Abby Johnson

Speaker Reflections
AMSTI Reflection
The Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI)
does more than just provide appropriate materials for teachers. They
are a resource for teachers, providing support to teachers in their
curriculum and teaching individual students. One of the things the
AMSTI people discussed was the classroom environment that should be
created. I want my classroom to be one that is inquiry-based and is a
safe community where students can express their thinking and
understand that it is okay to make mistakes. As I reflected on my own
math story, I realized that it was one filled with memorization, facts,
and steps. That is not how I want my students to learn. The new shift in
math allows students to see math as a process and understand the
meaning behind the numbers and processes. I think this way of
thinking would have made me much more confident in my
understanding and abilities. In addition to math, we learned about the
new science standards. These are written with more of an engineering
focus. In order to complete these design challenges, the students must
understand the concepts behind it. As I began to look at the standard
for my unit, I realized how much these new standards lend themselves
to more conceptual-based teaching. Because of this, students gain a
much deeper understanding and can apply their knowledge. One of the

videos we watched had the creator of the Rubiks Cube. He said,

Questions are more important than the answers. I love this quote
because it encourages students to value the process and not just focus
on the outcome. I believe the process is where the learning takes
place. Finally, one of the ladies encouraged us to think of the
classroom as my students classroom rather than my classroom. I
completely agree with this. I think that it is very important that the
students are the center of every decision made in the classroom and
that they can take responsibility for their learning.

Utilizing Assessment Effectively

Last semester, we talked a lot about how assessment drives
instruction. This session emphasized that point, and I continue to
realize how important that concept truly is. Two of the math
assessments at Trace Crossings are the OGAP and PNOA. When I got to
my clinical placement on Thursday, my teacher asked if I could
administer the PNOA to a new ELL student that had just arrived. The
purpose in administering this test was to see where she should begin
her instruction. After realizing the only part of the assessment he could
complete was writing his numbers, she realized she has to start at the
most basic level. It was an amazing experience to see the effect
assessment has in a classroom.
One of the things the reading coach talked about was keeping
running records. I think it is important that assessment isnt always
seen as a state or formal test administered a few times a year, but it is
valuable to have ongoing assessments to adjust teaching. Another
thing she said was By listening to (assessing) your own student, you
can get a better indication of their success rather than an individual
outside the classroom. As I begin teaching, it is important that I am
very involved in the process of giving an assessment. When giving an
assessment, it is much easier to identify the area of weakness rather
than figuring it out from a group of numbers.

Trace has also adopted the program IStation that is an ongoing

math and reading assessment. The teachers are able to see student
progress as they complete various lessons. I really like how the Title 1
teachers said the data they are given justifies the course of action they
take. For instance, if a child is ready to move out of intervention, the
teachers are able to support that decision with data. I think this applies
to classroom teaching and strategies as well. When a parent needs to
know about their childs performance, the teacher should have data to
back it up.
Finally, the ACT Aspire is another one of the assessments Trace
gives. From the practice tests, the teacher can identify student
weaknesses. Because of the way it breaks down the data, the teacher
can identify which students need additional support on a certain
subject. By evaluating data, the teacher will spend time on what
matters and is needed rather than reviewing all information even if it
has already been learned. When a teacher administers effective
assessments and successfully interprets the data to guide instruction,
the teacher creates a classroom environment marked by learning and
success.

Dr. Wall Reflection

Science is a subject that many students dislike. Many times the
root of this problem can come from the teachers attitude towards
science. Being the child of a science teacher, I always thought science
was something very interesting and saw how engaging and applicable
to real life that it could be. However, my classroom teachers made
science a subject focused on the memorization of facts. Dr. Wall
emphasized the importance of creating an inquiry-based classroom.
After looking at the new science standards for my unit, I realize how
much these standards lend themselves to a more inquiry and
discussion based classroom. Students are exploring various ways to
conduct experiments to prove the truth in the standard. In working
towards this classroom environment, teachers can guide instruction
based on three steps, which are writing a claim, collecting evidence,
and justifying the claim. The teacher can begin the class by asking a
question. For example, in one of the science lessons for my unit, I
could ask, How do unbalanced forces affect the motion of an object?
The teacher can then give the students time to think and develop ideas
to create a claim that can be tested. As I determine how I would like to
teach my students science, I think this is an extremely valuable
element to incorporate. Students should be able to learn from one
another and be involved in collaborative learning. Then, the students
should have the opportunity to test these claims by collecting evidence

either in support or in opposition of it. This is another important

element to a science curriculum. I believe students should be given
numerous hands-on experiences to see for themselves what is true. By
having a personal experience, students can more easily remember the
information. Finally, students could justify their claim with the evidence
they collect. As I have my own classroom, it is important to me that
science is a subject my students love because of the opportunities they
have to explore new topics and information and discover truth for
themselves.