Free Response Chapter 14

Christina Daugherty

While chapter fourteen was quite helpful and interesting in applying certain assessment strategies to everyday "classroom-life," the opening case study caught my attention in how Ms. Ford is viewed through the chapter's eyes (i.e. editors, etc.).  This captured my attention because I believe readers do not have enough information to assume Ms. Ford is being cruel and angry towards her students based on their test scores, rather than sympathetic.  Readers are unaware of the classroom environment, how Ms. Ford conducts lessons in her classroom, how the students react, how many students there are present in her classroom, how many students there are with learning disabilities present, what the students' backgrounds are like, and etc; the list goes on and on.  When reading this chapter, and returning so often to the opening case study for evaluation, my thoughts immediately turn to what I do not know about her classroom background.  On page seven of chapter fourteen, the text goes as far to say that Ms. Ford is "threatening" by her statements: "It is your responsibility to correct these problems and turn them in."  While the text indicates that students are not intrinsically motivated, I disagree.  By having parents sign students' test papers, parents are aware of where their students stand within their mathematics class.  The intrinsic motivation then derives from pleasing one's parents, that is, gaining approval by raising their test scores (one would do this per se by studying, taking extra time out of their day to receive tutoring which could be early morning or in the afternoon).  Rather than "undermin[ing] students' sense of self­ determination," I believe it would enhance self-determination; this notion of enhancing self-determination comes from the idea that students would want to prove their instructor wrong (which in and of itself may be seen as a form of intrinsic motivation--to prove something to themselves as well as their instructor).  Also, reliability and validity become issues at this point; having no example of the exam or how it was administered makes judging Ms. Ford difficult.  Although, what could have possibly made the situation lighter, is offering extra credit for parents' signatures as well as correction of incorrect math problems completed on the exam.