1) Grading summer assignments
2) Difference between Command Terms: "Describe" and "Explain"
3) A few students wishing to drop the IB HOA course
SPARTANS,
1) As you can see, the Ch. 5 Reading Response Questions are posted below. A few of you have been inquiring about how you are doing on your assignments. To be open with you, I am being more lenient in my grading over the summer, since I do not have direct, personal contact with you for instruction. However, as long as you are emailing assignments on time, the assignments are complete, and answer the questions fully while properly addressing the Command Terms, you are probably earning full credit.
2) I recently corresponded with a Spartan regarding two command terms which appear very similar: "Describe" and "explain". Essentially, "describe" requires a detailed, but comparatively less expansive answer than an "explain" prompt. "Explain" needs more details involving origins, causes, or reasons, whereas "describe" does not.
3) Finally, I have received a few e-mails from students requesting, for various reasons, to drop the class. While I respect your choices, I discourage you from taking this action.
The most frequent explanation I read from students is that they are overwhelmed and wish to be able to maintain a balance between academics, athletics/activities, and personal pursuits during the school year. Please know that I understand and respect these needs. Please also know that we are in this adventure together. The IB course of instruction requires a lot of effort, time, and energy from you, but also of teachers, as well.
While I am sensitive to your needs, I also must maintain high standards, both for your preparation for the IB papers (tests) in your senior year, and for preparation for university life. Still, I want you to be able to be teenagers, and not austere bookworms that never leave the glow of a computer monitor or remove the mask of an open history (or English, or math, or science, or...) book.
Before you make any decision to change your classes, please consider the following:
a) Your (IB) teachers want what's best for you.
b) IB is challenging, but if you are willing to really try, you'll do fine. Your teachers are also committed to your success.
c) If you are considering applying to colleges/universities during your senior year, among the first things admissions counselors look for in a student's paperwork is the amount and type of challenging courses taken by an applicant. Taking higher-level courses shows a level of commitment and preparation to academics.
d) Remember, there will only be two levels of U.S. history next year: IB HOA and College Prep. There are no more "Standard" classes.
e) My approach to teaching the IB History of the Americas course is that it will be challenging, but not impossible. I understand that the Summer Learning Packet requires a lot of commitment on the part of the student, and the work during the year will also require such a commitment. However, I also know that you will be busier during the school year with other responsibilities to other classes and activities. I take these factors into consideration in developing our curriculum and your assignments. My job is not to overwhelm you, bury you in work, or plot to ruin the last of your formative years. My job is to challenge you and help you become more knowledgeable students of history and citizens of the world.
You can do this, Spartans. I have faith in your abilities, but you have to have faith in yourselves, too. Continue to demonstrate your dedication, intellectual fortitude, and responsible work ethic. It will pay off.
As always, please email me with any questions or concerns.
Si se puede!,
Mr. Todd
Showing posts with label command terms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label command terms. Show all posts
03 August 2008
06 July 2008
Grading Assignments and Feedback for Chapter Reading Response Assignments
1) Grading Assignments
2) Feedback for Chapter Reading Response (RR) Questions
SPARTANS,
1) Cutter White e-mailed me asking about how students are being graded on the assignments:
You are being graded based on completion, quality of answers, and following directions. Those students who do not complete the assignment or have low quality answers due to a failure to follow directions, address the questions properly, etc. will earn lower grades. Students who do not have assignments to me by the deadline will earn no credit ("0") for that assignment.
2) I responded to about the first dozen or so of the Ch. 1 Reading Responses that were e-mailed to me, but stopped since I was essentially writing the exact same response to each student. I posted some feedback which you would all do well to heed (see 22 June post). Here are some more recommendations for your RR assignments:
a) Command Terms: Most of you are not following the Command Terms (see the last page of your Summer Learning Packet) properly. These directions are VERY specific. When an assignment asks you to "EXPLAIN" something, it does not to just mean to type out an answer. According to the Glossary of Command Terms, "Explain" means students must "give a detailed account, including reasons or causes". May of you are failing to follow directions. You are not answering the questions fully because, for example, you do not follow the command terms. These are critical directions because they are the same that will be used in your Papers 1, 2, and 3 (IB essay tests) at the end of the course. If you do not start using them properly, you will do poorly in the class and on the Papers.
Most of you had the hardest time with questions that began with "To what extent". These are not just words to vary the way a question begins. Think about the phrase. What does it mean? It does not ask if something happened or not. It does not ask how it happened. That phrase is asking if the impact of the person/event/thing was extensive, limited, significant, unimportant, et cetera.
b) Errors: Many of you have consistent typographical errors ("typos"), improper grammar, wrong spellings, or incorrect capitalization or punctuation in your assignments. There is simply no excuse for these mistakes. If there are one or two of these errors it is understandable. We're human. But to be consistently doing these things shows a lack of concern, laziness, poor work ethic and/or inattentiveness to the assignment. If you are doing the assignment on MS Word, Grammar and Spell Check should help you. Everything should be spelled correctly since you are writing about what is in your book (everything is spelled out in the pages in front of you!).
c) "Thus" and "hence": Many of you use transitional phrases such as "thus" and "hence" and other "smart sounding" phrases in your writing. Please make sure to use these phrases and other terms properly. I get the impression that some of you are sprinkling these words into your writing because they "sound" good. Keep in mind that if you use words incorrectly in your writing just because they seem like they will make your writing look "smart", they may be used incorrectly and do the opposite. Don't write the way you think you should to appear like Honors students. Just write well.
d) Do not write in sentence fragments. Write in complete sentences, restating the question in the answer.
e) Make sure you answer questions fully and correctly. You do not need to add information that does not apply to the question. It does not make your answer better. A long narrative is not necessary. Make sure to answer the question adequately and appropriately.
PLEASE take all of these points into consideration for your future assignments.
2) Feedback for Chapter Reading Response (RR) Questions
SPARTANS,
1) Cutter White e-mailed me asking about how students are being graded on the assignments:
You are being graded based on completion, quality of answers, and following directions. Those students who do not complete the assignment or have low quality answers due to a failure to follow directions, address the questions properly, etc. will earn lower grades. Students who do not have assignments to me by the deadline will earn no credit ("0") for that assignment.
2) I responded to about the first dozen or so of the Ch. 1 Reading Responses that were e-mailed to me, but stopped since I was essentially writing the exact same response to each student. I posted some feedback which you would all do well to heed (see 22 June post). Here are some more recommendations for your RR assignments:
a) Command Terms: Most of you are not following the Command Terms (see the last page of your Summer Learning Packet) properly. These directions are VERY specific. When an assignment asks you to "EXPLAIN" something, it does not to just mean to type out an answer. According to the Glossary of Command Terms, "Explain" means students must "give a detailed account, including reasons or causes". May of you are failing to follow directions. You are not answering the questions fully because, for example, you do not follow the command terms. These are critical directions because they are the same that will be used in your Papers 1, 2, and 3 (IB essay tests) at the end of the course. If you do not start using them properly, you will do poorly in the class and on the Papers.
Most of you had the hardest time with questions that began with "To what extent". These are not just words to vary the way a question begins. Think about the phrase. What does it mean? It does not ask if something happened or not. It does not ask how it happened. That phrase is asking if the impact of the person/event/thing was extensive, limited, significant, unimportant, et cetera.
b) Errors: Many of you have consistent typographical errors ("typos"), improper grammar, wrong spellings, or incorrect capitalization or punctuation in your assignments. There is simply no excuse for these mistakes. If there are one or two of these errors it is understandable. We're human. But to be consistently doing these things shows a lack of concern, laziness, poor work ethic and/or inattentiveness to the assignment. If you are doing the assignment on MS Word, Grammar and Spell Check should help you. Everything should be spelled correctly since you are writing about what is in your book (everything is spelled out in the pages in front of you!).
c) "Thus" and "hence": Many of you use transitional phrases such as "thus" and "hence" and other "smart sounding" phrases in your writing. Please make sure to use these phrases and other terms properly. I get the impression that some of you are sprinkling these words into your writing because they "sound" good. Keep in mind that if you use words incorrectly in your writing just because they seem like they will make your writing look "smart", they may be used incorrectly and do the opposite. Don't write the way you think you should to appear like Honors students. Just write well.
d) Do not write in sentence fragments. Write in complete sentences, restating the question in the answer.
e) Make sure you answer questions fully and correctly. You do not need to add information that does not apply to the question. It does not make your answer better. A long narrative is not necessary. Make sure to answer the question adequately and appropriately.
PLEASE take all of these points into consideration for your future assignments.
22 June 2008
Feedback for Chapter Reading Response Answers
1) Questions about feedback
2) Question about MS Word document format
3) General feedback on Reading Response answers for Chapter 1
1) Ian Enario asked a great question: Will students get feedback on their chapter Reader Response answers?
Answer: The short answer, to quote Mr. Lee, is yes and no. If you need to fix anything, I'll tell you. If not, you may not hear from me, or just get a "thank you" e-mail.
2) Another good question from Lauren Hofmann was: Which MS Word format (.doc or .docx) is preferred for attachments?
Answer: Please send your attachments in ".doc" format since Vista still has problems opening its own .docx format from e-mails sometimes.
If you do not have MS Word, please just include your answers in the body of your e-mail to me.
3) Some general feedback on Reading Response Answers for Chapter 1:
**DO NOT use phrases like "I think" or "In my opinion". Please write in the third person.
**Most of you are answering the questions well, but be mindful of the Command Terms and what they mean.
**Many students are not answering Questions 2 and 3 fully.
**Lastly, use your book to answer the questions. You do not need to do extra research and add unnecessary information. Stick to answering the question.
2) Question about MS Word document format
3) General feedback on Reading Response answers for Chapter 1
1) Ian Enario asked a great question: Will students get feedback on their chapter Reader Response answers?
Answer: The short answer, to quote Mr. Lee, is yes and no. If you need to fix anything, I'll tell you. If not, you may not hear from me, or just get a "thank you" e-mail.
2) Another good question from Lauren Hofmann was: Which MS Word format (.doc or .docx) is preferred for attachments?
Answer: Please send your attachments in ".doc" format since Vista still has problems opening its own .docx format from e-mails sometimes.
If you do not have MS Word, please just include your answers in the body of your e-mail to me.
3) Some general feedback on Reading Response Answers for Chapter 1:
**DO NOT use phrases like "I think" or "In my opinion". Please write in the third person.
**Most of you are answering the questions well, but be mindful of the Command Terms and what they mean.
**Many students are not answering Questions 2 and 3 fully.
**Lastly, use your book to answer the questions. You do not need to do extra research and add unnecessary information. Stick to answering the question.
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