Observations of Student Learning
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Students respond to Ruby's story |
Taking a close look at the work of three students
Lailah
Conclusions about learning:
Lailah’s writing shows that she connected on a personal level by writing about a time when she was brave. Knowing Lailah as a student enables me to see this piece of writing as a particularly stand-out piece for her as a writer. The emotionally descriptive language reflects a personal connection with a time when she felt vulnerable, and overcame an obstacle. Through listening to the story and discussing it as a group, Lailah showed that she followed the directions for the writing response. She included her ‘why’ but without explicitly using the word ‘brave.’ Instead, her writing reflects a personal moment in time when she remembers distinctly feeling brave.
Evidence from assessment:
Lailah writes:
“I remember there were some mean girls and they bossed me around and they told me what to do and I just laughed and I never saw them again.” She demonstrates a keen understanding of the concept of bravery.
In addition to Lailah’s use of language, her illustrations portray how she was feeling at the time. In the first picture, Lailah draws two girls that are big in the center, and she draws herself as a much smaller figure standing apart from them. Her drawing emphasizes how she felt isolated when the girls were mean to her. In the next image, Lailah is by herself and has a big smile on her face. She is happy that she overcame the situation. Lailah’s description of her moment of bravery along with her illustration show that she internalized the assignment to a degree and created a personal connection between Ruby’s experience of bravery and her own. Her work reflects my learning objective of understanding what makes someone brave.
What might you do differently or how might you work differently with the same students?
Working with Lailah again, I would discuss Ruby Bridges with her and ask her if she could write about what makes Ruby known as a brave figure in history. Asking her to write about the subject would gauge how much she absorbed about Ruby as a historic figure from the reading and discussion.
Conclusions about learning:
Lailah’s writing shows that she connected on a personal level by writing about a time when she was brave. Knowing Lailah as a student enables me to see this piece of writing as a particularly stand-out piece for her as a writer. The emotionally descriptive language reflects a personal connection with a time when she felt vulnerable, and overcame an obstacle. Through listening to the story and discussing it as a group, Lailah showed that she followed the directions for the writing response. She included her ‘why’ but without explicitly using the word ‘brave.’ Instead, her writing reflects a personal moment in time when she remembers distinctly feeling brave.
Evidence from assessment:
Lailah writes:
“I remember there were some mean girls and they bossed me around and they told me what to do and I just laughed and I never saw them again.” She demonstrates a keen understanding of the concept of bravery.
In addition to Lailah’s use of language, her illustrations portray how she was feeling at the time. In the first picture, Lailah draws two girls that are big in the center, and she draws herself as a much smaller figure standing apart from them. Her drawing emphasizes how she felt isolated when the girls were mean to her. In the next image, Lailah is by herself and has a big smile on her face. She is happy that she overcame the situation. Lailah’s description of her moment of bravery along with her illustration show that she internalized the assignment to a degree and created a personal connection between Ruby’s experience of bravery and her own. Her work reflects my learning objective of understanding what makes someone brave.
What might you do differently or how might you work differently with the same students?
Working with Lailah again, I would discuss Ruby Bridges with her and ask her if she could write about what makes Ruby known as a brave figure in history. Asking her to write about the subject would gauge how much she absorbed about Ruby as a historic figure from the reading and discussion.
Noah
Conclusions about learning:
Noah’s succinct summary of Ruby’s braveness along with his illustration seem to show that he understood on some level how Ruby felt while on her walk to school each day. He seemed to demonstrate an understanding of the time period and its restrictions in his references to ‘white only’ schools. Noah’s writing response shows that he understood the severity of Ruby’s experience and how her bravery is what kept her going.
Evidence from assessment:
Noah writes:
“I think Ruby Bridges is brave because she walked through the big crowds to get to a school that white children were supposed to go to.” His illustrations depict a crowd of stick figures with angry faces, and they are yelling and holding signs. They yell, “Do not go there!” and, “No!” “Do not!”
A stick figure holds a sign that reads: “White Children.” In the center of the crowd is a small stick figure that represents Ruby. She has a wavy line for her mouth, and she looks worried. Noah’s illustration along with his summary of why Ruby is brave show an understanding of why Ruby is an important historical figure. Noah was affected by the image of Ruby walking through the crowds and how the crowd seemed to dominate her. His work shows an in-depth understanding of why Ruby is known for her bravery against adversity as well.
What might you do differently or how might you work differently with the same students?
I would ask Noah to write about a time when he connected with being brave on a personal level. I would encourage him to draw that connection from his mind by having a discussion about what emotions he thought Ruby experienced and a time when he might have been scared or nervous to do something. I would also encourage Noah to draw illustrations and use thought bubbles since they added a nice dimension to his work.
Conclusions about learning:
Noah’s succinct summary of Ruby’s braveness along with his illustration seem to show that he understood on some level how Ruby felt while on her walk to school each day. He seemed to demonstrate an understanding of the time period and its restrictions in his references to ‘white only’ schools. Noah’s writing response shows that he understood the severity of Ruby’s experience and how her bravery is what kept her going.
Evidence from assessment:
Noah writes:
“I think Ruby Bridges is brave because she walked through the big crowds to get to a school that white children were supposed to go to.” His illustrations depict a crowd of stick figures with angry faces, and they are yelling and holding signs. They yell, “Do not go there!” and, “No!” “Do not!”
A stick figure holds a sign that reads: “White Children.” In the center of the crowd is a small stick figure that represents Ruby. She has a wavy line for her mouth, and she looks worried. Noah’s illustration along with his summary of why Ruby is brave show an understanding of why Ruby is an important historical figure. Noah was affected by the image of Ruby walking through the crowds and how the crowd seemed to dominate her. His work shows an in-depth understanding of why Ruby is known for her bravery against adversity as well.
What might you do differently or how might you work differently with the same students?
I would ask Noah to write about a time when he connected with being brave on a personal level. I would encourage him to draw that connection from his mind by having a discussion about what emotions he thought Ruby experienced and a time when he might have been scared or nervous to do something. I would also encourage Noah to draw illustrations and use thought bubbles since they added a nice dimension to his work.
Lily
Conclusions about learning:
Lily demonstrated a personal connection to bravery by writing about a time when she was brave, which was connected to learning about the topic of bravery. She wrote about how she was nervous on the first day of school and how she felt brave when she went into school, then discusses the book the class read on the first day about courage and bravery. She describes how she felt sad during the book but how being brave got her through the day. She interconnected her narrative to emphasize that she knew what bravery meant, ending her writing by offering a definition. Her work reflects a strong connection to the lesson’s objective of understanding showing bravery against adversity.
Evidence from assessment:
Lily writes:
“On the first day of school I was scared. But I stood up for myself. I said the last goodbye to my mom and dad then I went into school. I was very brave…We read a book. It was a book about courage and braveness. I was a little bit sad because I missed my mom and dad but I was brave so I listened and I learned what braveness is about. It is when you have courage. Before I knew it, I went home.”
Lily’s writing is full of descriptions of her account of feeling brave and of overcoming an obstacle. Her connections from the book about bravery to her own experience to the lesson show many layers of thought that Lily engaged in her response.
What might you do differently or how might you work differently with the same students?
I would start a conversation with Lily about Ruby Bridges and ask her to describe how she felt on the first day of school. I would ask her to write about the similarities and differences between how Lily felt and how she imagines Ruby felt. Although this task might be difficult, it would engage Lily in further developing her critical thinking skills, promoting her to add even more layers to her response.
Conclusions about learning:
Lily demonstrated a personal connection to bravery by writing about a time when she was brave, which was connected to learning about the topic of bravery. She wrote about how she was nervous on the first day of school and how she felt brave when she went into school, then discusses the book the class read on the first day about courage and bravery. She describes how she felt sad during the book but how being brave got her through the day. She interconnected her narrative to emphasize that she knew what bravery meant, ending her writing by offering a definition. Her work reflects a strong connection to the lesson’s objective of understanding showing bravery against adversity.
Evidence from assessment:
Lily writes:
“On the first day of school I was scared. But I stood up for myself. I said the last goodbye to my mom and dad then I went into school. I was very brave…We read a book. It was a book about courage and braveness. I was a little bit sad because I missed my mom and dad but I was brave so I listened and I learned what braveness is about. It is when you have courage. Before I knew it, I went home.”
Lily’s writing is full of descriptions of her account of feeling brave and of overcoming an obstacle. Her connections from the book about bravery to her own experience to the lesson show many layers of thought that Lily engaged in her response.
What might you do differently or how might you work differently with the same students?
I would start a conversation with Lily about Ruby Bridges and ask her to describe how she felt on the first day of school. I would ask her to write about the similarities and differences between how Lily felt and how she imagines Ruby felt. Although this task might be difficult, it would engage Lily in further developing her critical thinking skills, promoting her to add even more layers to her response.