I have done something NEAT in reading lately. Let me explain. I have printed out one test five times with essay questions and multiple choice. I then come up with five pretend "students", answer the questions in all different ways (leaving out essential information or really remaining focused for a top-scoring response in the essays). I also really focus on how I answer the multiple choice and try to get into the mind of a kid who is "confused" and may bubble in another answer. I then laminate them, and the students write on the forms with Vis-A-Vis markers to grade the imaginary "student". They are teachers and determine the student's grade. They have been so ecstatic about this. Also, I call them by their teacher's names. I told them they're getting reading teacher diplomas after they do a number of these grading sessions successfully. For example, if I have a student with the last name Williams, he is Mr. Williams. They find this hilarious.
That's so cool, Ms.J. One of the classic ways to understand how test questions work is to try making them up. This is nearer to learning how writing works by figuring out where someone else's writing went wrong, but it won't at all surprise me if you find some new levels of understanding among your kids.
I hope so. They seemed very determined to grade the kids down at first... or to encourage them. They wanted to write comments and cross out inappropriate sentences in the response answers. To an extent, I was surprised to see how much they DID know already. They have been listening, then!
What a great idea! The kids certainly need to apply what they know in a very different way using this approach. Do you do this as a center and then evaluate each child's "grading" of the test? I know you teach the bigger kids, but I think I'm going to adjust this and try it with my first graders (writing a good sentence, making connections, and so on).
It's going to be a part of my Professional Development Plan binder. The kids are impressed. I think the administrators will be as well. It's been a really neat center.
I think this can be applied for anything. We grade and evaluate the answers as a small group, actually.
Great Idea!! I am going to do this and incorporate it in my literacy centers. My kids LOVE to do new centers, and I can give my overused centers a "vacation". Thanks!!
Yahoo! I still have four more rotations, too. This was a slow rotation week, to be honest. I think since I have a 4-day week next week, we'll catch up on some centers and also focus a lot on this one! They really do love this one.
Ms. Jasztal, I think I like this idea, but I'm not quite sure how it works. Could you put an example here or pm me with an example? Thanks!
Ms. Jasztal, That sounds like a really neat approach. I think I might do that with examples of closing statements or opening statements when I get to my law unit with 6th grade... thanks!
I just print out the tests and bubble in different answers/write poor, decent, good, and outstanding responses. Maybe over time, I'll make a small website about this approach.
