MCAS Preparation Survey

Now that we have taken the English Language Arts (ELA) MCAS test, I wanted to get some feedback from students regarding what was helpful. Please take a few minutes to reflect on your experience as we prepared for the test and as you took the test. Thank you. -- Mr. Chamberlain

Please select the number that best corresponds to your sense of how these activities helped you prepare for the MCAS. (1 = not interesting and helpful, 2 = somewhat interesting and helpful, 3 = interesting and helpful, 4 = quite interesting and helpful, and 5 = very interesting and helpful) If the level of interest and helpfulness of a particular activity is different, focus on how helpful it was or wasn't.
Name: 


A red asterisk (*) indicates required questions.

  1. Ralph Helfer’s nonfiction piece “The Flood” -- 20 MC questions*
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. The article and video on the Octopus using coconut shells to hide -- 10 MC questions*
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. The nonfiction article “Magnificence on Cave Walls” -- 10 MC questions, *
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. “Magnificence on Cave Walls” -- vocab in context words*
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. The poem “A Valentine for Earnest Mann” -- 6 MC questions*
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. “Tier Two Academic Discourse" words as vocabulary, with matching exercises and using words in sentences in a context related to our literature
    *
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. We did three Open Response (OR) writing assignments directly connected to preparing for the ELA MCAS. (Some of you were in Mexico or Quebec for some of these.)

    Crane’s “In the Depths of a Coal Mine” -- 8 MC Q’s and OR*
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. Ronald Reagan’s Challenger Disaster speech -- 8 MC Q’s and OR*
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. Frederick Douglass’s excerpt from his autobiography. -- 8 MC Q’s and OR*
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. The MCAS suggestion handout: “Clear, Complete and Accurate”*
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. The acronym “HUNDRED” with MCAS suggestions:*
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. The sessions in class where we read and holistically scored (1-4) the Open Responses written by Discovery students. *
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. Showing the class the Department of Education website of MCAS open responses to "Please Let it be Whale Vomit, Not Sea Junk" (Handwritten student samples scored 1, 2, 3, and 4 with explanations), and having the link available on TeacherWeb.*
    1 2 3 4 5   N/A (I was absent for this.)
     


  1. (Click on as many as accurately match your experience.) Which concepts or recommendations for responding to multiple choice questions and writing open responses were helpful? The recommendation...*
    to reread the text several times to ensure accuracy
    to underline or highlight important passages in the text
    to take note in the margins to gather your thoughts
    to expect to locate the answer in the text (except for inferential Qs)
    to resist rushing and to review your work
    to make an outline or word web in the test booklet before writing
    to create several topics and find supporting details for each topic
    to use brief, embedded quotations that you can discuss right away
    to use quotations that are relevant or pertinent to the question
    to use some "tier two academic discourse" type words to elevate discussion
    to write a "complete" OR of about 200 words
    to write with smaller letters to write a "complete" response in the space available
    to write neatly to allow your readers to appreciate and focus on your ideas
    to consider your audience of scorers spending all day grading these essays
    to take the test with seriousness and care for your results


  1. You read, scored, and responded to a number of Open Responses written by our classmates and teammates, and many of them did the same with yours. Select as many reasons as you want that let me know why you felt this was helpful or not helpful. *
    I got a sense of how others responded to the same question.
    I got to know the articles better from reading student essays.
    I noticed how other students used brief quotations.
    I noticed how other students developed their essays fully.
    I received some helpful feedback from students.
    I received some unhelpful feedback from students.
    I read some student responses that were inspiring.
    I found the essay scoring cards useful for responding.
    I don't think students spent enough time reading or scoring.
    I found the essay scoring cards useful for getting feedback.
    Sometimes, I think students weren't fair in responding to students.
    Overall, I think students were fair in responding to students.
    I was comfortable with this method because the teacher read them, too.
    I wish the scoring cards had more room for my comments.
    I wish we could use this method for other peer readings.


  1. (Optional) Please be thoughtful about this. Write down your reflections and suggestions so we can include them as we prepare for the MCAS for next year. *


  1. (Optional) Please be thoughtful about this. Is having handouts, embedded YouTube videos, and links on TeacherWeb helpful for you outside of class? Explain when it's been helpful, if it has, or it is hasn't, indicate so. Thanks.





Prof. Chamberlain
English Teacher
MCC, MBCC, FSU
MA