4.10.2010

Accountability in Art: The Great Totem Spoon Test

Because NO CHILD should be LEFT BEHIND and  EVERY CHILD CAN LEARN and it is important to HOLD TEACHERS ACCOUNTABLE  for STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT and because ASSESSING COMMON STANDARDS AND BENCHMARKS is key to good instruction and clearly will BOOST PERFORMANCE so that we educators reach our nationally mandated goal of 100% PROFICIENCY IN READING AND MATH BY 2014 I ended the last term with a RIGOROUS exam during which STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED MASTERY of KEY CONCEPTS AND SKILLS by successfully eating ice cream using their totem spoon. I will admit that one head did roll, luckily not mine, and it was quickly reattached with super glue. I used this dramatic, TEACHABLE MOMENT to reinforce the importance of SCORING WELL and using slip, sometimes referred to as "clay snot" in room 301, when attaching clay pieces.

Breaking Rules

C ontemplating impending retirement, I revisit works of art created by so many students over the years. What a complete joy and privilege ...