Week 8 Data Driven Decision Making in the Classroom
Name: Sydney Bauman
Date of field experiences reported: 11/7-11/11
Time spent: 8:22-9:57 A.M.
Sequence of Events.
The beginning of the week consisted of finishing up the chapter in both periods two and three. Once the chapter was wrapped up, the students were given time to work on their missing assignments as well as on their test review. During this time, I had a few meaningful discussions with my teacher, walked around the classroom, and helped students when they needed it and asked for it. Then, on Thursday, the students took a test.
Elaboration of One or Two Significant Episodes.
11/7/22
Monday, in class, the third period Algebra II class was discussing Chapter 2, Section 7. This section covers quadratic-linear systems. The teacher was leading instruction from the front of the classroom and covering the examples that needed to be covered. She then began iterating exactly what the students needed to know in order to get the questions on this section correct when taking the test. There was no emphasis on exploration; instead, the students were instructed to know the bare minimum for the test.
11/9/22
On Wednesday, both class periods were spent working on the assignment of the section they just finished. While they were working on their homework, I was able to have a discussion with my mentor teacher. While we were talking, we discussed what I would be teaching this rotation. She then continued by saying that she met up with the other Analytical Algebra II and Algebra II teachers, and they went over what sections and examples needed to be taught for the next chapter. When meeting with one of the groups, the person in charge of making the test was involved in the conversation. The tests that are given in each section are the same, no matter the teacher. After talking about the meeting, she told me that there were specific examples I needed to cover and others that were not necessary because they were not going to be on the test.
Analysis of Episode(s).
11/7/22
This specific teaching in the classroom is known as "teaching to the test." It is data-driven due to the fact that this type of teaching is used to teach to the point in order for students to get the questions correct on the test in order to improve their test scores. These test scores will then improve their overall grade in the class, which then aids in determining whether or not they have passed the class. The grading scale at Anderson High School is a seventy-five to twenty-five grading scale. This means that tests and quizzes will account for 75% of their grade, while homework will account for the remaining 25%. Teaching to the test is beneficial in that it can improve scores, but it leaves little to no room for exploration. If activities that involve exploration are used, the students may gain an overall better understanding of the content they are learning.
11/9/22
Similarly to the teacher actually teaching to the test, the meetings she had with the other teachers, about which she informed me, were the type of discussions that take place before the students are taught solely on what is going to be on the test. The majority of the students in periods two and three have little to no motivation in the classroom. Teaching to the test keeps it simple for them, but if there was more differentiation, then their desire to learn mathematics might improve. As shown by their first quarter grades, these students need a different approach to learning. The strategy that is being used has not produced the desired results, so based on the data, a change needs to happen.
Week Overview
This week was more like the first rotation. The periods included teacher-led instruction, individual student work time, and the students taking a test. I felt that after last week, I was able to better reintroduce myself to the classroom and let the students know that I am here to help them. From their test on Thursday, I was able to see some of their test scores. They were nowhere near where they needed to be, so when I start teaching next week, I hope they will have a better understanding of the content and show improvement on their next assessment score.
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