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Faculty Sponsor Numbers (CRN's) |
Faculty Interviews |
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Interview with Sherry WaltonRecent Teaching History Recent and Current Areas of Interest "I have a book in progress about norm referenced standardized
testing and the ways scores are used politically to invalidate
some ways of teaching and to make unfounded statements about
particular groups of students. At one school, I developed
workshops with teachers to work with the children so they
could better demonstrate their knowledge on standardized tests.
The idea was to help children figure out how the test was
a kind of literacy format that they could work through and
to develop some decision-making strategies. After the initial
workshops, the test scores went off the charts. Two articles
came out of the work (Educational Leadership and Kappan) and
Heinemann Books has expressed an interest in having the workshops
put into book form. So, the issue of what is valid assessment
for children and how does it get used is of interest to me.
And if we're going to have to use norm referenced tests because
of political pressure from the Washington State legislature
then all children ought to have an equitable opportunity to
demonstrate their knowledge. The other area I'm trying to
get up to speed on is the Essential Learnings for all K-12
disciplines in public schools." Essential learnings, assessment, bias in testing, literacy acquisition, visual arts as they relate to learning, movement as it relates to learning, and gender based work are the types of topics Sherry would be willing to work on with students. Key Qualities Of Student Work: "I look for commitment and effort by students in their
work. I look for students willing to improve skills. I assess
students in multiple ways. Students will write a paper, I
list things the student is doing well and two things that
student needs to work on, and I have the students come in
to talk about their work. We converse. Lately, I have been
using rubrics with graduate students because they will be
using these in their teaching. Portfolio assessment helps
students reflect on their work. I work really hard on being
clear on where students should be going." Teaching Style: "A student said I have a 'mid-wife like style'...I took
that to mean that I coached and supported the process of birth
of their knowledge and skills. Another said I was more like
a 'gad-fly' always in her ear, bugging her all the time about
things she should get better at. I have a lot of passion in
my teaching, a lot of conviction that it is important for
students to do what we are doing. I am approachable; I am
flexible in seminar. One or two students each year inevitably
say I am not approachable. I am demanding. I work well with
those students who have abilities but are afraid to bring
them forth. I don't work well with arrogant students or those
who complain all the time without attempting to work it out."
Expectations About Contracts: "I want students to say clearly, ‘this is my goal,’ and ‘this is what I am going to do to meet my goal.’ Also, I want to know how the contract fits in with the student's goal. I never take a contract where I have to teach a skill. But I am willing to meet with the student and go over their work. I prefer a recommendation from another faculty saying: ‘so-and-so is capable of completing the work.’"
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