I have to say I was impressed with the effort rubric (P157 of Using technology with classroom instruction that works by Pilter, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski). Incase you do not know what I am talking about it is a rubric that students can use to grade themselves on how much effort they have been putting into the class. Then it is follow up with an example of an excel sheet that students can use to chart their effort correlated to their grades.
This was an idea that hit home with me. I teach a math class that is pretty much all resource students. At times their lack of desire and effort is non-comprehendible for a person like myself who is driven (that’s a nice way to say obsessive/compulsive).
Each year I set a new goal(s) for my self. Last year it was less choral response questions. This year it was to teach students to read their textbooks (less choral response-done, reading the text-on going, but improving). Next year I was going to continue the text reading and then stager my lesson and the assignments that go with them. If I am teaching lesson 8.5, the students will do homework that night over lesson 8.2. The idea is it gives students a few days to mentally catch up to the topic at hand, and it gives them exposure to the material over a longer period of time.
After this weeks reading, I am seriously considering using this rubric/spreadsheet approach with at least my two low-level math classes. I am even having my student aid type it up tomorrow (using the RubiStar link below). It is exciting to learn about new ideas that are doable.
As far as this week’s Walden application/assignment goes, I think it is pretty obvious how behaviorism fits in. The chart and rubric I was talking about gives the students feedback on the behaviors they are doing. Grades have always done this, but now it is broken down to the specific behavior of effort.
The second instructional strategy was generating and testing the hypothesis. Isn’t the conclusion of the hypothesis being true or false reinforcement (behaviorism) of their ideas? I think so.
This weeks reading was exceptionally interesting for me. I always enjoy hearing about ideas that are applicable and doable. I have a new idea for my toolbox.
I have added two helpful links at the top of my blog if you are also considering using a daily/weekly survey/spreadsheet approach next year:
Reference:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
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Using the spreadsheet to keep track of the effort put fourth by students is a great idea and I am also starting to use this in my classroom. It gives students a chance to reflect and maybe change the effort towards practice on the subjects that they learn. It also can be a wake up call to some students that says, "man I am a slacker and need to regather myself to be successful."
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