Blog 17: Third Answer

Content:



What is the most effective method to raise standardized test scores?  

One of the most effective ways to raise standardized test scores is by allowing a creative outlet during lessons. 

• Creativeness helps students retain information for longer periods of time. 
• When students are allowed to do something they love along with a lesson they become more attentive. 
• Students look forward to learning. 

Press, Associated. "Here's a 50-state Look at How the Common Core Is Playing out in the U.S." Deseret News National. N.p., 9 Sept. 2014. Web. 11 Sept. 2014 

I think this answer might be my second best, I feel like children and teachers both benefit from this method.

Blog 11: Holiday Project Update

Content:

1.  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you do over the break with your senior project? 

Over break the only work I did on senior project was try to change around my lesson plan because I couldn't really meet with my mentor because they were out for break as well. I also tried to start planning out my lesson 2. 


2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned?

I honestly think that the only thing I learned on break was how to manage time a bit more efficiently because I didn't do research all I did was plan out lessons and components. 

3.  If you were going to do a 10 question interview on questions related to answers for your EQ, who would you talk to and why?

I feel like I would want to talk to someone who has had a wide variety of teaching places and grade levels to see if one strategy works for everyone. 

Blog 10: EQ

1. Review this.

Essential Question
Once a topic is chosen, the student will develop a working essential question. The purpose of the working essential question is to help the student build a strong foundation of research which will allow him or her to create an essential question that encourages depth and rigor in the chosen topic. An essential question must:

Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)
Take a stance (It allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)
Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)

*I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2. Review the following EQs and

Tell us if each meets the rule of three.
Tell why they do or don't.

a. What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?
       This EQ meets everything that is asked for because it's properly worded, it takes a stance and it also allows to be debated.
 b. What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?
       This does meet criteria because the wording makes it very specific and allows for deep research, it's not just a yes or no answer.
 c. What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?
      This does not meet the criteria because it's not specific when it asks for the most important thing or when it says "satisfies."
 d. How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?
      Yes, because it allows for a lot of research with the way it is worded and it also meets the criteria  above.


3. Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.

What is the best way a teacher can teach in order to raise standardized test score in a classroom?

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1.  What is your working EQ?

What is the best way to heighten the scores of standardized testing among elementary school kids?

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format. 

EQ:  What is the best way to heighten the scores of standardized testing among elementary school kids?

•  Tecahers should be encouraged to have a better test/lesson alignment in order to teach to the test in the most efficient ways. 

•  Students should be introduced to concepts of technology and digging deeper from a younger age than 3rd grade. 

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?

The most important source are the educational articles that I read that break down Common Core step by step and let you know how it should be taught to get the best from it. 

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you doing mentorship, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

My mentor is Traci Johnson and she works at E.J. Marshall Elementary in Chino. What I do there helps me with mentorship because I'm able to work with kids and help them learn skills that Common Core is asking of them. 

Blog 5: Mentorship Reflection

Based on what you have done for your senior project so far, answer the following questions (be specific and use examples).


1. Mentorship question: Describe your experience in how you found your mentorship?  If you haven't found one yet, describe your experience so far in the search of a mentor.

Finding my mentor right when school started was hard at first because I was trying to decide whether or not to change my topic from law to education. Finding my summer mentor was really easy because Ramiro Cisneros is Jessica Castillo's uncle and I've known her since freshman year and because the mentorship location was very close to my home. Once I went back to school the hard part was deciding if I wanted to do education in the public system or the private system. I ended up going public to be able to chart the changes from standards to Common Core. After I established what I wanted my topic to be finding a mentor was easy because every so often I go back to help my third grade teachers and they gladly took me in to shadow their work.


2. Research question: What has been your most important article you have read so far and why?

I think that there have been two articles that have been very important to my topic. The first was called Don't Teach To The Test and it talked about how the standards were implemented as well as showed that one of the main causes was the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). It was said that teachers shouldn't be teaching to the test because it takes away from any other subject that isn't Math or English/Reading. The second article gave me all the background on how, when, and why the NCLB was started. It was called No Child Left Behind: Just The Tip of The Iceberg. It gave me a thorough history on the standardized testing and why it didn't work in most cases. I think these are very helpful now and will be later on because they will both help me show a transition from the California K-12 Standards to the Common Core standards.

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

1.  List your topic here: 

The topic I chose for my Senior Presentation is the academic performance of elementary students.

2.  Write a question that helps to focus your research this month.

What is the best way to heighten the scores of standardized testing among elementary school kids.

3.  Post the working bibliography (WB) on the right hand side of the blog and share it so anybody can view it.

Below is the link to my spreadsheet with my working bibliography. 

Working Bibliography

Blog1: 2-Hour Presentation

Content:

1.  What presentations did you see?

The presentations I saw ranged from category to category. The ones that stood out to me were HLE Officer, Real Estate, Archaeology and Neonatal Care.

2.   What questions do you have that haven't been answered about the senior project? This can be about the senior project in general, any components or about a presentation topic you saw or what they said. 

The questions that haven't been answered are: Do the teachers assign the individual components? How is the rubric broken down? What is the best way to get good answers and strategies from out mentor?
 
3. What has the most important part of the senior project based on what you are seeing in the 2-hour presentations?

I think that the most important part is the research because you have to refer back to how you found your answers 
and whether is was mentorship or a written source. If you don't know the information you want to present then you'll be reading a wall of text from the power point.  

4. What topic are you considering doing and why?

The topic I'm considering is in the field of law because I'm hoping that after iPoly i can study law and become something like a public attorney.

5. What are you doing for your summer mentorship?

For my summer mentorship I'm hoping to fin someone in the field of law so that they can answer all of my questions and I can get a feel for the job. I have emailed a few people and am waiting for a reply.