Socrative- Summative Assessment

I feel very fortunate that we are a 1:1 4^th grade classroom where each of my students have an iPad mini. With that said, I am always looking for innovative and engaging ways to use the iPad in the classroom. However, sometimes I create these amazing lessons in my head only to then write on paper and realize it will take me a week or two to accomplish this task. (A week or two extra, might I add, that I don’t have.) Enter Socrative! Socrative is an app (or a website, for that matter) that visualizes student understanding as a response system. But, it is so much more than that! The website/app allows teachers to set-up their own account and it will provide a classroom number. As the teacher, you can either release a pre-written assessment OR (my favorite aspect to Socrative) you can use the “quick question” feature to ask an intro question (think the K in KWL), a mid-lesson question to see if students are understanding the concepts, or use as an exit slip.

When I was first introduced to Socrative, I liked it but I didn’t love it. Once I realized there was the “quick question” my love for this site grew much deeper. With the quick question feature you do not have to create anything before class. I find myself many days not even intending to use Socrative and then mid-class decide to pull out the iPads and review concepts. Socrative is such an easy, summative assessment tool and after using it once, I had my kids coming in day in and day out saying, “Are we using Socrative today?!” Any time I find something that excites them that much, I know it must be a great tool!

To use:

1. Either download Socrative Teacher App or go to www.socrative.com and create a teacher log-in. Socrative will then give you a classroom number.

2. Either create a pre-made quiz (can be multiple choice, short answer, true false…) or select quick question which is where you would say the question verbally. At this point you can decide whether you want the students to provide their names or not as well.

3. Students can either go to socrative.com or download the Socrative Student App.

4. Students select “Student Log-in” and type in room number. The pre-made assessment or quick question will appear.

If you choose to make a pre-made test, you can even print, email or download your results.

My Mission for Blogging

I ran across this quote on Kidblog’s website as I was setting up my students on kidblog and it truly resonates my goal and mission in creating a personal blog.

“If you were presented with a template from a person of authority, in the same manner every day, each year, then one day asked how you’d like to express yourself, without a template, in all likelihood you’d chose to do it the same way you always have, and have always been told. Now add to that an element of assessment- how well will you do with your own choices? It’s no wonder students balk at first when told to choose whatever form of writing or topic they’d like. We all like what’s comfortable, we like what’s expected, and we like to know the results of our actions. As a student, if I know my teacher likes narratives, then I will choose a narrative in order to increase my chances of being successful with him or her.” –Kidblog.org

Too often we give our students exact directions, expectations, and sample products to help them begin a project. What is the problem with that? Creativity is lost! Where do we allow room for our students to create, collaborate and think critically if we always give them direct guidelines? My goal with this blog is present different ideas, apps, websites and so forth of how to allow our kids to do just that. Create, collaborate, communicate, think critically and connect with the outside world. 

I am nervous, yet excited to join the blogging world and look forward to connecting with other passionate teachers. 

Who Am I?

A mom. A wife. A teacher. A learner. A food lover. A Dr. Pepper addict. A reality TV junkie. (To name a few) And now I can add, "a blogger," to my list!

After almost 6, wonderful years of teaching, a marriage, a baby, and a master’s degree later, I have decided to join the rest of the teaching world in blogging.  Why blog now? Simple. I find many of my teaching ideas via the internet, blogs, Teachers Pay Teachers, pinterest, or other teachers at my school so it is time to share my teaching adventures with the world.

A little personal background: My blog name, “Rise and Read,” is a play off of my last name, Read. I teach 4^th grade at a private school in Arlington, Texas. It just so happens that I, too, was a student at this very same school starting at the age of four AND I met my husband here AND he proposed during my first year of teaching on the school campus. Do you have a small tear in your eye after reading that sweet, love story? J So, needless to say, this place is truly my second home, my family and my life. Teaching is my happy place.

You can also connect with me via twitter @MrsReadClass4th