Today in class we talked about lots of things...we had a "pop" quiz over some reading that we did for Monday. We didn't discuss it on Monday, and I thought that was all we were going to do with it...so I did nothing but highlight and underline - citing useful information. In our quiz, you were allowed to use any notes that you've taken, but I didn't have any...
Our professor talked afterwards about how writing something in your own words can make a big difference in your ability to remember things. So here I am...writing that in my own words so that I'll be able to remember it. : )
We also took a pre-test. It involved 15 questions from US history. Boy did it make me feel dumb. I know that I know a lot of things about American history, but I couldn't come up with all the answers. Some were within the area I really like...early US history, and I did better at those. But, there were many from later times that I knew I KNEW but couldn't come up with them. Many of my classmates also felt the same way - I can't imagine what I would have felt like if there had been points associated.
I wonder...what other ways could I give pre-tests so that the kids don't feel test anxiety? How can I help make tests less scary for students? How can I make sure that my tests give students enough time to finish? AND - Is there any value in giving a test with different parts, and having students choose 3 of 5 or something similar? - would it help them to feel at home?
Sometimes I feel like I'll never be able to learn all I need to know to be a great teacher. However, every day when I leave class I feel more and more confident in my abilites ~ and that my "toolbox" is getting filled just a little more each day.
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