eighty percent????

the "big goal" for each class is 80% average on every test or quiz. in the past, my period 1 & 2 has come close, but not made it. today i gave a 20 point multiple choice quiz that was pretty difficult--no one whizzed through it or anything. i was mildly worried but some kids who often have a difficult time seemed to be doing okay.

i took jesse's suggestion and did something that a colleague at his school does: have the students record their answers on a scantron form (multiple choice), and collect that. then, we went over the test answers while they still had the actual test. (there was no opportunity for them to change their answers and cheat, though--I already had the scantron). they got instant feedback on how they did. i know, it sounds simple, but sometimes i struggle with an efficient time and procedure for doing that. it's extremely important that they know how they did right away, because their memories of the test by monday will be gone, for most of them.

my period 1 & 2 we corrected quizzes right away, and the kids did really well for the most part. they were so proud and celebratory about their scores. one student was up playing air guitar. i think everyone passed--maybe there was one "D" but a lot of kids who normally get low grades did well on this difficult multiple choice test on figurative language. they had to identify and interpret metaphors, similes, personification, haiku, and then map rhyme schemes.

it was so exciting--i felt so proud of them, and like my poetry unit was successful!!! i didn't test them on EVERYTHING i was supposed to--but i feel like they learned a lot. if they had taken this test as a pre-test in december, i think they would have mostly failed miserably.

also, they all turned in their poetry portfolio projects today. they decorated, copied them neatly, made a cover, and illustrated five poems that they've written: where I'm from poem, an ode, a haiku, a "family metaphor" poem, and an acrostic (that was for fun). the portfolios look great and i can't wait to grade them and hang them on the wall!!! i made this detailed rubric that might make it a tedious process, but it shouldn't take *too* long since it's all laid out very explicitly. i don't have to make decisions about points or anything, or write very many comments--it will be pretty clear why they lost points if they lost points.

well, it's time for 4th period and a quiz review and quiz. i'm having a "celebration" with my 5th and 6th period crazy kids today---they've actually done well this week, plus i hate their curriculum sooooo much that i really can't bear to teach it to them.