Rubrics - a way forward.

Rubrics and continuations by @sherrattsam article on  popped into my feed at a perfect time. I have been reflecting on how I can make mine more student centered and not just something I feel I 'have' to do at the end of a unit. 

At the moment I am working with a Graduate student and the conversation about assessment came up. My intern was finishing off his 'post' test (requirement from Grad school) and came across Child X's work.  

He was in a dilemma as he knew that Child X had made improvements. He had been engaged, shared ideas and answered class discussion, yet based on his rubric Child X hadn't passed. His personal OTJ judgement was that he had worked extremely hard on our Matariki topic yet he hadn't meet the criteria on the rubric to 'pass'. 

We discussed the fact that when assessing it should be meaningful and provide formative information not only for the teacher but for the student. To me assessments need to show a child their 'next step'.


One of the issues I have with rubrics are the ones written where certain students will never get off the lowest point despite their best efforts. How are we promoting success if we write them like this? How does that child feel knowing that they will never reach the middle or the top? This could also be said for the student at the other end of the spectrum. The child who will achieve. How are they challenged? 

Language! Even I have been guilty of this in the past. Creating a rubric that is full of jargon that won't help the students achieve. 

I will admit, I really don't like the word rubric- I'm more a Success Criteria sort of person where All students can achieve at their level. It allows them to achieve success but also means that they also have next steps to achieve. This is something rubrics don't often allow. 

One of the problems is that a lot of rubrics are designed by the teacher rather than co-constructed with the class/students. (yes been guilty of this as well!).


My focus next term is to work on this and create criteria's that are created with the students rather than for the students. 

• where they think the learning is going

• what they’re looking for from themselves

• what they’re looking for from their peers

• how they might reach – or get close to that

• who might guide them in that direction (Rubrics and Continuum 2017)

This is something I would like to focus more on next term, co-creating with my students so that they are setting their own goals and beginning to communicate what they need to achieve.  Obviously I will need to scaffold this and provide models but I feel it will be more successful then rubrics I have used in the past. 

Being Culturally Responsive

Notes taken while attending the Southwest Cluster Group hosted by Core Education with Gemma Stewart and Dianne Collier.

What is culture?

How do we respond to culture?

Culture is central to learning. It plays a role not only in communicating and receiving information, but also shaping the thinking process of groups and individuals. A pedagogy that acknowledges, responds to and celebrates fundamental cultures offers full, equitable access to education for students from all cultures. Culturally Responsive Teaching is a pedagogy that recognises the importance of including students’ cultural references in all aspects of learning (Ladson-Billings, 1994)

How do we be responsive for all?

Practice getting it right. Change. Confidence.

Actively work on it. Ever changing. Doing, Being, Thinking.   

Treaty of Waitangi. Four Articles.

Article One: Kawanantanga- Honourable Governance

We have to get it right for our Maori first

What actions are we doing?

Article Two: Rangatiratanga

Maori Self Determination

Maori achieving success as Maori

Children learn best in environments where their identities are valued

What opportunities am I giving them?

Article Three: Oritetanga

Equity

What does bi- cultural mean?

Article Four: The spoken Promise

Their culture

My Culture

Our Culture

The next step for me is to ask myself what am I already doing in the classroom to promote this and what do I need to be doing more of. 

School Kit

If you haven't heard of it before go and check them out- now!

I heard of them last year when they gave classes the New World Little Gardens which at the time fitted perfectly into our 'Growing' unit. I signed up and low and behold 40 Little Gardens arrived at school. What's the catch you ask? Yes, they do ask for a favour in return. Ours was photos. Take pictures of the class growing their garden. 

This year every time their email appears I jump on it asap. This was the first one we did this year in Term 1.

As a class we were asked to read the book Diary of a Wimpy Kid and to take pictures of the class enjoying this book. They had partnered up with Kelloggs and participating schools would receive a new book in return for proof of purchase of two Kellogg's cereal or snack products from your nominated New World store.  

The class loved the book and we got all of these in return to share with the whole school!










Our second activity was also a great one! Getting to know us as a class and then sharing that with another school. We had so much fun doing this. We learnt about metaphors and created our own one about ourselves. It was a great way of teaching what can be a hard concept for children to understand. But they had so much fun and the fact they were sending their metaphor to another school meant they wanted to do exceptionally well!



What are we doing now? We are growing bacteria! It's so gross yet so cool!

    

 This has been a super cool activity to do. Children have been mesmerized at how bacteria grows and the different ones that are growing. We are now at the stage where we are trying to identify all the different types of bacteria growing!