So this will be both short and long. It turns out I already started a blog a long time ago! Whoops. For posts from 2013, Follow the link :)
http://mrhmuses.blogspot.ca/
Monday 29 May 2017
Final Interviews and What's Good for Kids
Final Interviews and What's Good for Kids
A search to define the seemingly undefinable
Well, it has been a while since my last blog post. It seems the end of a semester and the beginning of a new one don't lend themselves to idle reflections, more's the pity. You see, the end of one year and the beginning of the new have always been fertile ground for reflections, resolutions, and rebuilding. It is a little late, but here I go....
Too Long; Don't Want to Read : I find that doing a final interview is what is best for kids. I accept that time can be a factor, but with proper planning it can be done and I feel that for the sake of proper assessment and a fair shake for all students, it should be done.
This year with my Planning 10 and Digital Media 10/11/12 classes I decided I was going to take a chance, and try doing final interviews with my students. I felt that both courses had a few, very important, "key learnings" the students needed to get out of the course, and doing an interview for it should be pretty reasonable/quick. I wasn't totally wrong...
While doing final interviews, I was absolutely able to gain insight into what the student had (and had not) actually picked up from the course; furthermore, it was actually a predominantly positive experience. Unfortunately that was where my luck ran out, and quick it was not. For some students the interview took nearly 30 minutes. These tended to be those that knew the material, but struggled to bring voice to it. A combination of nervousness and lack of interview experience likely did not help these students. While it was long, both the student and I came away with a better understanding of what they knew (I think this would also count as one of the "reminder periods" for he curve of forgetting-- More on that in a future post)
The students at the opposite ends of the spectrum stunned me (as you may be able to guess). Some students knew exactly what they had picked up from the course, and where they wanted to take it. I received some marvellous answers regarding aspects of the course that even I had forgotten! Did you know students appreciate learning scientific literacy strategies? Me either!
Unfortunately the other end of the spectrum was stunning as well, for the opposite reason. I was fully aware that there were students that, regardless of how often you contact home, pull them aside and talk to them, threaten, bribe, or otherwise harass, were not going to try in your class. I was always of a mind that they picked up something, but just didn't put in the effort to show you. I have now been debased of that opinion. If you have a student that looks like they are learning nothing in your class, it is very possible that they are actually learning nothing in your class. It was disappointing for me to be sure, but it seemed like it was an eye-opener for them as well. To receive a report card that says "35%" or "F" depending on the student's age, doesn't really mean anything. You can shove that report-card in your backpack and forget about it until you get yelled at by your parents. Sitting there, face to face with the person you were supposed to be learning from, unable to prove that you've learned anything? One of the key motivators for student procrastination is the avoidance of discomfort (see previous posts). A 30 min interview (maybe 10 min if I do it 4 times a semester) where you are unable to talk about anything you are supposed to talk about is probably the apex of discomfort.
While doing final interviews, I was absolutely able to gain insight into what the student had (and had not) actually picked up from the course; furthermore, it was actually a predominantly positive experience. Unfortunately that was where my luck ran out, and quick it was not. For some students the interview took nearly 30 minutes. These tended to be those that knew the material, but struggled to bring voice to it. A combination of nervousness and lack of interview experience likely did not help these students. While it was long, both the student and I came away with a better understanding of what they knew (I think this would also count as one of the "reminder periods" for he curve of forgetting-- More on that in a future post)
The students at the opposite ends of the spectrum stunned me (as you may be able to guess). Some students knew exactly what they had picked up from the course, and where they wanted to take it. I received some marvellous answers regarding aspects of the course that even I had forgotten! Did you know students appreciate learning scientific literacy strategies? Me either!
Unfortunately the other end of the spectrum was stunning as well, for the opposite reason. I was fully aware that there were students that, regardless of how often you contact home, pull them aside and talk to them, threaten, bribe, or otherwise harass, were not going to try in your class. I was always of a mind that they picked up something, but just didn't put in the effort to show you. I have now been debased of that opinion. If you have a student that looks like they are learning nothing in your class, it is very possible that they are actually learning nothing in your class. It was disappointing for me to be sure, but it seemed like it was an eye-opener for them as well. To receive a report card that says "35%" or "F" depending on the student's age, doesn't really mean anything. You can shove that report-card in your backpack and forget about it until you get yelled at by your parents. Sitting there, face to face with the person you were supposed to be learning from, unable to prove that you've learned anything? One of the key motivators for student procrastination is the avoidance of discomfort (see previous posts). A 30 min interview (maybe 10 min if I do it 4 times a semester) where you are unable to talk about anything you are supposed to talk about is probably the apex of discomfort.
What do you think? Are final interviews something you do/could make a part of your practice? What problems do you see / encounter?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)