Thursday, February 4, 2010
Test scores...What do they really say???
The PASS test scores went public today. There is a part of me that needs to know how my students did in comparison to other students in the grade I teach as well as how my students compare to others across the district. I need to know whether or not my teaching strategies are on par with other schools based on the performance of my students. This part of me always searches for connections I can make to test scores, growth, etc. Sometimes I loathe this part. PASS is a one shot deal - one day writing - one day for grammar and revising - one day for reading and research. Three days to represent a child's entire ELA experience in one year. I wrestle with whether or not this is a true measure of a child. If my success was based only on test scores, I may not be where I am today. What did my test scores say about me? Not enough. My will to learn, my determination, and my sacrifices were my true measures. Testing is important and it should be done. But is it the tell-all of a child?
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Brenda,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. I find this frustrating as well, and I always face conflict over how to balance "teaching to the test" and teaching kids the skills they need to be successful in the future because they are often not the same. Sometimes it's hard to find balance. I had a student several years ago whose boyfriend broke up with her the night before a high stakes test. She had not slept the night before the test and cried all day at school. I realize this event is often trivial to adults, but it was earth-shattering to the student at the time, and she still had to take the test. She had an A average in my course before this particular test, but she failed the state assessment which dropped her overall average to a low B for the year. This was certainly not a reflection of her knowledge or ability, but high stakes testing doesn't account for environmental influences we as teachers have no control over. Thanks for your post.
Amen sister! I like the map test better because it gives me an idea of how each student is progressing and where my classes as a whole may need further instruction. Of course, in most cases, I already know this based on my knowledge of my students. State testing gives me no information to improve myself or my students learning!
ReplyDeleteBrenda, your blog said it better than anyone else could. I will tell you that a lot of test scores depends on the student's mood and motivation. I have decided that building relationships with each and every student is the gate to formative assessments like Pass or Map. As long as you have a good repoire with your kids, the sky is the limit. I just know your hard work will not come back void. I'll keep you in my thoughts as you continue to reflect and grow as an educator, blogger, and citizen.
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