Final Reflection

I really enjoyed the class. I got my first reality check on what an online class is really like. I had to stay on top of everything. At times I forgot about the assignments I had to do, so I would have to do the assignment at the last minute. It wasn't as difficult as I believed it would be. The only classes I ever had were in a classroom. I was scared of coming into an online course, but now I've become to like it. My initial thought before the class was "OH NO!" but now I want more online courses. I have learned many things throughout the semester and will use them later in life. Thank you Dr. Luongo!

Standardized Tests

I just shake inside when someone says we are having standardized tests. I hated them in school, I never understood why we had to take them. I could never understood how we as students could be tested on our academic ability. I believe they are unfair and some students are not great test takers so they are useless. That's why I don't undertsand why the state does not demolish standardized tests.
They scare students as well as teachers. Teachers don't even get the right to teach students what they feel they can learn because they have to teach according to the standardized tests. Instead of preparing students for real life things and situations teachers have to teach only those learning targets that specifically match the targets that will appear on the standardized assessment the students will take and giving practice using the same types of tasks formats that will appear on the assessment. Also, they have to give students practice on the same questions and tasks that they will take later, so students are missing out on so much they could be learning due to the standardized tests.

Report Cards

Report cards are an official means of reporting student progress. Most people believe report cards have advantages and disadvantages. With me regarding letter grades and report cards, I really don't like that method. Say if a student gets a "C" the parents are asking them why they got that grade, it doesn't explain the reason behind the grade. I understand parent teacher conferences go over all that information, but I am pretty sure some parents want more reasoning behind letter grades on report cards. Parent teacher conferences themselves are time consuming for the teacher, both in preparation time and actual contact time. Attendance is a drawback also because most parents do not show up. The advantage of letter grades are they are administratively easy to use, but the disadvantage is that they do not describe the students strengths and weaknesses.
I am a fan of Narrative Reports. I never had them in school, but I feel they would be much more efficient than letter grades. Narrative reports are detailed, written accounts of what each student has learned in relation to the school's curriculum framework and the student's effort in class. Narrative reports show to have many advantages such as allowing teachers to include unique information about a student's learning. I know they are time consuming, but they seem to work better with parents,teachers, and students.