The monthly newsletter
SCOPE Issue 77 | October 2011 | www.ei-india.com
This Month’s Issue Best Ideas ...................... 01 ASSET Ambassador ........ 02 SMSL Quiz ...................... 03 Duke TIP ......................... 04 News Bite ....................... 04 Rubric Way .................... 05 Professional Workshops. 06 SMSL Poster Contest ...... 06 Teacher’s Bite ................ 07 Detailed Assessment....... 08
Photo courtesy : Anand Niketan School, Ahmedabad
Best Ideas to Use in the Classroom You've Got Mail
Smiles for Understanding
Student-to-Student Quiz
For a teacher, determining an individual student's understanding of a homework assignment can be difficult. Did the student do the work alone, with a little adult help and encouragement, or with significant parental input? Check your students' understanding of homework assignments by asking them to evaluate their own work with "smiley faces." Ask students to draw on their papers: Have a small bulletin board and title it "You've Got Mail." Next to the board place a cup with every student’s name on a piece of paper. When a student has free time, he or she may draw a name out of the cup and write a letter to the person whose name is drawn. What is the catch? The letter must include five writing errors -- spelling, grammar, capitalization, and so on. When the letter is completed, signed, and addressed, it’s posted on the bulletin board to be collected by the addressee, read... and CORRECTED! This is a great way for students to practise writing and editing skills while "legally" passing notes in class. The kids will love it.
• a face with a mouth curved upwards into a smile for "I understood the assignment and I did it all by myself." • a face with a straight line for a mouth for "I tried my best, but I needed some help to finish the assignment." • a face with a mouth curved down into a frown for "Help! I didn't understand the assignment at all!"
Source: Education World
Students create a quiz to check their own "Book Learning." Take an interesting book from the library and ask students to read the book. When the entire class has read the same book, use the opportunity to have them create a test about the book. Ask each student to write two questions about the characters in the book , the setting, or the plot. Explain that questions can be ‘Fill-inthe-blank’, True or False’, or Multiplechoice’. Discard poor or duplicate questions and administer the test to the class.
News Ganesh Chaturthi and Eid Festival Celebration
On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and Eid, a cultural programme was conducted by the students of L.K.G. to class 5 to show “Unity in Diversity”. A potter taught all the students
how to make Ganesha out of clay. Clay Ganesha idols were distributed among the parents. By ASSET Ambassador Team, Sanghamitra School, Hyderabad
‘India – Utsav’, Social Science Exhibition School Vivekananda organized ‘India – Utsav’, a social science exhibition to make young people understand the cultural heritage and tradition of India. It was also to highlight the incorporation of its culture with other global nations along with understanding the euphoria of Independence Chief Guest Mr. B. N. Sureshwara, President, Rashtra Bandhu, All India NGO’s Federation; State Convenor, Dalitha Sangharsha Samiti, and Guest of Honour Mr. Shrivathsa. B., Director of Bhagirathi Engineering Solutions’ inaugurated the
exhibition. From Grade 3 to Grade 10, the participation of the students was made mandatory in the form of model making, chart making, enactments or power point presentations to make each one know about ‘Mother India’ and ‘Global Paraphernalia’. It was indeed a unique way of celebrating India’s Independence.
Diorama – a 3-dimensional Miniature of a Life Size Scene School Vivekananda found that one of the novel methods of teaching Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” (prescribed drama for ICSE students) was through Diorama – a 3-dimensional miniature of a life size scene in which characters, wildlife or objects were arranged in a naturalistic setting, against a painted or structural background. Students often found Shakespearan English quite difficult to comprehend and the character web quite complex. The students were divided into equal numbers in a group and a particular scene from the Acts was assigned to each group. Students prepared a 3-dimensional model of the scenes
mentioning a paraphrase of the same. One of the group members narrated out the scene to others, questions posed on the scene led to a continuous recalling of the text. The interest shown by the students during “Diorama” has been noteworthy. By ASSET Ambassador Team, School Vivekananda, Bangalore
Trip to Bison Training Camp The National Cadet Corps students of Silver Oaks, Hyderabad had gone to Bison Training Grounds, Secunderabad for a tenday stay. The cadets had undergone rigorous mental and physical training. The cadets, me included, say they had a very good time and enjoyed every moment doing simple things like, cleaning the utensils and clothes, living in tents. enjoying
thrilling adventures like rifle shooting and participating in various exhilarating competitions. The NCC students of Silver Oaks can boast of getting a gold medal in rifle shooting, a silver medal in drill and a bronze medal in NIAP which is a creative event where a rangoli is drawn based on the given theme. By ASSET Ambassador Team, Silver Oaks, Hyderabad
Stop Mugging, Start Learning quiz contest was held in around 50 schools across the country on Teachers' Day. The ASSET Team provided the questions for the quiz contest. The quiz was conducted by the ASSET Ambassadors.
Photo Gallery
COLUMN It is all about an interesting question... To make learning fun! Check out this column every ASSETScope for such interesting questions.
QUESTION OF THE MONTH Vibha took two jars with the same amount of a liquid at room temperature. She took two solid blocks and put them in the jars. Here is what she observed. Block 1 Block 2 Liquid Jar 1 What can she say based on this observation? A. B. C. D.
Jar 2
The liquid in jar 2 is hotter than that in jar 1. The two blocks are made of different materials. The two blocks will float at the same level in all other liquids. The blocks will sink deeper in the liquid in a jar with less liquid.
If you know the correct answer of the questions Send us a mail at assetscope@ei-india.com with the correct answer along with your name, your school’s name, city and contact number. The subjectline of the mail should be “SMSL Quiz Round 1 Answer”. Last date to send the entries is 21st November. Answer this question and get a chance to win SMSL goodies from the ASSET Team.
Duke TIP With over 31 years’ experience in identifying and supporting academically gifted youth in the United States, Duke TIP is proud to announce the beginning of the second year of the Talent Search in India to help educators and families find out how advanced their students’ abilities truly are and what level of educational challenge is appropriate. In 2010, over 1,000 students enrolled in the Duke TIP in India Talent Search. In select schools, 7th standard students who score at or above the 95 percentile on the Science, Math or English section of the ASSET test are invited to participate in the Talent Search. The Duke TIP in India program provides a unique learning environment, designed to motivate and challenge academically talented Indian students. Within a supportive and nurturing campus setting, Duke TIP strives to stretch highly talented students beyond their self-perceived expectations and limits. Duke TIP courses are dynamic, fast-paced, and intense. Duke TIP Instructors are selected for their expertise in their field of research and are committed to providing rigorous and highenergy educational experiences at the college level. Instructors employ a variety of instructional strategies including debates,
simulations of real-world activities, peer teaching or presentations, lab experiences, individual or group research projects. Duke TIP assigns neither a letter nor a numeric final grade. At the end of program, instructors complete an evaluation that assesses student performance, and they provide students with this appraisal. The non-graded approach encourages a collaborative environment in which students become comfortable taking intellectual risks. This year the registration for the Duke TIP will begin from 1st October and last until 31st October. To know more about Duke TIP or to register, please visit www.ei-india.com/duketip or you can also write to pankhuri.nigam@ei-india.com
News Bite 'Corrupt' Indian Official's House Turned into School The house of a senior Indian civil servant on trial for corruption has been turned into a school for slum children in Patna. It is thought to be the first time such a law has been used in this way in India, which has been hit by a series of corruption scandals. The school opened to the delight of about 100 children, mainly from the Dalit
(formerly untouchable) community. Under the Bihar Special Courts Act 2009, the state government is empowered to confiscate the property of any official charged with corruption - even while the trial is under way and a conviction has yet to be secured.
Science Exhibition – Prayaas Presidency School, Nandini Layout, recently conducted the eighth edition of Prayaas, its science exhibition. The theme was “Science and Technology for Global Sustainability” and over 380 hands-on exhibits from classes IV to X were on display. Biofuels, energy conversion, uses of solar energy, dry ice experiment, water-level
indicator, cloud in a bottle, and earthquake alarm were some of the models on display, which overwhelmed parents and judges alike. Mr. G. Thangadurai, Director, Presidency Group of Schools, inaugurated the muchawaited event. Deepali Sinha, Meghna Kumar and Nishchal Shukla from EI were also invited for the event.
Assessment Made Simple the Rubric way – Part 1 The problem of evaluating student performance in areas or activities that lack clear-cut ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ has been ever prevailing. However, it has become more widespread and more immediate with the surge in classroom technology and the resulting possibilities for project-based learning. Technology allows students to learn in exciting interactive ways, but it does not free teachers from their need to assess students’ work using fair, objective, and justifiable methods. The School Support Team of Educational Initiatives has collated their expertise of creating and assessing through rubrics in a workshop. The team is conducting these workshops in select ASSET taking schools. Make Room for Rubrics Rubrics make assessing student work quick and efficient. They also help teachers explain to parents and others the grades they assign. Used correctly, they serve the purposes of learning as well as evaluation.
When the student’s assessment of his/her work and the teacher’s assessment don’t match, it’s a perfect time for a student-teacher conference. Types of Rubrics: Sample Performance Rubric
a list of criteria, or “what counts” in a project or assignment;
•
gradations of quality, with descriptions of strong, medium, and problematic student work.
What are Rubrics? Rubrics are multidimensional sets of scoring guidelines that can be used to provide consistency in evaluating student work. They spell out scoring criteria so that multiple teachers, using the same rubric for a student’s essay, for example, would arrive at the same score or grade. Rubrics are used from the initiation to the completion of a student project. They provide a specific measurement system for specific tasks and are tailored for each project. Why Use Instructional Rubrics? Instructional rubrics make teachers’ expectations very clear. Traditionally, educators have kept criteria and standards to themselves. Instructional rubrics provide students with more informative feedback about their strengths and areas in need of improvement than traditional forms of assessment do. How Do Rubrics Help?
2
3
4
Completely dependent on the content provided to respond
Thinks only Thinks in the Versatile with some given direction thinker clues provided with some help
Ability to identify the characteristics of animal/habitat
Unable to identify the characteristics that are complimentary to a habitat and how adaptations enable different species to help them survive
Identifies the characteristics that are complimentary to a habitat but does not understands how adaptations enable different species to help them survive
Scientific vocabulary
Unable to use scientific vocabulary to express views
Uses scientific Uses some words with scientific words difficulties to express the views
All rubrics have two features in common: •
1
Criteria Original thinking / Generating Ideas
Identifies the characteristics that are complimentary to a habitat & partially understands how adaptations enable different species to help them survive
Strong ability to identify the characteristics that are complimentary to a habitat & understands how adaptations enable different species to help them survive Uses science vocabulary associated with unit of study.
Project Rubric A project rubric lists the requirements for the completion of a project-based learning lesson. It is usually a presentation: a word document, poster, model, multimedia presentation, or a combination of presentations. The teacher can create a project rubric or make it a joint process where students participate in developing rubrics. Performance assessment is an essential companion to project based learning. Team Rubric A team rubric lets each team member know what is expected of him/her. It contains detailed descriptions for tasks that will be done while the students are working as a team. It states degrees of behaviour that are acceptable. It defines what will happen to a team member who is not participating. A team rubric lists actions or tasks required of each team member for the completion of a successful project:
As the projects become complex, so do the rubrics. Rubrics help students understand what is expected from them. They demystify grades by clearly stating, in age-appropriate vocabulary, the expectations for a project. Rubrics help students see that learning is about gaining specific skills in academic subjects, in problem-solving and life skills. They also give students the opportunity to do self-assessment.
• Was the team member’s work to the best of his or her ability?
Rubrics allow students to participate in setting the goals for a project and define what is expected from each member of a team or determine the outcome of the project.
Part 2 of this article will be published in the next issue of ASSETScope. It will discuss how to build rubrics and the scope of involving students in building them.
• Did the person participate in the planning process? • How involved was each member?
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Professional Development Workshops - for Teachers The Maths Misconceptions Workshop under the title EI Avenues-Professional Development Workshop was held in Bangalore on 3rd September. The workshop was attended by 90 teachers from the 66 most elite schools of Bangalore.
The workshop was presented by Ms. Kshama Chakravarthy, Education Specialist and Mr. Vishnuteerth Agnihotri, VP - Test Development, both from EI.
The workshop discussed various aspects of Maths Misconceptions and why they arise. The topics discussed in the workshop were: • • • • • •
State of Maths Learning Challenges of Maths teaching Impact on Maths Learning in Schools How to address misconceptions How to leverage technology to address misconceptions Experiencing the use of technology to teach/ learn Maths Through this forum, the Maths teachers, Maths HODs and the Principals of many schools got an opportunity to share the issues that they face while teaching Maths, especially the misconceptions which the students have and discussed various ways in which these could be addressed. The attendees also got an opportunity to use the Mindspark Maths Program and discovered how it could help the students as well as the teachers in addressing the needs of the students not just as a class, but also personally. Another workshop in the same series was conducted in Chennai on 17th September. The next workshop will be held at Kolkata on 22nd October. If you are a school in Kolkata, and you would like to participate in the workshop, please write to us at: pankhuri.nigam@ei-india.com
‘Stop Mugging, Start Learning’ - Poster Contest Results The ASSET Team enjoyed receiving and reviewing your ideas on 'Stop Mugging Start Learning' in the form of your posters. Of the many entries that we received from schools across India, we have selected the following as winners of the competition:
1st Prize winner – Shibu Jaganathan, Faith International Academy, Chennai
2nd Prize winner– Utkarsh Gupta, Seth M. R. Jaipuria School, Lucknow
3rd Prize winner– Rohin S Lengade, St Paul’s High School, Belgaum
The winners will be receiving SMSL goodies from us. The three winning entries will be made the profile picture of our SMSL Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/StopMuggingStartLearning) To meet and interact with many more children of your age, join groups of your interest and learn while you learn, join us on www.assetambassador.com
Teacher’s Bite Ms. Smita Joshi, Principal, Sri Prakash Synergy School, Peddapuram
Q:
Who has most influenced you to become an educator, and how did they influence you?
I can’t recall any one adult or adults who influenced me to be an educator. It is the children and their avid curiosity, their infectious enthusiasm and zest for life that influenced me more than anything else. As a young teenager I used to be always surrounded by children, my band of devoted followers, who would look up to me and hang on to every word I uttered. The power that I could wield in shaping and moulding their thought process made me decide my calling in life. I wanted to be involved in shaping young minds for the betterment of the society.
Q:
What is your approach to classroom management and student discipline?
The bond that the teacher creates and nurtures with the students is by far the best tool for classroom management and discipline. A good teacher skilfully weaves a spell that binds the students within boundaries of good and acceptable behaviour. I lay stress on circle time where the teacher can develop such a bond with the students. Besides, emphasis is laid on setting of class norms that are reinforced in the beginning of each class. Making a clear set of classroom rules is the easiest way to gain the respect of students and maintain it. The consequences of unacceptable actions are also made known. We use merit charts so pupils don’t want to ruin their progress with an incident of disruptiveness. We have a weekly reward system, acknowledging the star of the week, so that students who behaved badly in the past can start a ‘fresh’ week of good behaviour. Most children, particularly younger ones, respond incredibly well to rewards.
We also ensure that the lesson is well panned in advance, with no free time to open windows of opportunity for disruption and loss of concentration. Thus, we strive to achieve a balance by finding methods that allow for enjoyment and comfort, but do not allow defiance and laziness.
Q:
What are your views regarding the importance of teacher training and development in educating students?
It is critical to pay close attention to how we train and develop our teachers. Just as learning is a continuous process, so is training and development of teachers. Teachers should be trained so that the students learn better. Great teachers help create great students. In fact, an inspiring and informed teacher is the most important factor influencing student achievement. Ongoing professional development keeps teachers up-to-date on: new research on how children learn, emerging technology tools for the classroom, new curriculum resources and more. Even those educators with years of experience tend to fall into a rut. A refresher course or learning something new can benefit all teachers whether their focus is the refinement of content area, teaching skills or moving into new area of study.
Q:
What is your view regarding the ASSET test?
The ASSET test is an excellent tool for the teacher to find out which concepts have not been understood by the students or not. Once such weak areas have been identified, remedial measures can be taken to strengthen them. Since it is a diagnostic test, it gives a detailed analysis as to where the student stands in relation to the other students in the class, in relation to other students in the school or groups of the schools. Our students attempt AQAD very enthusiastically and it is definitely a positive addition to the intellectual activities in the school.
Video Review The Story of India Michael Wood (a British historian and television presenter) travels through the length and breadth of India to show the 5,000 years of history of the land to what we refer as the Indian Subcontinent today. Wood presents his findings in six episodes of the BBC –TV Series “The Story of India”, each of one hour duration. Each episode is a spectacle of great camera work and projection of ideas with intimate down-to-earth events like having fun at holi. One of the highlights of the series is the depiction of the real
voices of ordinary Indians on Indian history. Wood’s presentation on India has a great global significance today. For example, what Barack Obama, the US President said about relations between Islam and the West will be interesting, but what Akbar said about Islam could have come out of India’s pluralism. The Mughal’s heroic attempt to reconcile great human issues has lessons for today. Another highlight of the series is Wood’s approach of linking contemporary culture to the past. In India, the past co-exists with daily life. In the words of Wood, “Global culture is taking root everywhere now, I came away feeling that India’s the only place that has incorporated the modern without rejecting the old”. The series is a remarkable visual source for teaching history in schools. The DVD can be purchased from any of the leading Book/Music shops across India. By Jitu Mishra, Educational Specialist, EI
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