The Renaissance Star Reading Test & Other Events

Another three hours in the eighth grade classroom came coupled with lots of activity.  The students completed the standard reading assessment, Star Reading, to assess their individual reading level. Ms. Baldwin showed me the results of the assessment.  Used as a non-graded formative assessment, the Renaissance Star Reading Test breaks down different components of reading.  Students are individually asked separate questions about vocabulary, reading comprehension, and skills pertaining to fluency.  Not surprisingly, within a class of ten students, a wide range of skill levels existed.  Two students tested within the second grade reading level category.  Two other boys scored in the twelfth grade reading level category.

I asked Ms. Baldwin how she uses the information from the test results.  She discussed the difficulties of picking texts to use in the classroom on a whole-class reading basis.  Fortunately, Ms. Baldwin's curriculum uses a lot of independent reading, allowing for flexibility of reading levels and interests.  Students use a variety of different texts to achieve their goals and reach the standards.  She told me that two or three students are pulled from classes during short periods to work on literacy intervention.  It's a school policy that teachers are not to teach new curriculum during these short periods, so students do not fall behind in core classes.

Students went on to complete an Ipad "Driver's Test."  They needed to demonstrate both responsibility and the ability to complete tasks on the Ipads in order to bring the Ipads home.  Demonstration of skills included downloading apps, accessing Schoology and Notability, uploading PDF documents, etc.  If they could not demonstrate these skills, they had to receive a little more individualized instruction before being able to bring the Ipads home.  In this way, they truly had to exercise technological literacy.  They could ask peers for advice while completing the task.

Ms. Baldwin's agenda for the day was very business and task oriented.  Classroom management was key to accomplishing the lengthy amount of tasks.  Fortunately, the students generally stayed on-task.  Ms. Baldwin allowed them several breaks to get up, walk around, eat, etc.  During the classwork, as a result, the students really maintained a task-oriented mindset that helped to get a lot accomplished.