Reply to No feedback from teachers

Forum Index » Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)

Reply to "No feedback from teachers"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What exactly are teachers accountable for then, if not educating students? [/quote]

We're accountable [b]to[/b] our employer. [/quote]

So it's about keeping FCPS administration happy, kids education be damned?[/quote]

No, but you asked who we're accountable to, and it's our employer, same as anyone else. We complete our tasks as directed and if there is an issue with compliance, our manager will surely let us know.

You are not our manager. You also won't get me with this martyr complex.[/quote]

I asked what teachers can be held accountable [b]for[/b], you changed it to accountable [b]to[/b]. Which suggests teachers see the job not in terms of goals to accomplish, but people to keep happy. And it's not a martyr complex, it's introspection. [/quote]

Sure, I wish I could have time to give detailed feedback on each test and essay but that isn't conducive to a healthy work/life balance. My students have gone on to do great things despite my "not caring" about them so I'm not too worried. And I see my job in terms of goals to accomplish, many of which are set by our employer, who yes, we do need to keep happy.[/quote]

You're prioritizing other things. Understood. [/quote]

We are prioritizing whatever our employer tells us to - and grading has never been high on the list.[/quote]

Which is astonishing considering there can be no learning without direct, individualized feedback (which is what grading is). How on earth are children supposed to know what they are doing incorrectly? [/quote]

Here was my lesson yesterday as a HS math teacher:

-Warm up reviewing a topic a good portion of students struggled with last unit
-15 minute lesson structured as “I do/we do/you do” where students gradually take control of problems. Each is done on the board. Feedback.
-“quiz, quiz, trade” where students have cards with a problem on one side (in this case finding the vertical and horizontal asymptotes of a rational function in transformational format) and the answer on the back. They pair up, quiz each other with their card, swap cards, and find a new partner. In 5 minutes they can practice 10 problems with feedback, plus move out of their seat which they need.
-another 15 minute lesson, this time on standard form
-white board practice, gameified. I put a problem on the board, students solved it on their mini white boards and held it up for immediate feedback. Points/teams involved to get student buy in.
-Classwork worksheet handed out. 10 problems similar to the ones they just saw in prior activities. Students had to graph rational functions with vertical and horizontal asymptotes in various forms. If graphed properly, the function crosses a letter in the graph which spells the punchline to a joke. If the graph doesn’t go through a letter, student knows they messed up. Feedback.

Before they take the test they will get a study guide with a full worked answer key and suggestions provided. We will have an entire 90 minute block devoted to review, additional practice opportunities with built in feedback, and a chance to ask individual questions.  The expectation is students check their work on the study guide with my key and ask for help when needed. (Which is probably the most valuable life skill I could teach!)

So yeah, I am pretty confident my students are learning and getting feedback even though nothing I mentioned is graded.

I do grade and hand back tests (once everyone has taken it) but I can tell you that’s not the feedback kids learn from in my room. I find half the tests in the recycle bin after class.

I say all this because a good teacher is providing feedback all day, every day. Modern teaching is a constant feedback loop. [b]It’s not direct instruction/note taking for the whole block followed by doing the odd problems from the textbook anymore[/b].[/quote]

Maybe it should be. Your lesson sounds wonderful, but requires much more planning .[/quote]

I’m sorry, but this is why parents really shouldn’t have much of a say in how we teach. I read this post as a teacher and was like this is excellent- they built in direct instruction, guided individual and group practice, student talk and responsibility, constant feedback, and student engagement. It’s objectively a great lesson . [b]Then I see you- “You should do all notes from a textbook instead.” LAUGH OUT LOUD. None of you really know what you’re talking about re: education but you feel so confident to come tell everyone how to do their jobs[/b]. [/quote]

You really misinterpreted what I wrote. I never said anyone should do “all notes from a textbook instead.” I said the lesson sounds wonderful but requires more planning than a direct instruction one.

I’m sure there are teachers who still do mostly direct instruction and don’t plan as much. But I know the county encourages these alternative teaching strategies. [/quote]

Direct instruction doesn't work with 15 year old brains and 90 minute class periods.  The county doesn't really interfere with how I teach (so long as I get results) but there is no way I could do a 90 minute lecture.  I don't know anyone who does that.  I mean, if that's what worked then we would all just throw on a khan academy lesson and sit at our desks grading...but it doesn't work.

The longest I know of any of my colleagues lecturing is 30 minutes. You have to fill the other 60 minutes somehow.[/quote]

I am an ES teacher and we have long blocks too and it is a mess. I am interested in your perspective? Do you think going back to daily 45 minute blocks would be better? Just curious. [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics