Blog Due on Friday, April 3, 2015

Title:  Bill to Bypass Exams OK'd

Read the recent article in the March 18, 2015 Fort Worth Star-Telegram about legislation introduced to allow the potential 28,000 seniors in the Texas class of 2015 who have not passed all of their end-of-course exams the opportunity to graduate.

What factors would be taken into consideration in allowing a student who has not passed all of the tests to graduate?

Two local senators, Kelly Hancock (from NRH) and Jane Nelson (Flower Mound), voted against the bill.  Why do you think they took this stance?

On the other hand -- why do you think so many senators supported it?

What happens to students who don't graduate?  How do they affect the local economy?  Society as a whole?

What is your stance on the issue?  Don't be wishy-washy in articulating your thoughts.  Be very clear in how you feel and be sure to support your reasons.

Blog Due March 6, 2015

For TAFE State Participants Only

Title:  My State Teach Tomorrow Summit Highlight

Write a brief overview of your favorite highlight of the TAFE Teach Tomorrow Summit.  It may be about a featured speaker, the competitive events, a group activity, the talent/hypnosis show, the hotel experience, or anything that occurred during the trip to Lubbock, Texas.  Include why (or why not) you would recommend this experience for your fellow TAFE members who did not participate.

Reminder:  You must have a link to the blog prompt, a link to a related source (such as the Teach Tomorrow Summit on the TAFE website, and another media source; there are over 100 pics from the Summit on the RST Server)

Next, write a formal letter to Dr. Linda Anderson, Director of Career and Technology Education for BISD, thanking her for her support of TAFE at the State Teach Tomorrow Summit.  Her financial support covered the coach transportation, hotel costs, registration fees, meal money, and more.

Be sure to follow the guidelines for writing a proper thank you letter.
Click Here for Thank You Etiquette

All Other Interns 

Title:  Nontraditional Forms of Assessment

As we investigate a number of alternative assessments that can be used with your students, think about ways that would best measure the performance of your students in their mastery of the TEKS. Read the GO Teach article about assessment by clicking the link below.

Nontraditional Forms of Assessment

Discuss what you learned or what information was reinforced from the article.  From the examples listed in the article, which one did you like the best?  Is that because it fits the way you like to be assessed, or is it a form of assessment you could envision using with your field site students?


Next, identify a form of assessment (not found in the article) that you think would be effective to use with your students.  Include the name of the assessment, write a brief description of what it looks like or how it is used, and explain what grade/content for which you would use it as an assessment.  Include which TEKS it would measure.  (Cut and paste the full TEKS -- number and words -- in your blog post.)