Friday my students completed their last exam of the first semester. Tomorrow (today, I guess) we being semester 2. I don't know what other teachers do at this halfway point, but I've found it extremely valuable to take some time and evaluate what went right and wrong in the first two marking periods.
What growth have my students experienced? Their grades tell only part of the story. Is the growth I seek measurable? The growth I'm looking for comes from their ability to inquire, reason, explore, and draw conclusions. The essay's I had my students write as a part of their exam was intended to measure the growth that the mandated multiple choice test could not show.
While grading students' written work is no simple task and demands hours of patience and dedication, I can declare to have a greater insight into how my students are learning far beyond what most teachers are able to gather about what their students are learning. Which is more important?
As we begin semester two tomorrow, I need a gauge on how my students have grown.
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