Professional Article Response for April #3

In the October 1994 issue of Teacher K-8, there appeared the article Helping Our Students See Their Learning. The author Donna Ogle shared alternative assessment tools that teachers are using to engage students in self-assessment of their own learning. Ogle noticed that middle school teachers were using learning journals and individual portfolios to help students develop skills and strategies in self assessment. Ive been in many classrooms recently where children know that theyre learning. (Ogle 1994). To preassess themselves the students first wrote on what they already knew about the topic. As the unit continued, the students wrote about what they were learning by creating a Table of Contents and semantic maps. At the end of the unit students, reflected on their journals and portfolios looking for changes in their knowledge and understanding of the topic being studied. Ogle noticed that teachers in the primary grades were using wall charts as preassessment tools. On wall charts, the teacher would record what the students knew about the topic. Next the teacher would help the students set learning goals for their learning by asking questions and recording what they wanted to learn about the topic. At the end of the unit, students reviewed their wall charts and self assessed what they have learned. Combined with the individual portfolios students construct, this group process helps the students engage in self-assessment. In the process they also develop confidence as learners.(Ogle 1994). Keeping individual portfolios with writing samples and pictures can be used to help students see and evaluate their learning. When students see their learning, Ogle says, they become involved in their own assessment. The more aware students are of their learning the more self-confidence they will have in school. These alternative assessment tools help students assess their own growth in content knowledge and as learners.

-- Anonymous, April 03, 1999

Answers

Hi! Interesting concept. Something like we've been doing this year!! I agree with this philosophy. I think children, for the most part are very visual and any time that something, such as a progress chart of some kind is posted, or something else is written up (in black and white), it helps them to focus. It's exciting for anyone (myself included) to actually SEE progress being made! Do you think this will work for everyone??

-- Anonymous, April 04, 1999

Hi Linda: I like the way you have approached the concepts in this article. I teach a course where one of the tools my students have is videotape of themselves doing presentations. This tape is in many ways more valuable to the student than paper comments are. Do you think this approach would work in broader use? I would be interested in your further thoughts. Please e-mail them to me. Thanks, John

-- Anonymous, April 09, 1999

Hi Linda! I also read the same article. I find it so exciting that students are seeing their own learning and becoming excited about it themselves. By keeping charts or journals, the students are able to keep focused on what they know and keep a visual record of what they've learned. It is hard to remember what you didn't know, so keeping some sort of record will definitely help them see progress. I'm looking forward to pursuing this more when we work on our thesis.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 1999