Believe in yourself, you’re worth it! Part II
My previous Blog posting mentioned the importance of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s own capabilities to achieve a goal or an outcome. We were also reminded that a student believing in himself is one of the major steps necessary toward transforming that student into becoming a life-long learner.
Avoid these teaching practices, If you really want to improve student self-efficacy:
1 -Generalized, “Sage on the Stage,” type instruction. Inflexible pedagogy that
does not allow for student input, can deliver a crushing blow to a student’s perception of their ability. A routine type of “lecture and learn” instruction makes it more difficult for students to ask questions or contribute to the learning process in any way. In such circumstances, if a student becomes confused, lost or discouraged, they will likely remain so.
2 –Using an unproductive comparison. Teaching practices that compare students’ performance against each other does nothing to raise the self-efficacy of a student. It may raise the self-efficacy of the top students, but is very likely to lower the self-efficacy of the rest of the class. (Bandura, 1994).
The aforementioned are two of the most common, well-worn pedagogical practices that may unintentionally diminish the self-efficacy of the majority of students who are not academically at the top of the class.
Use these teaching practices liberally, to improve student self-efficacy:
1-Set specific short-term goals that are challenging, yet the student believes are attainable. (See previous Blog posting: http://teaching4achange.blogspot.com/ Scroll down to: A Real Personalized Assessment). (also Schunk and Pajares, 2002).
2-Have students verbally explain their specific learning strategy to you. Devise a method for the students to note their progress and to plan their next steps. (Schunk and Pajares, 2002).
3-Help students track their performance against the goals they have set. Use this comparison rather than comparing them to the rest of the class. (Bandura, 1994). (See previous Blog posting: http://teaching4achange.blogspot.com/ Scroll down to: A Real Personalized Assessment).
"It is not your aptitude, but your attitude, that determines your altitude."
--Zig Ziglar, motivational speaker
How can I improve self-efficacy in my struggling students? Stay tuned for next Sunday’s blog posting.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Believe In Yourself, You're Worth It! Part I
“Students Will Become Life-long Learners.” How often have we seen this listed as one of the ESLR’s (Expected School Wide Learning Results)? Most schools flaunt it, but how many can deliver, or even know how?
Self-efficacy, knowing you have the ability to achieve goals or outcomes, is one of the major steps necessary toward transforming a student into becoming a life-long learner. Students endowed with self-confidence and intrinsic motivation, are willing to tackle difficult challenges and, when they do, are less likely to let setbacks discourage them from moving forward. On the contrary, their counterparts, students with low self-efficacy, generally do not fully believe they can be successful, and are therefore less likely to make a concerted effort. They often consider challenging tasks as certain failure, or even as threats that are to be avoided. Ultimately, students with poor self-efficacy have low aspirations, often resulting in below par academic performance. (Margolis and McCabe, 2006).
So, what do you do? Is there a prescription for helping students improve self-efficacy? If so, how can we provide students with this magic potion?
Here are a few proven methods:
1-Cooperative learning – Students working together and helping each other promotes more positive feelings of one’s own capability and higher academic attainment than do individualistic or competitive methodologies.
2-Encouraging validation – Teachers can boost self-efficacy with meaningful verbal feedback and communication to guide the student through a task or motivate them to give it their best effort.
3-Eyewitness experience – Observing a classmate succeed at a task, demonstrates the proper way to do the task and strengthens the belief in one’s own abilities.
4-Knowing you know it – When students know they have mastered a subject or a skill, it boosts their self-efficacy. Successful experiences boost self-efficacy, while failures erode it. This is the best source of self-efficacy.
5-Positive learning environment – Positive emotional stimulation can energize students, providing the setting conducive to a strong performance. (See previous blog posting: Creating a Safe and Nurturing Classroom http - teaching4achange.blogspot.com).
A student gifted with self-efficacy is already blazing the trail as a life-long learner.
Would you like more examples of pedagogies to improve self-efficacy in your students? Look for my Blog posting next Sunday.
"Self-esteem is as necessary to the spirit as food is to the body."
- Dr. Maxwell Maltz, motivational speaker
Self-efficacy, knowing you have the ability to achieve goals or outcomes, is one of the major steps necessary toward transforming a student into becoming a life-long learner. Students endowed with self-confidence and intrinsic motivation, are willing to tackle difficult challenges and, when they do, are less likely to let setbacks discourage them from moving forward. On the contrary, their counterparts, students with low self-efficacy, generally do not fully believe they can be successful, and are therefore less likely to make a concerted effort. They often consider challenging tasks as certain failure, or even as threats that are to be avoided. Ultimately, students with poor self-efficacy have low aspirations, often resulting in below par academic performance. (Margolis and McCabe, 2006).
So, what do you do? Is there a prescription for helping students improve self-efficacy? If so, how can we provide students with this magic potion?
Here are a few proven methods:
1-Cooperative learning – Students working together and helping each other promotes more positive feelings of one’s own capability and higher academic attainment than do individualistic or competitive methodologies.
2-Encouraging validation – Teachers can boost self-efficacy with meaningful verbal feedback and communication to guide the student through a task or motivate them to give it their best effort.
3-Eyewitness experience – Observing a classmate succeed at a task, demonstrates the proper way to do the task and strengthens the belief in one’s own abilities.
4-Knowing you know it – When students know they have mastered a subject or a skill, it boosts their self-efficacy. Successful experiences boost self-efficacy, while failures erode it. This is the best source of self-efficacy.
5-Positive learning environment – Positive emotional stimulation can energize students, providing the setting conducive to a strong performance. (See previous blog posting: Creating a Safe and Nurturing Classroom http - teaching4achange.blogspot.com).
A student gifted with self-efficacy is already blazing the trail as a life-long learner.
Would you like more examples of pedagogies to improve self-efficacy in your students? Look for my Blog posting next Sunday.
"Self-esteem is as necessary to the spirit as food is to the body."
- Dr. Maxwell Maltz, motivational speaker
Sunday, April 12, 2009
TEST SUCCESS WITHOUT THE STRESS
Test Success Without The Stress
Standardized testing is a stressful time for everyone involved: students, teachers, and parents. Does it really have to be?
Here are some tips for less stress during the annual State Testing Period:
Dear Teachers,
Please copy and send these tips home to parents. Our parents found them extremely helpful:
http://www.brazosport.cc.tx.us/~lac/objtest.htm Tips for avoiding careless errors, test taking tips, tips for true-false and multiple choice
http://www.waunakee.k12.wi.us/intermediate/Test-taking.htm Tips for before and during the test.
http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/test-strategies.ppt A great Power Point that hits the basics of test taking strategies.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp Released test questions from all of the standardized tests from 2003 and 2004.
Tips for Parents
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/TestTaking/index.html Published by the Department of education- good tips for parents to help their children in test taking situations.
http://intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Preparation/preparation.html Despite being prepared for Chicago schools, these two booklets will help parents prepare students for elementary and high school standardized tests.
http://www.familyeducation.com/topic/front/0,1156,66-9028,00.html Articles and tips for students and parents.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp Released test questions from all of the standardized tests from 2003 - 2005.
“Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” Evan Esar
Hold on to your hats. Next Sunday’s Blog posting will be all about
“Helping Students Believe in Themselves.”
Standardized testing is a stressful time for everyone involved: students, teachers, and parents. Does it really have to be?
Here are some tips for less stress during the annual State Testing Period:
Dear Teachers,
Please copy and send these tips home to parents. Our parents found them extremely helpful:
1. Do praise your child for the things he or she does well, and be supportive of his or her efforts, especially in areas or activities that are challenging. Kids who feel good about themselves and their abilities-and who aren't fearful about making mistakes-will feel more confident, and less anxious, when taking the test.
2. Do talk with your child about what they're doing in class and ask what he or she is reading. Studies show that kids who talked with their families on a weekly basis about school and what they were reading scored higher on the national standardized reading test than kids who talked about these things with their families less often.
3. Do limit your child's TV time. Studies show that kids who watched fewer than three hours of television a day scored higher on the national reading test than those who watched more.
4. Do express a positive attitude about the test and confidence in your child's ability to do well on it. Research shows that parents' and teachers' attitudes influence children's attitudes. So if you're upbeat and encouraging about the test, your child is likely to feel good about it.
5. Do encourage your child to read-newspapers, magazines, food labels, recipes, letters, and instructions, in addition to fiction and non-fiction books. Test makers draw on a wide variety of formats.
6. Do realize that putting too much emphasis on the test and the results can increase your child's anxiety about the test. Too much anxiety can prevent your child from doing his or her best.
7. Do reassure your child that test scores are only one measure of his or her abilities, not the whole picture. Don't judge your child on the basis of his or her test score.
8. Do ensure that your child gets a good night's sleep the night before the test and eats a nutritious breakfast preferably with protein the day of the test.
Here are some valuable test-taking tips for all members of the learning community:
Parents, teachers and students must keep an appropriate attitude about standardized (and all other) testing. It is only a snapshot of a moment in time that everyone hopes is accurate and corresponds with everything else we know about the child.
Let testing be a tool - not a weapon - for discovering more about a child and what they know or don't know. Kids are puzzles and if a piece is missing, you'll never see the whole picture.
Look at test scores, grades, motivation, abilities, interests, attendance, health, etc. No one piece should ever 'stand alone.' Strategies specifically for parents and students:
1-The night before, get a good night's sleep. Go to bed early. You will perform better if you are wide awake and well rested (so will your brain!)
2-Eat a good breakfast, don't skip it! You wouldn't drive your car with no gasoline. Food is brain power! And if you get hungry during the test, it will be harder for you to concentrate.
3-Listen to and/or read ALL of the directions BEFORE starting. You probably won’t get the answer correct, if you didn't do it in the manner the directions stated.
4-Take a deep breath and focus; put everything else out of your mind. Take ONE question at a time, so you won't feel overwhelmed.
5-Manage your time well. If you come to one you don't know the answer to, then skip it and you can come back to it if you have time at the end. See how many questions there are and how much time you have. Figure out how much time you can spend on each question.
6-Read the entire question and all of the answers BEFORE you answer. Especially if it says pick all of the correct answers, the BEST answer or one of the answers is "all of the above". These are sort of tricky.
7-Don't be afraid to guess. If you have a feeling that you know the right answer, then use your instinct. Chances are, you are right. And it is better than leaving it blank! Use the process of elimination to improve your chances of guessing correctly.
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
8-Relax. Have confidence in your ability and what you have learned and studied!
9-Use the process of elimination. If you don't know the correct answer right away or, you are torn between two answers, then eliminate the ones that you know, definitely are NOT the answer, then work your way back.
10-Pay close attention to wording. Some words like NO, NOT, NEVER, and ALWAYS, can change the whole meaning to the question.
Below are more web sites that have wonderful test-taking strategies and some practice tests:
http://www.brazosport.cc.tx.us/~lac/objtest.htm Tips for avoiding careless errors, test taking tips, tips for true-false and multiple choice
http://www.waunakee.k12.wi.us/intermediate/Test-taking.htm Tips for before and during the test.
http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/test-strategies.ppt A great Power Point that hits the basics of test taking strategies.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp Released test questions from all of the standardized tests from 2003 and 2004.
Tips for Parents
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/TestTaking/index.html Published by the Department of education- good tips for parents to help their children in test taking situations.
http://intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Preparation/preparation.html Despite being prepared for Chicago schools, these two booklets will help parents prepare students for elementary and high school standardized tests.
http://www.familyeducation.com/topic/front/0,1156,66-9028,00.html Articles and tips for students and parents.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp Released test questions from all of the standardized tests from 2003 - 2005.
“Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” Evan Esar
Hold on to your hats. Next Sunday’s Blog posting will be all about
“Helping Students Believe in Themselves.”
Sunday, April 5, 2009
A REAL PERSONALIZED ASSESSMENT
“For learning to take place with any kind of efficiency students must be motivated. To be motivated, they must become interested. And they become interested when they are actively working on projects which they can relate to their values and goals in life”. - Gus Tuberville, President, William Penn College
The consummate professional will conduct basic diagnostic assessments tailored to each specific subject area at the beginning of the school year. Like a physician, this methodology will provide the teacher with baseline data on students’ current skills levels and deficiencies. The results will supply you, the practitioner with the necessary information to prescribe an exact plan of action in the form of a study plan to remedy and accelerate your students’ abilities. These results should always be used to implement a course of study in a positive way to help each student track his or her own personal progress with you.
Routinely monitoring progress instills accountability. Dedicated professionals that are serious about student improvement will give the same, or similar assessments at least every three weeks. Consistent monitoring not only promotes the efficacy of student progress, it conveys that the expectations you have are real and hold extreme importance for you. Students will sense you are doing this because you really care and the learning will become a challenging game rather than a chore. After all, the child should always be the winner!
These steps will help your application of assessment data accomplish the best results:
Step one: Use assessment results to inform your teaching and student learning.
With the exception of normal quarterly and semester grades, I was astonished to learn, a significant number of teachers fail to discuss assessments with their students. Failure to provide students feedback is unfair. Students without assessments are like ships without compasses. They won't know where they are and, therefore, won't be able to navigate toward the goal. It deprives students of the incentive to work toward self-improvement, and keeps them in the dark about what the expectations are. Students are naturally goal oriented. They are eager participants, especially when given the opportunity to set their own goals. In order to use the personalized assessment results toward improving student learning, follow these simple steps:
1. Share the knowledge of specific areas where growth is needed with the student.
2. Set stiff targets toward known goals the student agrees to meet.
Knowledge is power. It brings as much joy to my heart as it does to each student when they manage to meet or beat their own target. For example, can you imagine what it is like when an eleventh grade student, who began the year reading at third grade level, finally achieves the goal of reaching eleventh grade reading level? I would never have thought anything could bring tears to this young man’s eyes; but it happened. Naturally, I excused him from the room momentarily so he wouldn’t be embarrassed. After class he told me he could never thank me enough for believing in him and helping him achieve what he thought was (and incredibly had been told was) impossible. I thanked him, but told him he was the one that had done all the hard work. This is exactly how knowledge of where you are, and what your next target is, works magic.
Step Two: Ascertain what motivates your students.
How can we actually motivate our students to want to learn? Here is a “personalized” assessment I found to be extremely helpful:
1. I passed out lined paper to my students.
2. I thanked them for their hard work in completing the various assessments.
3. I stated, “While completing these assessments, perhaps some of you found an area that you never learned about previously, or that you would like to improve on.”
4. I instructed the students to fold the paper in half, length-wise.
5. I asked them to make two columns.
6. On top of the left column, I had them write: “What skill(s) would I like to learn more about or improve on this year.”
7. On top of the right column, I had them write: “What would I really like to know or find out about just for me.”
8. I instructed the students to list one, two or three items in each column.
This gives you the “personalized assessment.” Simple as it seems, this tool will yield a fruitful crop. First of all, students tend to know themselves pretty well. They are keenly aware of their shortcomings; hence they will write down real areas they need to address. As the teacher, you would, of course consult your professional assessment data when working out a learning plan with each student. To add to this fruit cocktail, students will write down some very interesting topics they’d like to learn more about, just for themselves. This is the whipped cream topping. It affords the perfect material for research projects they will actually want to do and will therefore learn from. Furthermore, students will be excited to teach their classmates (by delivering presentations), about all the new knowledge they have gleaned on a topic that truly motivates their curiosity. The perfect parfait is ready. You have now opened the doors for real learning to take place.
”To waken interest and kindle enthusiasm is the sure way to teach easily and successfully.” Tryon Edwards, American theologian.
How can I best prepare my students for the upcoming State Testing? A special blog posting next Sunday will give you some great answers.
The consummate professional will conduct basic diagnostic assessments tailored to each specific subject area at the beginning of the school year. Like a physician, this methodology will provide the teacher with baseline data on students’ current skills levels and deficiencies. The results will supply you, the practitioner with the necessary information to prescribe an exact plan of action in the form of a study plan to remedy and accelerate your students’ abilities. These results should always be used to implement a course of study in a positive way to help each student track his or her own personal progress with you.
Routinely monitoring progress instills accountability. Dedicated professionals that are serious about student improvement will give the same, or similar assessments at least every three weeks. Consistent monitoring not only promotes the efficacy of student progress, it conveys that the expectations you have are real and hold extreme importance for you. Students will sense you are doing this because you really care and the learning will become a challenging game rather than a chore. After all, the child should always be the winner!
These steps will help your application of assessment data accomplish the best results:
Step one: Use assessment results to inform your teaching and student learning.
With the exception of normal quarterly and semester grades, I was astonished to learn, a significant number of teachers fail to discuss assessments with their students. Failure to provide students feedback is unfair. Students without assessments are like ships without compasses. They won't know where they are and, therefore, won't be able to navigate toward the goal. It deprives students of the incentive to work toward self-improvement, and keeps them in the dark about what the expectations are. Students are naturally goal oriented. They are eager participants, especially when given the opportunity to set their own goals. In order to use the personalized assessment results toward improving student learning, follow these simple steps:
1. Share the knowledge of specific areas where growth is needed with the student.
2. Set stiff targets toward known goals the student agrees to meet.
Knowledge is power. It brings as much joy to my heart as it does to each student when they manage to meet or beat their own target. For example, can you imagine what it is like when an eleventh grade student, who began the year reading at third grade level, finally achieves the goal of reaching eleventh grade reading level? I would never have thought anything could bring tears to this young man’s eyes; but it happened. Naturally, I excused him from the room momentarily so he wouldn’t be embarrassed. After class he told me he could never thank me enough for believing in him and helping him achieve what he thought was (and incredibly had been told was) impossible. I thanked him, but told him he was the one that had done all the hard work. This is exactly how knowledge of where you are, and what your next target is, works magic.
Step Two: Ascertain what motivates your students.
How can we actually motivate our students to want to learn? Here is a “personalized” assessment I found to be extremely helpful:
1. I passed out lined paper to my students.
2. I thanked them for their hard work in completing the various assessments.
3. I stated, “While completing these assessments, perhaps some of you found an area that you never learned about previously, or that you would like to improve on.”
4. I instructed the students to fold the paper in half, length-wise.
5. I asked them to make two columns.
6. On top of the left column, I had them write: “What skill(s) would I like to learn more about or improve on this year.”
7. On top of the right column, I had them write: “What would I really like to know or find out about just for me.”
8. I instructed the students to list one, two or three items in each column.
This gives you the “personalized assessment.” Simple as it seems, this tool will yield a fruitful crop. First of all, students tend to know themselves pretty well. They are keenly aware of their shortcomings; hence they will write down real areas they need to address. As the teacher, you would, of course consult your professional assessment data when working out a learning plan with each student. To add to this fruit cocktail, students will write down some very interesting topics they’d like to learn more about, just for themselves. This is the whipped cream topping. It affords the perfect material for research projects they will actually want to do and will therefore learn from. Furthermore, students will be excited to teach their classmates (by delivering presentations), about all the new knowledge they have gleaned on a topic that truly motivates their curiosity. The perfect parfait is ready. You have now opened the doors for real learning to take place.
”To waken interest and kindle enthusiasm is the sure way to teach easily and successfully.” Tryon Edwards, American theologian.
How can I best prepare my students for the upcoming State Testing? A special blog posting next Sunday will give you some great answers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
