Tuesday, September 4, 2012

All About the Students

The below survey and questionnaire helped me to learn about my students from the first day of school. I will apply the information I gathered about them when making choices about the classroom environment, teaching strategies, and curriculum.

I was surprised that about one quarter of the students in one of my English 9 classes, and nearly half of the freshman in the other class, self-identified as being poor readers who stated, “Sometimes I think kids younger than I am read better than I do.” However, this information is valuable and I appreciate the students’ honesty and reflection. I’m happy to have this information so that I can make informed choices when placing students into groups and partners. It will benefit the students who struggle to work alongside students whose responses include, “I believe I am a better reader than most other students in my grade,” and “I almost always get As and Bs in reading and English.”

Additionally, the open-ended questionnaire that accompanies the quiz gives me not only important contact information, but reflects the students' habits of mind, writing skills, personal lives, goals, ambitions, and interests to bring to life a more complete picture of the students.

In the future, I'll create a digital version of the questionnaire and quiz so that I can pull the data and make comparisons in more meaningful ways. The ability to sort and compile the data electronically allows for easier analysis of the student as part of the class and as an individual. Getting to know the students is an imporant part of the teacher role.


Who Are You and How Do You Feel About Reading?
Who Are You

Directions: Please write your responses to the below questions in the line provided. Then, move on to the below survey. Note: I will not share your answers with anyone without your permission.


Name__________________________Name you like to be called__________________

Date of birth_________________________  Place of birth________________________

Email address___________________________________________________________

Home phone________________________ Cell phone___________________________

Parents’/guardians’ names_________________________________________________

Parents’/guardians’ email__________________________________________________

Parents’/guardians’ cell phone______________________________________________

What language do you speak at home?_______________________________________

How do you get to school? ______________________How long does it take_________

What do you do after school? ______________________________________________

What do you imagine yourself doing 10 years from now?_________________________

Do you like this subject? Why or why not? ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
What would you really like to learn about in this class?___________________________

What’s a fair amount of homework time to expect you to give to this class?___________

Describe the way you learn things best_______________________________________

Is there anything that could make this class especially hard for you?______________________________________________________________________

Can you think of a way I could help you with this struggle? ______________________________________________________________________

Is there anything else about you that you would like me to know? ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

 

How Do You Feel About Reading?
 
 
 
 
Directions: This survey tells me how you feel about reading and books. Please answer as honestly as you can by checking the term or terms, which tell me how you feel about each statement.
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Library books are dull.
 
 
 
 
Reading is a waste of time.
 
 
 
 
Reading is one of my hobbies.
 
 
 
 
I believe I am a better reader than most other students in my grade.
 
 
 
 
Reading is almost always boring.
 
 
 
 
Sometimes I think kids younger than I am read better than I do.
 
 
 
 
I enjoy going to the library for books.
 
 
 
 
I don’t have enough time to read books. 
 
 
 
 
I believe that I’m a poor reader.
 
 
 
 
I would like to belong to a book club.
 
 
 
 
Teachers want me to read too much.
 
 
 
 
You can’t learn much from reading.
 
 
 
 
Books can help you understand other people.
 
 
 
 
I almost always get As and Bs in reading and English.
 
 
 
 
I like to have time to read in class.
 
 
 
 
Reading gets boring after about ten minutes.
 
 
 
 
Sometimes I get Ds and Fs in reading and English.
 
 
 
 
I like to read before I go to bed.
 
 
 
 

 

1 comment:

  1. This is a simple, yet very inclusive survey. I especially like that you asked them what they want to be called. That is one of the biggest mistakes we can make at the beginning of the year....calling someone by a name they don't like.

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