M i d d l e L e v e l E d i t i o n
J a n u a r y 2 0 0 5
ASSESSMENTToday's education system relies heavily on assessment; some say too much. Are students meeting the federal guidelines detailed in No Child Left Behind? Are the teachers adequately covering the material assessed by standardized tests? Are students really "getting it?" It's no wonder if you are overwhelmed, confused, and frustrated. We've chosen to focus this issue on how teachers are managing to keep it all together including their testing requirements, their curriculum guidelines, and their passion for teaching. Read on to gain a better understanding of assessment, its ever-changing
role in our education system, and possible alternatives—as
you work through the second half of the school year. Assessment in the News Article summaries provided by the NSTA WebNews Digest (Visit http://www.nsta.org/mainnews for nationwide news for science educators). News stories selected for this month's theme discuss the various challenges associated with assessing students. Click here to read more: http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2005-01/news_stories_middle.htm Assessment on the Net In this month's middle level journal, Science Scope, NSTA members read "Formative Assessment Probes: Uncovering Students' Ideas in Science." The link to that article is: http://www.nsta.org/main/news/stories/science_scope.php?news_story_ID=50062 NSTA Articles on Assessment The following NSTA journal articles provide provide several examples of how the emphasis on assessment is affecting how science educators teach in their classrooms. Click here to read more: http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2005-01/middle.htm Books, Books, Books The NSTA Science Store and catalogs offer NSTA Press books and
other outstanding titles for science educators. Selections for this
issue are grade appropriate and were chosen for their relevance
to the theme of this http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2005-01/books_middle.htm To read about the newest titles available from NSTA press, visit: http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2005-01/newbooksmiddle.htm To receive the latest NSTA Catalog for your specific grade level, visit: http://ecommerce.nsta.org/catalog_signup Professional Development American eighth graders—especially African American students—showed significant gains in both science and math over the last 10 years, while scores for U.S. fourth graders remained relatively flat in both subjects, says the 2003 Trends in International Math and Science Study—commonly known as TIMSS. Read the TIMSS At-A-Glance at http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2005-01/TIMSS_Glance.htm, the NSTA press release at http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2005-01/press.htm, or go to http://www.timss.org. Global Science Teaching India's Troubling Truants: Teachers (The Christian Science Monitor) This article highlights the effects of a problem in many countries—teachers who do not report to work. http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1220/p01s03-wosc.html NSTA Opportunities Write for NSTA's Journals Science Scope (Grades 6–9) has issued a Call for Papers on selected topics. Click here to read more: The NSTA Online Convention Scheduler Convention-goers can make the most of their time at the convention in Dallas with NSTA’s improved online convention scheduler. http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2005-01/www.pdf Next Month's Theme: Force and Motion
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