Process of Assessment

"Intervention must be relevant and meaningful in order to produce positive results in child's learning" (Mesmer, 2008 p. 283). I think Routman would whole heartedly agree with this statement. Routman may not agree on what intervention may be. But I think these three authors would agree that it must be meaningful for the student to have any impact and that assessment is a continually on-going process. The overall idea that assessment is on-going is a relief. I have multiple opportunities to help students. And to think once one issue is resolved that assessment is done would be a grave mistake. I completely agree with the idea of if at first you do not succeed try, try again. As a teacher though hopefully because my assessment is useful and relevant as coupled with intervention that is relevant and meaningful I will not have to try too many times and will be able to help most students.

The Joy of Sticky Notes

Routman, in chapter 9, Writing Essentials, has a list of things that make a conference between teacher and student on writing productive and successful. At the far end of the list she put,"Don't write directly on the writer's paper. (Use sticky notes.)" YES!

At my dyad placement the master teacher has students use sticky notes for an array of different things. Specifically for literacy she has them use sticky notes to mark a place in their own books that they read on their own in the class and out the literary concept they have been talking about in class. For example if students are learning about plot summary they would then as they are reading their own book use a sticky note to mark a main event that happens in their story AND why they think it is a main event. Once students are done with the book they back and use the sticky notes as a tool for writing their plot summary. This was also used when I taught about character change. When students thought their character changed from an event they would mark it with a sticky note and write why on the sticky note as well.

Once students are done they leave their note book with the summary or character change or which ever literary concept was focused on opened on their desk before going to recess. The master teacher then goes around and checks their thinking and understanding responding back on the sticky notes they used in the beginning or getting a new one if needed. (Sticky notes are never at a low as their is a basket at each cluster of desks with sticky notes in it.)

The use of sticky notes as a form of communication with students on their writing is a version of the "simple" conference that Routman was talking about. This technique also seems to correlate with the direct instructional model as well! Their journal writing focusing on one literary concept is part of the guided practice when the teacher responds and part of their independent practice when they are showing their own thinking and reasoning behind their decisions on what to write about. I like the progression the journal and sticky notes provide by following the class reading a book together and focusing on the same literary concept with sticky notes as they read as a group.

This activity also creates a bridge between reading and writing by students having to write about what they read but in their own words. This reminds me of how sometimes to learn how to write well, we need to start with someone else's story before we can make our own.

Moreover because students need to be metacognitive when they are reading, I think it helps students to move away from learning to read and reading to learn, which in my opinion is one of the main reasons for teaching literacy; to support learning.