Dawn Drysdale
My Exemplars
As a Masters of Arts in Education candidate concentrating on both Literacy and Technology at Michigan State, I have had an opportunity not only to reflect on my teaching practices, but also to refine and redefine them. Each project highlighted on this page reflects either concepts I have redefined as an educator, or lessons I have refined as a teacher.
The Redefining
Assessment Adjustment
Rather than use assessment as of way of measuring what a student doesn't know, in this precis, I discuss modern day scholars who believe assessmnet should help students measure their capabilities not their weaknesses.
Grades vs. Assessment
Assessment is a buzz word that is circulating throughout the educatioin world; how much is too much? How fair is it? How should it be used? No one however, is discussing the real issue; that of grades as an indicator of student understanding. In this paper, I discuss the origins of my dislike for today's grading system and discuss what assessment really should be measuring.
Technology in the Classroom
The debate continues about use of technology in today's classrooms; is it an instrument for good (helping students better prepare for life after school) or evil (distracting students and encouraging laziness)? In this essay, I address my philosophy about the use of technology in the classroom.
Awards and Classics of Children's Literature
Award winning children's literature should reflect the best of the best, but does it? Through examining the rules, qualifications and previous winners of such awards as the Newbury and Caledcott, it became clear that rather than refelcting the best of the best, the books reflected the beliefs and ideals of their time. In this paper, I discuss both the awards themselves and their role in my classroom.
The Refining
The Genre Project
Writing is a personal experience. Writing about things you believe in or in a genre outside of your comfort zone can prove to be frustrating yet enlightening. As I composed these two pieces of genre specific literature I became cognizant of something to remember in my classroom; sometimes moving outside your comfort zone is scarier than a failing grade.
The Genre Project Reflection
Having to reflect on my revision process and experiences, spurred a change in what I consider important in the writing process and how I now have my students write.
The Podcast Assessment
In year where my students were subjected to ceaseless writing instruction, they needed a way to express their creativity while writing a suspense narractive; enter the Podcast. This easy to use, low tech assignment allowed the students a much needed break from essay writing and provided an alternate way for them to meet the standards for their unit.
Books, Movies and Teaching as a Form of Interpretation
'The book is always better than movie.' is true but is that because the director does a poor job of adpating it or could it be that the director is an author in his own right? This paper, not only addresses the quote, “a filmmaker is an independent artist, not a translator for an established author, but a new author in his own right.” by George Bluestone, it goes on to describe the implications in the classroom.
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