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Many students anxiously wait through the
lecture until they can actually apply or do
something with what is being learned. Rubrics
help guide students through the `doing' or
application of practical procedures.
In the practical Chapters, the central way
of applying what is being learned is through
practicing the procedures for that skill. Each
procedure has its own evaluation form called
a rubric.
The word rubric translates as "something
written in red" from the Latin word for red or
red chalk. Red implies importance. Rubric
simply means a set of important, standardized
directions.
Rubrics can be used as a self-assessment tool
to help gauge the level of student performance
or the teacher can use the rubric to assess the
level of student competence with a particular
practical skill. Rubrics found in the Salon
Fundamentals program identify the directions for
using the rubric, a relative industry standard and
a list of steps categorized under Preparation,
Procedure and Completion phases.Three levels
of competence are assigned for assessment,
including "In Progress," "Getting Better" and
"Entry Level Proficiency."
A separate column on the rubric allows
teachers to use a rating scale to determine the
percentage for that procedure. Rubrics convey
the guidelines to meet the standards.
Attitude Adjustment
Try this quick adjustment exercise with your
students to help drive home the fact that in
the end, it is their attitude that will make the
difference. Ask students to write the letters of
the alphabet in a vertical volume down the left
side of a piece of papers. Direct the students to
number in order each letter by placing a
number just to the right of it, such as A-1.They
should end up with Z-26. Ask students to write
the word ATTITUDE anywhere on the paper.
Instruct the students to use the chart they have
just created to assign a number below each
letter of the word ATTITUDE.The letter
A would be a 1, etc. After the students have
assigned the numbers to the letters of
ATTITUDE, ask them to add up the numbers.
Much to their surprise, the answer will
be 100.
Relate the total of 100 to the amount of
effort that needs to go into maintaining or
obtaining the proper attitude. 100% effort
might be your suggestion or 100 ways to
achieve successful attitude. Since 100 indicates
a certain wholeness or goodness from the
students' past experience, this exercise helps
create impact or added effort for the
adjustments needed for their attitude.
Using Rubrics to Assess Practical Skills
Sometimes just a little laughter is the medi-
cine needed to calm down students or bring
them into a different thought process. Here's
a cute story that might be just the right ticket
to bring smiles to the faces of your learners.
A traveling salesman was headed home from
a long day of sales when all of a sudden; he
heard his car make a clunk. He pulled over to
the side of the road and realized his car must
have hit a rabbit that was now lying in the
middle of the road...
He went to the rabbit and immediately
attempted to revive it, but to his dismay, his
attempts did not appear to be working.
Suddenly a stranger appeared from the
shadows and offered to help. The salesman
doubted whether his efforts would
be successful but cleared the
way for the stranger to share
his talents.
The stranger pulled from
his breast pocket a silver
flask and quickly began to
sprinkle what appeared to be
water over the rabbit. Much to the salesman's
surprise, the rabbit began to quiver and shake
and within seconds hopped away into the field.
In disbelief, the salesman asked the stranger
what on Earth he used to bring the rabbit
back to life. The stranger very calmly replied,
"Well, sir I just gave him a shot of my
hare tonic!"
Hare's
A
Story...
