OPEN UP AND LOVE WILL COME TO YOU

CHINESE PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IF YOU EASE SOMEONE ELSE'S PAIN, YOUR PAIN WILL BE EASED IN RETURN. They prefer to let go of things in many ways. This is highly affected by their religion, Buddhism, which has the largest disciples in China, more than 185 million people, besides Taoists. Buddhism teaches its disciples to be good in any way so that they will get good deed return to them through people around them.

          IT IS IMPORTANT that in order to expect someone to respond the way we expect them to, we'd better give examples for them to study. So, if we expect our students to act, perform, or complete the test the way we expect them to, we should be open in stating the objectives of the lesson; so that the students are able to catch up easily. In order to achieve that condition, we should get the students understand the objectives of a lesson by taking a journey through the objectives together, opening up our lesson plan, showing the students the steps we are going to do for them, and finally asking them to follow the steps provided. Those activities are important to customize the raw, semi-finished, and finished material to the students and to make them understand the soul of teaching.

          I BELIEVE THAT IF SOMEONE IS TRUSTED ENOUGH, HE WILL GET A FEELING THAT HE IS ACCEPTED; IF HE FEELS ACCEPTED, HE WILL ALSO OPEN HIMSELF TO OTHERS. 

BASED ON THAT THOUGHT, I PROPOSE THAT WE, TEACHERS SHOULD GIVE A CHANCE TO OUR STUDENTS IN TAKING PARTS TO COMPOSE THEIR RUBRIC. What I have proudly done has been marvelous. I can't say contrary to the characteristics needed to make a good rubric by  http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/rubrics/characteristics.cfm.

Criteria
An effective rubric must possess a specific list of criteria, so students know exactly what the teacher is expecting.

Gradations
There should be gradations of quality based on the degree to which a standard has been met (basically a scale). The gradations should include specific descriptions of what constitutes "excellent", "good", "fair", and "needs improvement". Each gradation should provide descriptors for the performance level. Typically there are 4-6 gradation levels on a rubric.

Descriptions
Effective rubrics offer a lot of descriptive language. The rubric describes exactly what makes an assignment quality. By specificity, the descriptors enable student performers to verify and comprehend their scores.

Continuity
The difference in quality from a score point of 5 to 4 should be the same difference in quality from a score point of 3 to 2. All descriptors should model and reflect the consistent levels of continuity.

Reliability
A "good" rubric should be able to be used by various teachers and have them all arrive at similar scores (for a given assignment). Reliability also can refer to time (for example, if you are scoring your 100th essay - the rubric allows you to judge the 100th essay with the same criteria that you judged the 1st essay).

Validity
A rubric possessing validity, scores what is central to the performance and assignment, not what is easy for the eye to see and simple for the teacher to grade.

Models
Don't forget to model exemplars of products at various achievement levels (be sure to keep the models anonymous).

ABOVE ALL THAT, REMEMBER THIS:

STUDENTS WILL BE STUDENTS AND THEY NEED OUR GUIDANCE. WE MAY NOT CUT THEM LOSE AND LET THEM LOST IN TRANSLATION, BUT WE HAVE TO BE WITH THEM IN EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. JUST LIKE WHEN WE ARE PLAYING KITES. IN ORDER TO FLY IT HIGH WE HAVE TO LET LOOSE A LITTLE AND PULL IT BACK A LITTLE, TOO. THE KEY IS PATIENCE AND KNOWING HOW TO DANCE IN THE STORM.

GOOD LUCK, TEACHERS!