Teacher observation to assess student achievement.Whatever has happened to using teacher observation as an approach to assess student achievement? Presently, the emphasis is upon state mandated testing to ascertain student progress. Much is written in educational journals about having students achieve No Child Left Behind (NCLB NCLB No Child Left Behind (US education initiative) ) federal and state standards, signed into law in 2002. Much drill is going into students passing mandated tests for grades three through eight, and an exit test in high school to receive a diploma. Schools also need to pass an Adequate Yearly Progress Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically. (AYP AYP Adequate Yearly Progress (National Assessment of Educational Progress) AYP Anarchist Yellow Pages AYP American Youth Philharmonic ) test. If the latter is not passed two years in a row, then that school will be listed as "failing." Students may then opt out of a failing school and attend a "successful" school at local district expense. This has placed much pressure upon teachers and principals to have students and classes be termed "successful," in meeting NCLB requirements. Learners are then being drilled, particularly, in reading and mathematics. There are even reports of principals pressuring teachers to teach students in these two curriculum areas, only. This leaves out major curriculum areas in teaching and learning. ********** Systematic teacher observation of students in the classroom is vital. There are a plethora of factors in behavior which defy objective measurement, such as being a caring person. Which are selected facets which need to be observed to ascertain learner progress in reading, among others? * a lack of comprehension. Students then read words, but lose out on the trend of thought involved. * hesitancy hes·i·tan·cy n. An involuntary delay or inability in starting the urinary stream. in word identification * rapid forgetting of reading skills taught, such as phonic phon·ic adj. Of, relating to, or having the nature of sound, especially speech sounds. phonic pertaining to the voice. elements * failure to relate personal experiences to ensuing en·sue intr.v. en·sued, en·su·ing, en·sues 1. To follow as a consequence or result. See Synonyms at follow. 2. To take place subsequently. content to be read * poor listening skills when background information is presented for reading subject matter. A teacher who observes carefully and in a knowledgeable manner may do much to assist students in facilitating learning. Almost immediately when observing, the teacher diagnoses and begins to remediate re·me·di·a·tion n. The act or process of correcting a fault or deficiency: remediation of a learning disability. re·me student difficulties in the classroom setting. Teacher Observation in Mathematics In mathematics, there are many things which the teacher may observe in student daily work. The teacher must possess a quality set of criteria to use in the evaluation process. Thus, in ongoing lessons in mathematics, the teacher may observe the following, among others: * regrouping and renaming difficulties in arithmetical algorithms * not understanding basic operations on number * illegible il·leg·i·ble adj. Not legible or decipherable. il·leg  i·bil writing of numerals
* hasty hast·y adj. hast·i·er, hast·i·est 1. Characterized by speed; rapid. See Synonyms at fast1. 2. Done or made too quickly to be accurate or wise; rash: a hasty decision. , careless work * difficulties in using place value in arithmetic * lack of motivation in doing mathematics * problems in retaining learnings. Learning activities need to be provided to overcome the above named difficulties. Individual differences need adequate provision. The mathematics teacher must secure the interests of students so that active involvement is in evidence. A high degree of interest is necessary to obtain adequate student achievement. This assists students to develop and maintain time on task habits. Students, also, need to understand new learnings new learnings, n.pl new suggestions and perceptions given to the unconscious during hypnotherapy to replace old restrictive messages. See also hypnotherapy. encountered. Meaning in learning makes subject matter more applicable to new situations. A learner may not be able to use previous learnings due to not understanding the inherent subject matter. Thus, mathematics teachers need to provide adequate background information so that students attach meaning to new content acquired. Sometimes, pupils may feel little need to achieve objectives mathematics. The teacher then must help students to perceive purpose in learning. Reasons for learning new concepts and generalizations must be stressed. The teacher may use a deductive de·duc·tive adj. 1. Of or based on deduction. 2. Involving or using deduction in reasoning. de·duc or an inductive inductive 1. eliciting a reaction within an organism. 2. inductive heating a form of radiofrequency hyperthermia that selectively heats muscle, blood and proteinaceous tissue, sparing fat and air-containing tissues. approach in assisting students to accept purpose for achieving. Time spent by the teacher in helping students perceive purpose in mathematics goal attainment is time well spent. Teacher Observation in Science There are a plethora of teacher observations to be made in the science curriculum. The purpose for making these observations is to notice which important objectives needed further emphasis in ongoing lessons and units of study. Learning opportunities chosen assist students to attain these objectives. Adequate stress must be given in using the methods of science in helping students acquire salient facts, relevant main ideas, and engage in conceptual thinking Conceptual thinking is problem solving or thinking based on the cognitive process of conceptualization --is a process of independent analysis in the creative search for new ideas or solutions, which takes as its starting point that none of the accepted constraints of . Teacher observation of student achievement might well involve the following, among others, in science: * student growth in performing experiments and demonstrations * student progress in identifying problems in science * student achievement in hypothesis development * student attainment in checking hypotheses * student skill in locating and using relevant reference sources to verify or refute re·fute tr.v. re·fut·ed, re·fut·ing, re·futes 1. To prove to be false or erroneous; overthrow by argument or proof: refute testimony. 2. hypotheses. The methods of science need much emphasis in the curriculum. Objective thinking, careful observation, inquiry approaches, and problems solving are major goals to emphasize. Individuals live in a world of science with rapid inventions in the area of technology. Scientists have provided the latest technology to improve the human condition. Labor saving devices have made the world of work easier and more efficient. Medical science has provided for better health practices and care among humans. Many deadly diseases of the past are no longer a major threat such as polio polio: see poliomyelitis. , diphtheria diphtheria (dĭfthēr`ēə), acute contagious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae (Klebs-Loffler bacillus) bacteria that have been infected by a bacteriophage. It begins as a soreness of the throat with fever. , and cholera cholera (kŏl`ərə) or Asiatic cholera, acute infectious disease caused by strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae that have been infected by bacteriophages. . With a longer life span, individuals experience an increase in cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes. New threats in bacterial and virus mutations do make for future threats to human health. In addition to labor saving devices, as well as better health care and life expectancy Life Expectancy 1. The age until which a person is expected to live. 2. The remaining number of years an individual is expected to live, based on IRS issued life expectancy tables. , agriculture and food production has increased in productivity. Supermarkets abound in food products and for many people, obesity has truly become a problem. The writer taught on the West Bank of the Jordan for two years and observed bedouins (nomads) frequently. Bedouins are very slender, living in harsh conditions in a desert setting with food being in extreme short supply. There are no problems with obesity in bedouin life. Ample, fertile crop land and with the use of scientific methods, has made for a mecca of food products and fiber. These ideas must receive emphasis in guiding students to appreciate the contributions of science and technology. The science curriculum needs to emphasize quality, carefully chosen objectives. Learning opportunities, for students to attain the objectives, must be adapted to the present achievement levels of individual learners. Challenge and success in learning are musts for all students. Teacher Observation in the Social Studies Many worthwhile observations may be made of student achievement in the social studies. Here, students need to achieve objectives with integration of subject matter in history, geography, economics, government (political science), sociology, and anthropology. Structural ideas in each of these academic disciplines need identification for student achievement. Thus, knowledge, skills, and relevant attitudinal ends are salient. Thus, for example in history, the following objectives, among others, are significant: * reading analytically and synthetically to solve identified problems * writing involving diverse purposes in ongoing units of study * speaking fluently within cooperative endeavors * listening effectively to comprehend subject matter * organizing ideas in a meaningful manner * working harmoniously with others * practicing habits of good citizenship. A variety of learning opportunities need to be available for learners to attain objectives of instruction. These activities may include the following in which student behavior may be assessed thoroughly through teacher observation, among other evaluation techniques: * reading for various purposes to acquire important information * writing to incorporate summaries, conclusions, outlines, poems, and stories directly related to ongoing units of study * creative and formal dramatics dra·mat·ics n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) 1. The art or practice of acting and stagecraft. 2. Dramatic or stagy behavior: Cut the dramatics and get to the point. to breathe life into daily lessons, such as in history * oral book reports, discussions, seminars, and committee work * viewing and comprehending audio visual presentations * participating in excursions * doing murals, dioramas, and construction projects * peer teaching and peer endeavors * use of primary and secondary sources of information. Conclusion Each curriculum area needs a thorough study and implementation of quality objectives, learning opportunities and evaluation procedures. Careful observation is one method to use in appraising the total curriculum. Thus, meticulous observation of students might well provide necessary information on assisting learners to achieve as optimally as possible. Dr. Marlow Ediger, Professor Emeritus e·mer·i·tus adj. Retired but retaining an honorary title corresponding to that held immediately before retirement: a professor emeritus. n. pl. , Truman State University Campus Situated in the southern part of the city of Kirksville, Truman's main campus is situated around a slightly wooded quadrangle. By long standing policy, the entire campus is officially "dry," meaning that alcohol is not allowed (though the president of the university has . Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dr. Marlow Ediger, 201 W. 22nd, North Newton North Newton is the name of the following places:
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