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April 19, 2018
April 19, 2018
You will see multiple posts below this one that I moved from another website I host to here. The focus of the former website is an action research project I am conducting in order to gain RAD Teacher status in my district. You are welcome to visit and see what I am working on here. I anticipate my project concluding before the end of the school year in June of this year.
April 19, 2018
April 19, 2018
This is a post I am moving from another site as it does not pertain to the purpose of that site. I originally wrote this post on January 22, 2018.
I tweeted today about technology.
Even though many consider me an expert about utilizing technology in the classroom, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of possibilities available.
Each new offering demands my attention. However, if I am to devote time to an offering, I must take time from something else.
Endless choices and limited time do not mix...SIGH!
April 19, 2018
April 19, 2018
This is a post I am moving from another site as it does not pertain to the purpose of that site. I originally wrote this post on January 10, 2018.
So, after much soul searching after an enlightening conversation I had with a colleague about grading, I decided to change the way I grade. After 15 years of using a standard grading system, I moved to aligning my grades to mimic the scaling of the CAASP.
This is a HUGE mind-shift. While I have always created rubrics and other ways to assess student work, I have also always stuck to the same 90% and above = A, 80-90% = B, all the way down to below a 60% = F. I additionally would modify grades based on student abilities. That means that sometimes my F for certain students dipped to a 50%.
My grades are weighted as there are five domains to Language Arts/English: reading, writing, language, listening, and speaking. Assignments are often worth more than one grade category. For instance, when I have students BLAST (a component of our curriculum) they get writing credit for their writing and speaking credit for their peer responses as this involves communication. I kept weighting of grades as part of my current system.
However, my grading scale now resembles the CAASP breakdown for student achievement. It is as follows:
- Exceeds Mastery = 90% and above
- Exceeds Mastery 2 = 89-75%
- Mastery = 74-50%
- Near Mastery = 40-49%
- Does Not Meet Mastery = 39% and below
All assignments are worth 100 points, no matter what category they fall into. If an assignment merits more points (due to time spent on it or there is increased difficulty in completing it), I can double or triple the weight of that particular assignment.
It will be interesting to see how this impacts my students throughout this semester.
April 19, 2018
April 19, 2018
This is a post I am moving from another site as it does not pertain to the purpose of that site. I originally wrote this post on December 13, 2017.
Wall to wall students in my room after school today. Had to borrow Chromebooks from two other teachers. Why? Because I offered a cumulative test for students earning below a C-.
If students could demonstrate they mastered concepts via the test, I willingly awarded them a C- on their final report card. The test was 80 questions and covered topics from 1st semester.
Over 60 students took this assessment. 40 passed with a 70% and received a C- for Language Arts, semester 1.
Yes, there is a line that must be drawn about turning in work on time in order to help students develop a work ethic. However, sometimes we need to offer alternatives to younger students.
April 19, 2018
April 19, 2018
This is a post I am moving from another site as it does not pertain to the purpose of that site. I originally wrote this post on November 6, 2017.
I had a wonderful time presenting at San Diego CUE last Saturday. My resources are available at the presentation below:
I attended two presentations.
One introduced the idea of Booksnaps. I will most definitely be looking into ways to incorporate this into my classsroom activities.
The second was an overview on developing a monthly informational newsletter for staff members about tech issues.
My mind is overloaded with new possibilities.
April 19, 2018
April 19, 2018
This is a post I am moving from another site as it does not pertain to the purpose of that site. I originally wrote this post on August, 13 2017. It gives a little insight into my creative nature.
I just HAD to share two sites that I came across today. I have been playing with them for hours as I have a huge project outside of school that I am in the middle of. Can you guess what I am creating?
I just HAD to share two sites that I came across today. I have been playing with them for hours as I have a huge project outside of school that I am in the middle of. Can you guess what I am creating?
Here's a hint: It has something to do with Hamilton the Musical.
Here's a hint: It has something to do with Hamilton the Musical.
Word Art is to the right. The flame picture is an example I created.
Festisite is below. The picture (also my creation) is linked to the site.
Now to figure out a way to use this with students. Maybe poetry would suffice?
Now to figure out a way to use this with students. Maybe poetry would suffice?
March 27, 2018
March 27, 2018
You may have noticed some changes on this site. I have been furiously working to improve both the look and functionality. My hope is that this will become a resource for students and educators alike.
I am open to any suggestions. Shoot me an e-mail at lrusso@mvusd.net. Please put the words "Website Comments" in the subject line. This will allow me to keep a running log of suggestions.
A side note - I am finishing up my work on becoming one of my district's "RAD Teachers." You are welcome to check out my journey here.
March 21, 2018 - REBOOT
March 21, 2018 - REBOOT
Sorry, I have been lax in my commitment to blogging.
BUT NO MORE!
BUT NO MORE!
Stay tuned because I am turning that around and have some exciting things planned that I will be sharing.
September 16, 2016 - Introduction Post
The Badgerette here with fantastic news. I am beginning a new blog about how to use technology in the classroom in innovative ways.
Technology is extremely important in today's society. You can't live your life without it. My belief is that students need as much exposure to this medium in the confines of the classroom so that they can develop their skills in a safe environment.
My hope is that you can find some useful information within these posts. Please take what you believe will help you in your classroom and make it your own. I look forward to sharing many strategies and ideas with you.
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