Running Head: REFLECTION 1

Reflection

Joanna Aviles-Jawhari

OTL 547 – Evaluation and Assessment

Colorado State University – Global Campus

Dr. Harold Fisher

August 4, 2019
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Reflection

There are ways to develop a safe learning environment for students. By providing

students with a safe and conducive learning environment, we are opening the way for them to

achieve and perform to their full potential. Ways that I cultivate student achievement and growth

in my classroom is to set and go over the high expectations in the classroom (Cox, 2019). I

ensure that each student of mine is motivated, engaged and contributing to discussions and

activities. I try to incorporate group activities, technology, whole class and group discussions to

keep student interest and attention. I try to communicate, make eye contact, and engage with

every student during class time.

I have learned that there are so many forms of assessments and each has its reason and

purpose. As a teacher, it is easy to forget that all the formalities, regulations, and procedures, that

students do get overwhelmed, develop anxiety and stress over so many types of assessments. Not

only are there assessments and evaluations for the students, but for teachers as well, which can

add on addition pressure and stress on the teacher which does not always encourage a better

performance for the teacher.

Evaluating and assessing students is a large part of making sure that our students are

learning and progressing the way they should be. It is also important in our positions as teachers

that we need to remember to stop and reflect, evaluate, and assess ourselves. Good educators are

sensitive to the learning needs and differences of each student. We should observe, listen,

evaluate the situation, and then react to our students. Educators should be culturally aware and

sensitive to the different backgrounds and learning needs of students of students. Mitchel states,

“Teachers’ attitudes and biases can affect classroom opportunities, responsiveness, and teacher-

child interactions and ultimately impact child outcomes” (1976).

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Assessments are invaluable tools that should be done regularly and when a student is

falling behind that a plan should be made immediately to help the student recover. A vital

classroom technique is differentiating in class which should be implemented more often. I

confess that I do not always have the time to plan out differentiate in my lessons because there is

pressure to complete the lesson by a certain deadline.

Some school do not believe in assigning homework for student below grade 4. I believe

within a certain limit that homework is extra practice for the student at home and they should

already understand what needs to be done. If the student has not learned what was taught in the

class, then homework becomes useless. Students should not go home having to be taught the

concept by their parents or not knowing what to do. I believe that students should have short

assignments to do at home, it can be either graded homework to teach discipline and

responsibility for their learning or ungraded homework. This allows the student to refresh their

memory of what they learned in class that day. It is easy to forget the events of the day,

especially after they have had a few classes afterwards. Pros & Cons of Current Issues (2018)

stated that studies have shown that homework improves and develops progress in the class as

independent learners. Certain subjects should be assigned days on which homework can be

assigned. Homework should not be stressful to the student, it should be kept to a simple exercise.

Another study was made that too much homework can create stress which can be harmful to the

health of the student (Pros & Cons of Current Issues, 2018). My students are stressed enough as

it is with all the summative assessments required by the school, so I make sure there is a balance

to the work that I give my students. An assignment was given to my students for them to take the

unfamiliar words that they had written down in their notebooks to choose 5 words and look it up,

and then make flashcards. This will develop their vocabulary, which they will need in the 9th
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grade.

To conclude, teaching students a language other than their native tongue is difficult. My

approach is to make the journey to learning interesting. So my approach to teaching the English

language is partly through reading and understanding literature in hopes to strike an interest in

reading and to witness different forms of writings from different authors. Furthermore, with the

proper assessments prepared, such as peer assessments and self-assessments administered to the

student will help modify my pedagogies in class; to adhere my student’s learning needs and

provide for them a safe, cultivating and engaging learning environment.

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Resources

Carla Wood, Mary Claire Wofford, & Abby Hassinger. (2018). Acknowledging

Challenges and Embracing Innovative Instructional Practices in Response to

Cultural and Linguistic Diversity. SAGE Open,

https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018771110

Cox, J. (2019). How to promote student growth. Retrieved from

https://www.thoughtco.com/promoting-student-growth-2081952

ProCon.org (2018). Is Homework Beneficial? Retrieved from

https://www.procon.org/headline.php?headlineID=005411