Convergent questions seek one or more very specific correct answers, while divergent questions seek a wide variety of correct answers. Convergent questions apply to Bloom's lower levels of Knowledge, Comprehension, and Application and may include questions like "Define nutrition," "Explain the concept of investing," and "Solve for the value of X." Divergent questions apply to Bloom's higher levels of Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation; are generally open-ended; and foster student-centered discussion,

Teaching Philosophy Teaching is a conversation. It is a dialogue, not a monologue. When a teacher strives to convey knowledge, he or she must do so with an awareness of the student body's needs and background. Teaching involves give-and-take: even when lecturing the teacher must do so with an awareness of whom she or he is lecturing to. Do the students have special needs? Are they familiar with this period of

Teacher evaluation is a controversial topic. It is often thought by the general public and even some educators that once a teacher rises to a certain level there is little incentive to alter practices based on current research or training and even more alarming the ability for an administrator to terminate a teacher's contract can be difficult. According to surveys of parents and administrators, incompetence in the teaching profession has become

Teaching used to be easier than it is now. Teachers presented the information, assigned homework, made up tests, and graded students. It was the teacher's job to separate the wheat from the chaff, and the test was one of the most effective tools for that important task. Tests were sometimes complicated or tricky. Students who were weak readers found that their reading difficulties depressed their grades in all subjects, because

In fact, one of the most important functions of assessments is measuring the efficacy of any given lesson. If most students in the class perform poorly on an assessment, the nature or structure of the lesson might be to blame. McMillan (2007) point out the need for setting goals and targets with high expectations of our students. I have found a great deal of pessimism surrounding our profession. This pessimism

California teachers meet the challenges of a classroom that is becoming increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse. The research will be based upon several proven strategies, including reflective practice, and incorporating the knowledge gained into practice. Action research is described as "as a tool of curriculum development consisting of continuous feedback that targets specific problems in a particular school setting" (Ferraro). Mettetal adds that action research is undertaken in order to