I often wonder if a partial solution to helping colleges, trade schools, and employers determine the worthiness of students for their programs and businesses is the diploma itself. I anticipate my solution will not be popular among certain groups, but I do think it could eliminate some of debate over assessing student backgrounds and achievement.
My rough idea for four diplomas, which I would probably color code rather than officially name:
1 - The first diploma would be one where the student took the most rigorous coursework available, essentially an honors diploma for most students. Students could have their coursework scored on a points basis, and if enough points are earned then they would receive this diploma.
2 - The second diploma would be for students who took the mainstream ("normal" or typical) courses available to them when they have not earned enough points for the first diploma.
3 - The ELL (ESL) diploma for students who took a number of sheltered or ELL courses rather than reaching the basic standards or taking the basic course load of the mainstream student.
4 - The special education diploma for students with a large number of special education courses as part of their academic course loads. If the special education courses were merely support for the mainstream courses, then the second diploma would be earned.
These are just rough thoughts but make me wonder if it could be a potential assistance to determining or assessing student achievement. It may even lead to the elimination of the vast monies spent on testing and instead spent on more direct means of assisting students.
Just an idea I think about from time to time.
Showing posts with label Testing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Testing. Show all posts
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Protest
I find it interesting--not necessarily effective--that a teacher refuses to administer the state-mandated standardized test. Other than gaining a bit of notoriety and calling attention to something already not popular, I'm not sure what the teacher hopes to accomplish. While I do not believe the state tests are a good idea, I can't say a protest of this sort will accomplish much.
Granted, I don't know what the Wisconsin state test covers, but I do know I can get over 90% of my kids to pass it without much additional workload or adjustment to my classroom curriculum. Really all I do is wordsmith my questions to match the test's language and ensure the students answer in a particular style.
I firmly believe the age of standardized testing will pass within 4-5 years when just about every school in my state is labeled as failing. The public will be outraged and will pressure the government to make changes if someone does not intervene between now and then.
Time will tell.
Granted, I don't know what the Wisconsin state test covers, but I do know I can get over 90% of my kids to pass it without much additional workload or adjustment to my classroom curriculum. Really all I do is wordsmith my questions to match the test's language and ensure the students answer in a particular style.
I firmly believe the age of standardized testing will pass within 4-5 years when just about every school in my state is labeled as failing. The public will be outraged and will pressure the government to make changes if someone does not intervene between now and then.
Time will tell.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Test Prep
Last week I gave my students study guides for their novel final exams this week. One of the teachers in the copy room saw my study guide and asked why I give the students all of the identifications, quotes, and essay questions. I explained that I see teaching as:
1. Tell the students what they need to know. I show the students everything I want them to learn, skills and content.
2. Teach the students what they need to know. We learn the content as we learn the skills.
3. Make sure the students show me what they need to know. The exam reveals to me how well I did in teaching the material and skills, and it shows the students how well they did. The exam is as much a test of my success as it is representative of student learning.
If I see very low scores, I know we need to practice more and redo the final exam or project. If scores are high, we were all successful.
Anyway, the teacher in the copy room with me seemed surprised that I would give the students so much information that will be on the test or in the project. I simply stated that I don't believe we (teachers) should surprise students or try to trick the students. I believe students should be responsible for their learning but with known targets and standards.
I don't give the students every question, but I do give them every identification and skill required.
1. Tell the students what they need to know. I show the students everything I want them to learn, skills and content.
2. Teach the students what they need to know. We learn the content as we learn the skills.
3. Make sure the students show me what they need to know. The exam reveals to me how well I did in teaching the material and skills, and it shows the students how well they did. The exam is as much a test of my success as it is representative of student learning.
If I see very low scores, I know we need to practice more and redo the final exam or project. If scores are high, we were all successful.
Anyway, the teacher in the copy room with me seemed surprised that I would give the students so much information that will be on the test or in the project. I simply stated that I don't believe we (teachers) should surprise students or try to trick the students. I believe students should be responsible for their learning but with known targets and standards.
I don't give the students every question, but I do give them every identification and skill required.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
Do We Set Students Up for Failure?
An interesting debate taking place between district administrators and high school teachers in my district is the effect of the system on student achievement. The primary topics are: how advanced learners are treated and the reasons for a high freshman failure rate.
A growing trend for Freshman Honors classes at the high school is the higher number of students in the D and F grade range. One teacher in my department recently had two of her children pass through the middle schools (one has graduated and one has entered her Sophomore year), and she constantly complains about the lack of rigor for advanced students in our middle schools. Her children were essentially segregated, along with two or three others, to work on independent projects for three years without any direct instruction in English. In her opinion, she believes her children lost English language and literary analysis instruction because no advanced program is provided and the amount of practice aimed at passing standardized tests is increasing.
During articulation meetings where English teachers from all grades gathered, teachers in the middle schools related that they spend approximately 20% of their time giving and grading assessment practices aimed at passing our state test, the WASL. Because of this enormous amount of time used for test prep, the students are losing time studying other content areas, especially the arts, and losing direct instruction in all content areas. Our district instructional leader wants WASL prep to be the curriculum and has created that structure in the middle schools. In fact, no novels or texts over twenty pages in length are used in the middle schools according to a middle school teacher. It's the district's dirty little secret, she says.
In addition to this inadequacy, teachers are beginning to see more students struggling as Freshmen. The reasons, according to many of the high school teachers, are:
1) too much time is used to prepare for the state test. Last year our high school English Department charted grades for freshmen and saw that more students were falling into the D/F range than ever before. 1.6 English teachers are needed just to teach students repeating a failed English course.
2) even though the district labels Freshmen as the "most at-risk" students in the district, Freshmen English and Math classes are maxed out at 32 per class. When my department raised this dilemma and reminded the assistant superintendent we were supposed to be the district's "number one priority" this year, he said there's no money to lower those numbers. He further stated that he did not feel that class size was a major factor in student success, even though he (and the others superintendents) mandated that remedial courses be capped at twenty students. Of course, he failed to mention that the district is front-loading money to special programs until a levy passes.
3) students are not held accountable for passing classes until high school (9th grade). Students have been socially promoted for eight or nine years, which creates a mentality that the work is not important and passing courses are not necessary to pass to graduate. Since the students don't understand how credits work, they often don't realize they must earn credits to graduate. Plus, students don't understand that courses at the high school are sequenced; the first must be passed to take the second.
4) systemic interventions for students are only really available after school. Many students help their families by working or babysitting and are unable to spend extra time at the high school, so interventions are needed during the normal school day, built into student schedules. This may be in the form of study halls, tutorial periods, writing and math labs, etc.
5) students are only required to pass the state test during 10th grade, not at the 4th or 7th grade testing years. Again, this creates a mental state which reinforces apathy about the test. "It doesn't count" is often heard by students because it never has counted for them.
Obviously, a better avenue of conversation is needed between the high school and the district office, but nothing indicates this will occur. We are typically told to go "teach" better and things will improve, despite some glaring unmet needs. I'm hopeful that this year will springboard a new working relationship with the district office, one that fosters collaboration and not just consternation.
A growing trend for Freshman Honors classes at the high school is the higher number of students in the D and F grade range. One teacher in my department recently had two of her children pass through the middle schools (one has graduated and one has entered her Sophomore year), and she constantly complains about the lack of rigor for advanced students in our middle schools. Her children were essentially segregated, along with two or three others, to work on independent projects for three years without any direct instruction in English. In her opinion, she believes her children lost English language and literary analysis instruction because no advanced program is provided and the amount of practice aimed at passing standardized tests is increasing.
During articulation meetings where English teachers from all grades gathered, teachers in the middle schools related that they spend approximately 20% of their time giving and grading assessment practices aimed at passing our state test, the WASL. Because of this enormous amount of time used for test prep, the students are losing time studying other content areas, especially the arts, and losing direct instruction in all content areas. Our district instructional leader wants WASL prep to be the curriculum and has created that structure in the middle schools. In fact, no novels or texts over twenty pages in length are used in the middle schools according to a middle school teacher. It's the district's dirty little secret, she says.
In addition to this inadequacy, teachers are beginning to see more students struggling as Freshmen. The reasons, according to many of the high school teachers, are:
1) too much time is used to prepare for the state test. Last year our high school English Department charted grades for freshmen and saw that more students were falling into the D/F range than ever before. 1.6 English teachers are needed just to teach students repeating a failed English course.
2) even though the district labels Freshmen as the "most at-risk" students in the district, Freshmen English and Math classes are maxed out at 32 per class. When my department raised this dilemma and reminded the assistant superintendent we were supposed to be the district's "number one priority" this year, he said there's no money to lower those numbers. He further stated that he did not feel that class size was a major factor in student success, even though he (and the others superintendents) mandated that remedial courses be capped at twenty students. Of course, he failed to mention that the district is front-loading money to special programs until a levy passes.
3) students are not held accountable for passing classes until high school (9th grade). Students have been socially promoted for eight or nine years, which creates a mentality that the work is not important and passing courses are not necessary to pass to graduate. Since the students don't understand how credits work, they often don't realize they must earn credits to graduate. Plus, students don't understand that courses at the high school are sequenced; the first must be passed to take the second.
4) systemic interventions for students are only really available after school. Many students help their families by working or babysitting and are unable to spend extra time at the high school, so interventions are needed during the normal school day, built into student schedules. This may be in the form of study halls, tutorial periods, writing and math labs, etc.
5) students are only required to pass the state test during 10th grade, not at the 4th or 7th grade testing years. Again, this creates a mental state which reinforces apathy about the test. "It doesn't count" is often heard by students because it never has counted for them.
Obviously, a better avenue of conversation is needed between the high school and the district office, but nothing indicates this will occur. We are typically told to go "teach" better and things will improve, despite some glaring unmet needs. I'm hopeful that this year will springboard a new working relationship with the district office, one that fosters collaboration and not just consternation.
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