EDU 6160 Blog Post Assignment #8

In this blog post assignment, I will be summarizing a “best practice” field study relevant to my instruction of health and fitness. Shermis and Di Vesta (2011) believe that best practice studies, “Can be helpful to teachers and schools for enhancing their instructional capabilities in teaching subject-matter content” (p. 475). In the content area of health/fitness, there are a number of best practices in regards to effective classroom instruction, assessment and management.

For this post, I will discuss Kohl III and Cook (2013)’s Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School. In this study, Kohl III et al. (2013) present findings and recommendations for increasing the number of students meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans’ recommendation of 60 minutes per day of moderate-intensity physical activity at school. Kohl III et al. (2013) conclude that in order to obtain maximum results (i.e. best practices) the Whole-of-School approach is desired. The Whole-of-School approach, “Requires participation from all people who take part in the day-to-day functioning of the school, including teachers, principals, school administrators, superintendents, students, and parents” (Kohl III et al., 2013). In addition, this approach also requires a multitude of resources, such as varying environments around the school (e.g. play ground equipment and gym space). By following this approach, Kohl III et al. (2013) believe that all students should be provided with 60 minutes of per day of moderate-intensity physical activity at school.

This approach would consume a considerable amount of time and money. However, Shermis et al. (2011) suggest that best practices offer, “A constructive beginning to workable solutions, solutions that go beyond the recommendation that schools need to maintain their hard work to get the job done. Understand that, despite the promise of the orientation, the methods of best practices are still not totally defined and should be considered a work in progress” (p. 457).

References

Kohl III, H. W., & Cook, H. D. (Eds.). (2013). Educating the student body: Taking physical activity and physical education to school. National Academies Press.

Shermis, M. D., & J., D. V. (2011). Classroom assessment in action. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. 

EDU 6134 Reflection: Growing and Developing Professionally

In this final course reflection, I will be addressing program standard 8.2 Growing and Developing Professionally – Teacher welcomes feedback from colleagues when made by supervisors or when opportunities arise through professional collaborations.

The term professionally can be defined as, “A person who is expert at his or her work” (Dictionary, 2016). How can a teacher be an expert? I believe that a teacher can be an expert by displaying a willingness to collaborate, eagerness to experience growth, and commitment to developing meaningful relationships with colleagues, students and parents. Inevitably, most teachers prosper professionally with ongoing years of experience. However, no matter the number of years of experience, a teacher’s ability to welcome feedback and work along side colleagues is imperative to their level of effectiveness.

At my current internship, I have observed and experienced that the health/fitness department functions effectively when there is communication, support and sharing of ideas amongst all teachers. Our department is given time to collaborate 26 times a year when students are released 75 minutes early from school on Learning Improvement Fridays (LIF Days). In the Everett School District, LIF Days were first introduced in 2012. Superintendent Gary Cohn sent an email to parents informing them that LIF Days allotted teachers time to work together, “Discussing and analyzing student learning results, planning lessons together and designing ways of teaching that improve each student’s learning” (Daybert, 2012). Figure 1 presents information on the correlation between

student achievement and ongoing teacher development. With students losing a considerable amount of class time, LIF Days are very controversial. Yet, I am confident that LIF Days reap the benefits of professional collaboration. I feel very fortunate to be working (i.e. learning) in a department that functions effectively through the use of professional collaboration amongst all four physical education teachers. We are so much stronger when we join forces to face a common or individual goal.

As this post comes to an end, I found it helpful to consider the following quote, “A great teacher is like a fountain; she draws from the still, deep waters of personal growth and professional knowledge to serve others from her abundant overflow” (Godbold, 2012). Drawing from the stills = Professional collaborations.

References

Daybert, A. (2012). Everett teachers OK contract with early Friday releases - HeraldNet.com - Everett and Snohomish County news. Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://www.heraldnet.com/news/everett-teachers-ok-contract-with-early-friday-releases/

Godbold, W. (2012). How to be a great teacher: Create the flow of joy and success in your classroom. Myrtle Beach, SC: Bee Sharp LLC.

Professionally. (2006). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved November 26, 2016 from Dictionary.com website http://www.dictionary.com/browse/professionally

WASA. (n.d.). The Value of Teacher Collaboration Time [Brochure]. Author. Retrieved November 25, 2016, from https://wasa-oly.org/wasa/images/WASA/4.0%20Government%20Relations/4.3%20Current%20Issues/Download_Files/Teacher%20Collaboration/Value%20of%20Teacher%20Collaboration%20Time%20brochure11x17.pdf

EDU 6160 Blog Post Assignment #7

In the following blog post, I will be summarizing the most recent statewide test for a grade level of my choosing, noting any prominent peaks and valleys on subscores. I chose to research the 11^th Grade Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) in two different school districts’ high schools in Washington State with varying student population demographics. “In using standardized tests in most areas, including statewide tests, you will often see results reported as grade equivalent scores. These are like percentiles and other similar scores in that they are based on norms” (Shermis and Di Vesta, 2011, p. 33).

Of Jackson High School’s (Mill Creek, WA) 2,183 students, 60.0% are white, 18% receive free or reduced-price meals and 3.1% are African American (OSPI, 2016). Figure 1 displays the percentage of students meeting standard for English Language Arts (ELA) and Math at Jackson High School. In 2015-16, Jackson High School had a total of 89.4% meeting standard for ELA and 44.5% meeting standard for Math.

Of Garfield High School’s (Seattle, WA) 1,666 students, 40.2% are white, 33.9% receive free or reduced-price meals and 26.3% are African American. Figure 2 displays the

percentage of students meeting standard for ELA and Math at Garfield High School. In 2015-16, Garfield High School had a total of 85.7% meeting standard for ELA and less than 5% meeting standard for Math.

Both held to accountable for statewide testing and only 23.1 miles in distance, Jackson High School and Garfield High School show discrepancy in student population demographics and the percentage of 11^th grade students meeting standard on the SBA. After observing the gap between these two schools, there is a part of me that feels discouraged. However, I believe that it is important to keep in mind that statewide tests have, “Generated considerable information about schools and students over a number of years and can be considered as bases for identifying benchmark schools and the practices they use […] Many schools have improved considerably” (Shermis et al., 2011, p. 475).

References

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. (2016). Retrieved November 19, 2016, from http://www.k12.wa.us/default.aspx

Shermis, M. D., & J., D. V. (2011). Classroom assessment in action. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. 

EDU6160 Blog Post Assignment #6

For this blog post, I will be discussing the use of student grades as a factor in evaluating teachers, and use of state test results to evaluate a school district. To begin this post, I think that it is important to consider the following statement made by Shermis and Vesta (2011), “Grades are complex communicative devices serving many functions. They are the result of the several events included in the range, anchored by the quality of instruction at one end and student effort at the other” (p. 349). This statement encompasses the understanding that student grades are both useful for evaluating the teacher and the student. I believe that within this statement it is imperative to cogitate the meaning of quality of instruction for the discussion topic at hand. In my opinion, quality [physical education] instruction should be measured based on a student’s improvement towards meeting a learning standard and a student’s enhanced level of wellbeing in regards to their physical, social and emotional health. If evaluated in this manner, I believe that grades can effectively assess a teacher’s abilities. However, I believe that there are a handful of student grades that don’t describe a teacher’s effectiveness. When considering my content area of health/fitness, although we do not perform a state test, students are required to perform an array of fitness tests at the beginning and end of each semester (i.e. pacer, sit and reach, sit-up and push-up). A student’s performance is graded based on their ability to reach the state standards for cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. Once inputted into WELNET, students’ grades are sent to the district and then to the state for further data analysis. I believe that these grades fail to express a student’s progress over the course of the semester and their level of wellbeing in regards to physical and mental health. Thus, not portraying a teacher’s quality of instruction.

References 

Shermis, M. D., & J., D. V. (2011). Classroom assessment in action. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. 

EDU6160 Blog Post Assignment #5

In this week’s blog post assignment, I will be discussing the practicality of surveys and inventories for the KWL procedure in my teaching situation. The KWL procedure is for measuring student knowledge and stands for what I Know, what I Want to know, and what I Learned. The Know section allows for students to recognize what they already know about the topic. The Want section allows for students to share what they wonder and want to know about the topic. The Learned section allows for students to communicate what they learned about the topic after instruction. Each section allows for the student identify their understanding and the teacher to assess learning. In doing so, Shermis and DiVesta (2011) suggest that using the KWL procedure enables teachers and students to, “Establish exiting levels of knowledge about the topic being studied, set the purpose or objectives for an instructional unit, monitor student learning, learn how to repair difficulties that occur while learning […], making applications for learning and extending learning beyond assignments, providing feedback on what was achieved” (p. 324-5).

         Given my subject area of health/fitness and teaching situation, I believe that implementing surveys and inventories for the KWL procedure would be a valuable addition. In my lifetime activities class, I could utilize the KWL procedure for subjects such as a particular skill, rules of a sport, or how to play a sport. Through the use of the KWL, I would be able to adjust my lesson plans based on what students already know and want to learn about the subject. After instruction and practice, I would be able to assess students based on what they learned about the subject. I believe that the KWL procedure has the potential to, “Emphasize unique instructional and assessment requirements” (Shermis et al., 2011, p. 243).

References 

         

Shermis, M. D., & J., D. V. (2011). Classroom assessment in action. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.