Ms. Snow's Social Studies

What is the goal of assessments for students? As a third-year teacher, this is something that I ask myself quite often. During my first year of teaching, I focused on designing lessons and tests that pushed my students to understand the material. After reflecting on these moments, I have made changes throughout this school year, but there are always ways to improve, especially when it comes to assessments, their use in the classroom, and how they impact the learning process. When I think of assessments, I believe they check students' understanding of the material and see their growth in a concept or idea (Shepard, 2000). Assessments are the tools teachers use to help gauge where their students are in reaching the learning objectives. This evaluation is vital in the learning process because learning sometimes builds on previous steps. Some may only understand the material with a check-in of the learning process, and their teachers might see. It demonstrates how the lessons work to b...

What is online teaching in a 21st-century society?  When I think about online teaching, I reflect on the role of technology in the classroom and our daily lives. Every day individuals interact with technology for learning and leisure. In the classroom, this occurs typically using Chromebooks, Smart Boards, and other digital learning tools and applications. I bring technology to the forefront by allowing students to improve their digital technology skills in my classroom and try to incorporate as much meaningful technology as possible.  What is learning? Before thinking about online learning, one must reflect on what learning is. Learning is about understanding and comprehending people, places, and things and why they exist (Bransford et al., 2000). It begins with an individual's question or observation, and the rest becomes the journey of learning that challenges the mind to think outside the box. It is an active process that never stops, no matter how old you are. In and outs...

Over the last two years of teaching, the word data has been a non-stop push in my direction and school districts nationwide. I have worked with my colleagues to determine essential standards that will be taught, tested, and given to all students in that course, no matter the teacher. This fall, our new testing software will increase the conversation about data as it becomes more prominent for teachers and administration. Yet, why is there a continuous push for data? This question is one that I have been still trying to answer, and there is no correct answer. Over time, I have realized how I can use it to help improve my teaching and its purpose. So, how do I use assessment data in my teaching practice?