Assessments

The past two days have been spent on these specific benchmark assessments the 8th graders must complete by the end of the year. Yesterday I showed them the assignment and we created an outline for it as well as an introduction. I ended up writing the introduction and the students just copied it. I was not teaching them how to write effectively, only how to copy well =/ In any case I explained to the students what their task was and that they could use thier notes for the essay. It was hard not being able to teach this the right way because it is an assessment. I know now after this experience that I need to find a fun way to teach how tos for assessment tests. Today was the actual assessment and I do not know if the students followed their outlines all the way or if the work we did all week was really helping them breeze through this essay. Most students finished before the end of the period and it made me proud. However, I also thought have I just written the essay for them. So I have mixed emotions about that topic. My c.t. was not in today and there was a substitute, that had been at the school before and knew the students. They listened to her more than me and I felt like a joke. I felt like I was wasting time tyring to get them to respect me but only to find out they knew I was leaving so why not just take advantage of it. I was one of those students teachers that students rip apart and use. What made it even worse was that a student had the sub sign his homework book to show home that there was nothing to do and another student calmed down only after listening to the sub. Do you have any idea what that feels like? There was also a student today who was extremely fidgity. He would not stop moving, chewing his pen cap, and laughing. After he took his assessment he wanted to use the bathroom and I refused his request until he was able to sit still. He didn't for me but he sure did for the sub and I knew I gave in by lettign him go but I didnt know if he had to or not and I didnt want an accident in the classroom. It was a fustrating day.

I am learning so much from this experience howeve.I am learning what not to use, how to better my lessons, and how to still manage a classroom. I have things that I want to focus on in my next placement: how to reach out to the students through literature, how to effectively implement good reading and writing lessons in the classroom and how do I feel about the teaching what I know.