Rubrics are very useful in assessing performance tasks. It also provide students with ideas on how they are going to do their presentation - their efforts will be focused primarily on meeting the standards on each criterion that is aligned with the learning objectives for such assessment task. I make sure that before giving them the task, my students know and understand the rubric. I even allow them to decide on the weights of each criterion so that they will become actively engaged with their own assessment.
The Teacher as Facilitator, Rubric as Guide
When I was in high school, we get to do a lot of performance tasks - group reports, role-plays, and projects. At that time, our teachers will only verbally discuss the task... no rubrics involved. Our only strategy to get high grades is to make the presentation entertaining and fun.
Just recently, I had a misunderstanding with a co-teacher because of a performance task/project in Media and Information Literacy she gave to my previous advisory class. The students have to post a photo in their FB account and the number of "like" reactions should reach a certain amount for them to get a grade of 95. I saw the post and commented on it: "What is the objective of that task? Were you given a rubric for that?"
The situation get a little bit out of hand because that co-teacher cried foul on my comment. She print a screenshot of my comment and attached it to a complaint letter addressed to our Assistant School Principal. At the request of that teacher, I was summoned by our Guidance Counselor to response to the issue. I was prepared for it. She began narrating her side of the story.
Towards the end of her lamentations, I started to conciliate my emotions so I will keep my cool and objectivity in addressing the issue at hand. I began with citing a DepEd advisory that discourages teachers to use social media platforms such as Facebook in giving projects, particularly the one that requires soliciting for "post reactions". Afterwards, I deliver my prepared response, and it goes something like this:
I apologized to her for not channeling my opinion properly (I said that it is bound to happen as she brought it in social media - it will be subjected to public scrutiny). But i said, I won't be regretful of my intention to enlighten her, my co-teacher, and the students regarding the importance of utilizing appropriate type of assessment, and in the case of performance task, a useful rubric.
Everything ended well that day. I felt proud of myself because I had the opportunity to use and share what I have learned from EDS 131. Although, I will admit I was partially annoyed with my myself regarding my somewhat childish act. But I realized, I should be the one to do it, because if not, no one will have the courage to do that. And I will always stand up for what I believe is right, even if it means standing alone.
Just recently, I had a misunderstanding with a co-teacher because of a performance task/project in Media and Information Literacy she gave to my previous advisory class. The students have to post a photo in their FB account and the number of "like" reactions should reach a certain amount for them to get a grade of 95. I saw the post and commented on it: "What is the objective of that task? Were you given a rubric for that?"
The situation get a little bit out of hand because that co-teacher cried foul on my comment. She print a screenshot of my comment and attached it to a complaint letter addressed to our Assistant School Principal. At the request of that teacher, I was summoned by our Guidance Counselor to response to the issue. I was prepared for it. She began narrating her side of the story.
Towards the end of her lamentations, I started to conciliate my emotions so I will keep my cool and objectivity in addressing the issue at hand. I began with citing a DepEd advisory that discourages teachers to use social media platforms such as Facebook in giving projects, particularly the one that requires soliciting for "post reactions". Afterwards, I deliver my prepared response, and it goes something like this:
We teachers have to be aware of the assessment that we are giving to our students. First, we have to ensure that it is aligned with the learning competencies indicated in the curriculum so that we can ensure its content validity. Secondly, we have to show our students the rubric that we will use to rate their performance. We do not just give them a copy of it, we have to explain to them the criteria - that description of the standards that we want them to achieve. Lastly, even if this is an assessment OF learning (as she claimed it was), we can make the assessment a meaningful learning experience for them if we could only make our students more engaged with the process.
I apologized to her for not channeling my opinion properly (I said that it is bound to happen as she brought it in social media - it will be subjected to public scrutiny). But i said, I won't be regretful of my intention to enlighten her, my co-teacher, and the students regarding the importance of utilizing appropriate type of assessment, and in the case of performance task, a useful rubric.
Everything ended well that day. I felt proud of myself because I had the opportunity to use and share what I have learned from EDS 131. Although, I will admit I was partially annoyed with my myself regarding my somewhat childish act. But I realized, I should be the one to do it, because if not, no one will have the courage to do that. And I will always stand up for what I believe is right, even if it means standing alone.
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