Report Card Comments & a FREEBIE

Let me start off by saying although it has been crazy busy for me at work and in my home life, I have tried to make time to update my blog each week.  Taking pictures, writing the entries and crafting new FREEBIES helps give me a place to focus all my positive, creative energies!  To that end, I am thrilled to have been chosen for a blog award from We Are Teachers.  I look forward to writing a guest blog entry for them sometime in the upcoming year, and to being a Guest Pinner of the Week on Pinterest!  Being nominated for and winning an award for my blog content has seriously brightened my week!  .

For the past couple of weeks all I have been able to focus on is updating IEPS, writing IPRC review invitations and getting my report cards finished on time.  Although I tend to use similar comments from year to year, I have been trying to update the comments to reflect the increased focus on the BIG IDEAS being taught in my program. I have started to create a comment bank for all areas of the curriculum.   I will try to post updates as the year progresses. The comments included below were created from the Mathematical Process Skills listed in the Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8, Mathematics, 2005.

"Presented at the start of every grade outlined in this curriculum document is a set of seven expectations that describe the mathematical processes students need to learn and apply as they work to achieve the expectations outlined within the five strands. The need to highlight these process expectations arose from the recognition that students should be actively engaged in applying these processes throughout the program, rather than in connection with particular strands. 

The mathematical processes that support effective learning in mathematics are as follows:

• problem solving 
• reasoning and proving 
• reflecting 
• selecting tools and computational strategies 
• connecting 

• representing 
• communicating

The mathematical processes can be seen as the processes through which students acquire and apply mathematical knowledge and skills. These processes are interconnected. Problem solving and communicating have strong links to all the other processes. A problem-solving approach encourages students to reason their way to a solution or a new understanding. As students engage in reasoning, teachers further encourage them to make conjectures and justify solutions, orally and in writing.The communication and reflection that occur during and after the process of problem solving help students not only to articulate and refine their thinking but also to see the problem they are solving from different perspectives. This opens the door to recognizing the range of strategies that can be used to arrive at a solution. By seeing how others solve a problem, students can begin to reflect on their own thinking (a process known as “metacognition”) and the thinking of others, and to consciously adjust their own strategies in order to make their solutions as efficient and accurate as possible. 

The mathematical processes cannot be separated from the knowledge and skills that students acquire throughout the year. Students must problem solve, communicate, reason, reflect, and soon, as they develop the knowledge, the understanding of concepts, and the skills required in all the strands in every grade. " (The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8, Mathematics, 2005)

I have chosen to use these expectations as the basis of my mathematics reporting because they address the "bigger picture" of mathematical learning.  These processes are deeply connected to the knowledge and skills which all students are learning across the grades. 

I will often include an "e.g." similar to those seen in the comments below.  The examples describe what students have been learning in class during the previous term.  Since the parents will be familiar with work which has come home over the course of the term, they will be able to identify where the content of those "e.g."s (specific skills and concepts) fits into the process expectations. Using this type of comment also allows me to identify student strengths, and help set specific next steps for improvement.

Click on the image above to download you own copy.

Looking for more ways to include assessment practices in your classroom?  Check out this great visual representation of the 4 Levels of Achievement.  You can EDIT the file to make the criteria match your classroom needs.

Portfolios and Self Assessment FREEBIE

Well it's that time around my school.  No, not just the post-holiday diets and blues...but REPORT CARD time!  My school district uses a program which allows us to create our comments and input our marks on line.  This has made some aspects of the reporting process easier, and as long as the software functions properly (which it frequently doesn't when you have 10,000 teachers trying to log on at the same time) writing reports is no longer what it used to be.  

Page 2 of the Ontario Report Card Gr. 1-8

When I first became a teacher we hand wrote all of our reports.  They were in triplicate, with a white page on top , the middle page was yellow and the bottom page was pink.  I remember having to scour the stationary stores looking for yellow and pink correction liquid!   Needless to say, I was loathe to make a mistake!  These days making a mistake is easier to fix, and  I no longer need liquid paper...mind you, 2 bottles of liquid paper and a pen cost considerably less than a computer does!  

I could only find an image of a bottle of  "blue" as the other colours have been discontinued! 

I digress...I was starting to think about reporting today and was looking through the things I had collected in my assessment and evaluation binder as well as my student portfolios.  While I was leafing through, I discovered a form I started using this year which I have found to be a highly effective student self-assessment tool.  Weekly I send things home with my students so they share what they are doing, and how they are improving with parents/guardians.  

 This year I realized that only my comments were going home on the work.   The assignments rarely  included  comments or reflections from the students.  I frequently require that the students use a rubric or checklist to self-assess their own work but I tend to be the one who decides what goes in to the portfolio each month.  

Portfolio Self Assessment Form

This year, I have encouraged the students to take greater ownership of their portfolios, and choose some of the pieces which will go into it.   The students use the reflection form above to explain why they are putting the chosen piece into their portfolio.  They take it home attached to the piece of work, and discuss their reflections with their parents/guardians.  Students then return the form and work to school and place them in their portfolio.  The portfolio is brought out during parent/teacher/student interviews, or when I want the students to reflect on their progress.  This form helps to organize the portfolios, and stands as a record of what the student was thinking at the time they chose the piece.  I also use these forms to assist me in looking for patterns in what the students choose to put into their portfolios.  Often, they only choose their "best" work, so I added a section to the reflection form which asks them to think about ALL the reasons they might include the piece in their portfolio.

Please leave a comment about how you have students choose their work for portfolios, or what you use to have them reflect on their learning.  I would love to hear from you!

Learning Skills and Work Habits

Well, school is back in swing and I am coming home exhausted everyday!  I don't think I have stayed awake past 8:00 p.m. one night this week.  So far, I have implemented my classroom procedures and management plan with few hitches.  My class seems very keen this year, they like to talk though!  Yesterday, I gave my class their first "Learning Skills and Work Habits Student Self-Assessment Checklist".



DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY HERE

 

I created this checklist last year when the Ontario MOE introduced "Growing for Success" the first elementary assessment and evaluation policy document to be published in decades!  With the changes in policy came a change in the emphasis and format of the elementary report cards.  The "Learning Skills and Work Habits" part of the report card was suddenly at the forefront and all the academic sections were made secondary. 

 

When talking to my students after the first "progress report checklist" went home in October, I realized they had no real concrete idea of what the skills and work habits they were being evaluated on really WERE.  Some had a vague idea what "responsibility" and "organization" meant, but things like "self-regulation" and "initiative" were foreign to them.  I knew that I could not have my students work towards improving these skills and work habits if they did not understand what they meant or what I was looking for. 

 

My first attempt to create a checklist for students looked more like a rubric for teacher use. I only used the standard language found on the Ontario report card.  This attempt still did not seem to help the students understand what I was looking for.  I converted the rubric format into a checklist, and as a class we refined the language to include "I" statements such as "I accept responsibility for and manage my own behaviour".  The final checklist at 2 1/2 pages does seem very long, particularly if you are teaching younger students.  It would be easy to adapt and emphasize only a few points under each heading. 

 

After students self-assess using the checklist (I have them do this first thing after lunch each Friday), they are asked to review the their assessments and choose three skills/work habits which they determine need improvement. Students fill out the bottom of page 3 of the checklist recording the three areas for improvement, setting out a brief plan for each area and stating what teacher/parent support they might require.  I then have the students show me their checklist and goals.  I check for completion and then ask the students to transfer their 3 goals onto the "Weekly Objectives" section of the following week's planner.  I remind them to frequently review their goals and plans for achieving them during the week.  In some cases the students even use highlighters to give the goals extra prominence. 

 

The following Friday, students fill out page 4 of the checklist.  This reflection page asks them:

SO WHAT? What 3 areas did I select to work on so that my learning skills and work habits improve?

NOW WHAT? Did my plans work so that I could improve in each of these areas? Why?

Reflecting upon my work habits and learning skills this week, something that I learned about myself is:

I will use this information to help me to:

After they have completed page 4 of the previous week, they take a new checklist and start the process all over again.  I remind the students that if they did NOT achieve their goals the previous week, they should reflect upon why they did not and perhaps choose those same goals again, BUT with a different plan for success.  I discuss with them that it takes approximately 21 days or 3 weeks for a new skill or habit to actually become a HABIT.  Some goals may last a week or two, some a few months and some the entire year.  The entire process is what I emphasize with the students.

 

Last year, my students quickly began to internalize what each of the skills and work habits entailed.  After using the checklists and accompanying goal setting sheets for several months, I saw a distinct change in the ownership of the learning in each of these areas.  Students were able to verbalize what they were being assessed and evaluated on, and they were able to set goals which they were able to attain. 

 

One student from last year visited me this week.  I overheard him telling some of my new students that my checklists and goal setting had made him "so aware and organized that I scare myself".  This student had really struggled the previous year, and I was glad to hear that he felt the use of the checklist and goal setting had helped him learn how to be more successful.  Really, that is what teaching is all about!

Problem Solving Strategies Posters

Well it has been a day or so since I was inspired to create something or post something.   Even after I said I was done,I actually went to school again on Thursday. My hubby really helped me out by drilling a hole in my desk and creating a hole for all my computer cords to come up through rather than get twisted around my feet.  I also learned the value of zip ties from him.  I got a package at Dollar Tree and used them to tie all the cords together.  He put a "desk grommet" (found it at Lowe's) into the hole and now my desk is much neater!  I love it!  He also got up on the ladder for me and hung these really cute gold star cut outs I also found at Dollar Tree the other day.  He put up 9 of them and they really add some extra "je ne sais quoi" to the room.  Even he liked them, and he thinks my room is "overstimulating". 

Anyhow, how does this relate to Problem Solving Strategies?  Well he had to solve a couple of problems which cropped up during the "hole installation" and I thought to myself, where are my problem solving strategy posters?  I don't have ANY problem solving strategy posters!  I bought one a few years ago to go with the "Problem Solver" binder I had purchased (but didn't use).  I really didn't like it, so I gave it to the grade 4 teacher down the hall.

I wanted some really simple posters which would remind my students that there are a variety of different strategies they can use to solve problems.  I have found with gifted students that they tend to feel they cannot "use concrete materials" or "act it out".  When they are asked on standardized tests "How did you solve the problem?" Or "How do you know your answer is correct?", I often see the answer "I just know." 

Each year my students make a "Math Survival Guide" (I will write a post about this in the next few weeks while the kids are creating them and I take some pics).  I have the students record information (words, definitions, pictures, examples) from each of the 5 strands in the survival guide during the year.  Last year I asked them to also create a section for problem solving strategies. Most of the students copied down the list of strategies I gave them, and a few added some of their own.

If you look at the pictures of my classroom you will see I have a LOT of mathematics posters in my room.  I actually have several hundred (yes, I said hundred) more new ones I have made and laminated.  I need to find a place to put them up.  For now, I will use them as I introduce and teach a strand. 

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE COPY

I plan to print these posters I made today and put them up (somewhere) in my classroom for reference and to remind my students that there are a variety of strategies which they are encouraged to use.  Please feel free to download a FREE copy for your own use.  I hope that you find them useful!

Back to School Madness!

Well I did it, I made it into my classroom this week.  In fact I spent 3 entire days there and I am not finished yet!  I took my hubby on the first day and he put together a new bookshelf for me.  I was then faced with the problem of where to put said bookshelf!  I had to rearrange the entire classroom.  In the end it was a good thing, but at the time I was really vexed with all the changes I had to make.  For the next two days my fantastic daughter went into the school with me and helped me with all the laminating, printing, rearranging and getting organized.  The room looks great!  I forced myself to change up my bulletin board paper...I rarely do this as I usually reuse corrugated fadeless paper.  I put up a fantastic turquoise and black board with "Thinking Skills" relating to Blooms Taxonomy on it.  I have to say I am really happy.  I also put up my back to school bulletin board that looks like this:

I saw a post on Pinterest and I thought I want that board!  I clicked on the link but it took me to an American supply store.  I looked up the items and found them at my local teacher supply store here in Toronto (Sonsuh Educational on McNicoll Avenue).  I was able to get the barn board paper and the "Welcome Back to School" apple bulletin board set.  I was not able to find the border you see in this picture but I did find a cute black and red apple one that works really well too!  I put the board up pretty much like the picture you see here...but I kept more of the apple together.  I LOVE the way it looks.  My only negative comment is that it took forever to get a dry erase marker to write on the apple pieces.  All the markers I tried would "bubble up" when I wrote the kids names on the pieces.  I tried half a dozen different types of dry erase and regular markers until I found how to work around the problem.  If you write the name on, wipe it off vigorously when it bubbles up and then rewrite it (with a LIQUID based dry erase marker) the name stays.

I printed out my "Last Minute Dismissal" checklist on the colour printer, laminated the pages onto brightly coloured cards and put them on the doors of one of my cabinets.  A former teacher from the school popped in to visit and it was the first thing she commented on. 

 If you would still like to download a copy of it you can do that HERE for FREE.

I put up my "NO NAME" sign I made using Dollarama materials and I think it will work great.

I also printed out some other posters from the Internet, framed them in dollar store frames and put them up.  I have to say the room looks great.  I plan on taking some pictures when I go in again next week and I will share them here.

I hope everyone is having fun getting ready to go back.  Even with the situation here in Ontario (the Premier recalling the gov't on Monday to legislate away our rights) I am optimistic about my upcoming year.  Have a great weekend!

Back to School Question Activity Using Post-Its

I have seen several versions of this first day activity on teacher blogs such as Mrs.Robinson's Classroom Blog and Pinterest.  Each of the examples I have seen have featured teachers writing out the questions on chart paper.

Mrs.Robinson's Blog

 Students then use Post-Its to write their answers and place their replies on each sheet under the appropriate question.  I think this is a great idea to build rapport and get to know more about the students in your class.  I decided that this is one of the things I am going to do this year, BUT I hate writing out headings on chart paper...I have OK printing but really it does not look as professional as I would like.

So...I made a list of the questions on ...wait for it...POLKA DOT frames!  I know, I know...but I like them and this is kind of the theme I am going to go with this year.

I plan to print these on card stock, laminate them and use them year after year...I left the grade level blank on the black frame so you can enter the grade you are teaching...or change it when your grade assignment changes.  If you think you would like to grab an UPDATED, EDITABLE copy just click on the image below.

Be sure to come back and share with me how this first day of school activity worked in your classroom!

Update:  This activity worked really well.  The students rotated around the classroom in small groups.  I used LARGE post-it paper which will stick anywhere you put it, and small coloured post-its for the students.  I had printed out the posters above and laminated them so I could use them again each year.  See some NEW photos below.

Back To School Quiz

I went to my school yesterday and arrived to find out that I am not allowed into my classroom until Monday!  I had emailed and called the custodian...let's just say that didn't work out so well.   I was frustrated at not being able to get into my classroom to start my set up.  I also really need to figure out what I still have left to do before I can take a "rest" the last week of August.  On the positive side, I did unload all my "stuff" and leave it in the custodian's office...hope it's all still there on Monday!

Anyhow, sitting at my computer I decided to make a LIST of things I want to do the first week of school.  This is what I have so far (in no specific order...yet...):

• Put a letter from last year's students on each student desk (I have the students write a personalized "letter to the future" at the end of the year each June and I keep them to put out on the first day of school)
• Give each student the "Back to School Survival Kit" I have made for them (I still need to assemble these but I have all the materials)
• Put the "Back to School Activity Guide" I have created on their desk for the first day
• Have students complete the "Classroom Scavenger Hunt"
• Do the "Find Someone Who" bingo game
• Have students complete the "6 Questions for the Beginning of the Year" activity with post-its (saw this on Pinterest)
• Review my "Back to School" Powerpoint with the whole class
• Do a KWL activity about Ms. McKay (I read a post about this idea on TeacherHub.com and decided to adapt it) using the Show What You Know quiz I made up
• Give each student a math pre-assessment test
• Have students play a math  matching game I found online (going to use this as an icebreaker for the students and a diagnostic tool for me)
• Show students how to organize their binders

I know I have even more things to add to this list, but I took everything to school...so I'll have to wait until Monday!
In the meantime, I made up a Show What You Know quiz to go along with a "KWL about your teacher" activity I'm going to try this year. 

I always do the traditional "getting to know you" activities with my students but I have stopped doing the "get to know your teacher" activities I used to love.  I'm not sure why I stopped doing these.  I had a great "All About Me" book I created when I first started teaching. I used to share it with my class each year.  It was always a HUGE hit with my students and they loved to look at the pictures of my family and read about my life.  I never did update that book...I used it for a few years and then it was out of date.  I still have it, and I sometimes pull it out to show the students what I used to look like (now that is depressing...was I EVER that young?).

I was reflecting this summer on what has made for a "good year" in my teaching career.  What made a year feel special?  What made a year "magical"?  I realized those years have been the years I have really bonded with my students and developed strong rapport. 

They were NOT the years I felt pressured to deal with "behaviour issues" or to focus right away on assessing and testing.  NOT the years when the first thing I did was LAY DOWN THE LAW and get down to work.

It is tempting with a jam packed curriculum and EQAO testing in May/June to try to spend each and every minute teaching.  I think I have fallen prey to the "we have to get it done" mentality the past few years.  In my heart though, I know that I can get it done and also establish stronger rapport with my students.  In fact, "it" gets done BETTER when you the time to develop that rapport, to let the students know who you are and to find out who they are.  To that end, I am going to try a few "new" ideas this year and spend more time getting to know my class and letting them get to know a little bit more about me. 

One idea I read on TeacherHub.com was to conduct a KWL activity with the class making YOURSELF  the topic.  I have used the KWL (and KWHL) format for many years in a variety of situations.  I am a firm believer in activating prior knowledge and uncovering misconceptions when teaching.  It really helps guide where I am going to go with my lessons and my planning.   I realize that over the last couple of years that I didn't really take the time to let my students learn about me as a person, to ask questions about me and perhaps expose some misconceptions.  Today I created a little "fun" Show What You Know quiz to go with the KWL activity.  This will give the students a guided way to think about the K part of the activity.  Hopefully, it will illicit positive responses.  I am willing to deal with the "misconceptions" that are uncovered as well.  Please feel free to download a copy from my TPT store by clicking on the links above. 

Another reason I want to try this is that as part of my board's Gifted Programming we need to address the skills and knowledge of "Awareness of Self and Others". One subsection of this area is "interactive skills" and another is "interpersonal skills". I think using this type of activity will set the stage for later work I will do in this area as part of the gifted program in grade six.


If you try this activity with your class let me know how it goes for you!

Back To School Survival Kit

I know I am not the only person who uses the "Back to School Survival Kit" idea each September.  In fact, when I went back into the classroom from being a consultant many years ago, I found the idea on the Internet.  I was surprised by the reception this little gift garnered at my school the first fall I was teaching there.  My colleagues thought the idea was very creative and new!  I guess I thought the idea was pretty obscure too, until I went on Pinterest this year!  There are LOTS of versions of this, what I would now call, a "back to school classic".  I still LOVE to do this each year, and I change it up from year to year, depending on what materials I have available.

Get your own copy of the NEW UPDATED printable list by clicking this link and download from my TPT store.

 Some years I have used coloured paper bags, like the one pictured above.  I have found the best selection at back to school time.  When I DO find them I try to stock up and keep them for future years.  You can also just use a "brown paper bag", I have done this and the kids love it all the same. 

I have also used plastic pencil boxes (when I used to be able to get them from Costco for less than a $1 each.)  Those days are gone, but you can still sometimes find boxes like this on sale at back to school time.  I have seen other pencil box type containers at dollar stores that would work well.

  This year I decided to do something different.  I ordered these neat pouches from ForTeachersOnly.com.  Why?  Well if you have read my earlier posts, you know I love to order personalized pens from this company as and end of year gift for each student.  I have never been disappointed in their products.  I have also ordered their personalized pencil sets.  The quality and service is awesome!  This year when I was ordering my pens, I looked at the pricing for the pouches and thought to myself "This could be a neat container for my back to school survival kit, it has multiple items included already and it's less than $1 each!"  I ordered them at the same time as my pens in order to have them ready for final assembly in August.  I intend to put the final items from my printable list in each pouch and then print, label, sign and attach one copy to each pouch. 

I put these "survival kits" out on the student desks the night before school starts...(along with some BELL work....I'll save that for another post.)  The students love them, the parents love them and I find this is an essential part of how I build rapport with my class at the beginning of the school year.

P.S.  I also make one for my student teacher each year.  The teacher candidates I host start the first day with the students, so I like to include them in my yearly ritual too (but I usually use a MUG and put some different items in their own "survival kit").

What are your favourite back to school classics?

Last Minute Checklist

Mr.Hughes has posted another linky for Share the Wealth Saturday.  His posts and others keep me inspired to create and share materials.  The other day on Pinterest (where else?) I saw a pin with a "one minute countdown checklist" created by Kelly on her blog Kelly's Knack.  I loved the idea, so I went to her blog to see if there was a download.  She did not have one so I decided to modify her idea to meet my own classroom needs, and make a poster version in PDF which I could share.

I plan to print this out before school starts, mount it on poster board, add some glitter (of course!), laminate it and mount it near the door (or the clock...Which do grade 6's look at more in the day?).  I am hoping that I can just POINT at the list at the end of the day, rather than asking each of the questions (and often running out of time or forgetting!)

If you would like to have your own FREE copy of this, you can find it at my TPT store HERE  for FREE (everything I have made has been free so far).  Be sure to check out Kelly's blog and Mr.Hughes' too while you are at it.  There is so much great stuff to see and share!

Welcome Back to School Letter to Families

Yes, I am thinking about "Back to School" already.  In fact, I start thinking about it before the end of school each year.  I have found the more prepared I am ahead of time, the less panicked I feel as the date approaches.  One of the things I like to do each year is get a class list at the end of June and get my school secretary (who is a goddess in my eyes) to print me out mailing labels.  I decided to do this after writing out names and addresses on 30 envelopes!  It just didn't seem like a good use of my time (and I have tendinitis in my writing arm). 

I started out my teaching career (can it really be over 22 years ago?) by sending home a postcard to each student in my upcoming class.  At that time, I really just wanted to say "hi" and I didn't have the year planned out yet.  At this point in my life, I know what we are going to do, and I know what I want to share with the students and families early in the year.  I started writing a Welcome Back to School letter to my students and their families several years ago.  I am loathe to admit that it seems to get longer each year!

This is what my current letter looks like.  I know that 6 pages is long, but I like to use larger font and lots of graphics.  I print it DOUBLE SIDED at school before the end of June so I am not trying to do it at home (too many years of this have used up too much paper and toner!)

In the letter I include:

• an introduction
• a brief outline of what we curriculum topics we will be covering in class this year
• a visual list of "suggested" school supplies (students in my district do not have to purchase items but I have found that most students bring things anyhow, so they might as well have my suggestions)
• an overview of my "mission for the class"
• my behaviour policy
• my district's homework policy and my views on homework
• a closing wishing a great rest of the summer to the students and their families
• a link to my classroom website

I have received really positive feedback from students and parents over the years.  They are often surprised to receive something from me personally and they like the visual layout of the back to school supply list. I try to write something individual to each student on the printed letter.  This might be a comment from their teacher last year "I hear that you are an awesome artist" or it might be something like "I am looking forward to our first field trip to...".  The personal touch I think is nice.
I have found over the years that this letter sets the tone for my interactions with the students and families for the year.  They know a little about me (they can read my bio on my classroom website) and they know we are going to have fun and work hard!
If you would like to download an EDITABLE copy of my letter for this year please visit me at  Welcome Back to School Letter on TPT.
All I have to do now is stuff the pre-addressed envelopes and buy some stamps.  I usually send home this letter the last week of August.  I keep extra copies at school the first week for new students or students who have moved during the summer months!
I hope you are enjoying the rest of your summer, and that my letter might inspire you to try something new this year too!

APEC (Answer, Prove, Explain & Extend, Connect)

Here in Ontario there is  pressure for our students to do well on standardized tests such as EQAO (Grade 3 and Grade 6) as well as standardized assessment tools such as DRA and CASI.  In my school, we have used the APEC framework to assist students in improving the quality of their written responses.  Using APEC throughout the grades helps students learn that there are parts of a response which are essential for demonstrating learning.


The A stands for ANSWER the question.  Make sure you stick to answering only the question asked and rephrase the question in your own words as the beginning part of the response.


The P stands for PROVE it.  Use information from the text/math problem, underline or highlight parts of the text.  Include direct quotations from the text or use paraphrasing.


The E stands for Explain and Extend your answer.  Using your own words be sure to explain how you know that the answer you have given is correct.  If it is a math problem be sure to explain HOW you solved the problem.  Add more information that will help, from your own experience or from other information you may have learned about the topic.


I started asking students to use the C stands for Connect last year after I realized that if my students were able to make connections (text-to-text, text-to-self, text-to-world OR math-to-math, math-to-self, math-to-world) their written responses were richer and more developed.  Not all questions necessarily lead to all students making connections all the time…but this has turned out to be a good addition to the standard APE framework.