning by providing the teacher with the framework needed to relay onto the students. With this type of structure the students can utilize these questions to guide their own learning and prior knowledge.

    I can plan ongoing student centered assessments by assessing what my student needs are according to the content knowledge. These will change according to where the students are in the process.

    To Lillian: Every student is at different levels. We know that even within the same class there are huge ranges of student abilities and capabilities in all subject areas.

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  21. How can Curriculum-Framing Questions help support my students' learning? Student's can stay focused on the important learning that is taking place, rather than get caught up in the "little details". CFQ's can also help me as a teacher to stay focused on what I am teaching rather than dwell on details, as well.

    How can I plan on-going student-centered assessments? I constantly observe and monitor the students on daily work and objectives in many ways. I use oral and written assessments daily to check for understanding in order to reteach if necessary.

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  22. @Karen - I like that you stated "Curriculum framing gives an organized plan" and I completely agree. Having an organized plan does help keep not only students but teachers on track. Without a plan, there can be chaos and no focus. Great thought!

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  23. to johe64: I agree with you that students learn at different speeds and in different styles, so the CFQs allow for differentiation. Good answer!

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  24. Curriculum-framing Questions engages students to think deeply. Students must construct their own meaning from the lesson.
    I plan ongoing assessments by observing students work and observations.

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  25. to Tkeough - I agree that CFQ's support student learning by showing students purpose for their learning. I believe it will help students buy into their learning process when they see the real world connection.

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  26. to erindeal--I have seen firsthand students get caught up in the little details, and sometimes it hinders them in achieving the ultimate objectives of our lessons. Kids sometimes seem to thrive on the little details, but we as teachers, should help them move beyond them, and help them see bigger pictures, which is difficult to do!

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  27. From John:

    How can Curriculum-Framing Questions help support my students' learning?
    By having students understand that there is an overall focus, by allowing students to see the process from beginning to end, through the more specific questions. Unit questions are the building blocks and the starting point for them to practice achieving the "big question".
    How can I plan ongoing student-centered assessments?
    Allowing student use of technology and all it provides, will give students tools to make the class assignment their own, by producing something that is meaningful to them. It is not rocket science to allow students to produce something original that demonstrates growth toward the learning goal or objective. It is difficult for me to "let go" of students and to trust them that, given assignment parameters, they will demonstrate knowledge.

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