QtC's Ch. 15

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdCzwvWH0VQ

Here is a link to a video of another way a school is encouraging positivity about standardized tests that the TCAP Idol video reminded me of.

Talking about standardized tests in class this past week got me thinking about the role that they are (most likely—unless Ken Robinson gets elected president in 4 years) going to be playing  in my classroom.  Not only I will be affected by the scores; my students will be graded based on these achievement tests. I will want to be able to fully communicate both the significance of and the meaning of the score results.  If I was explaining “Ingrid’s” example score sheet on page 559, I would tell her grandmother that it appears Reading Comprehension, Science, and Social Science appear to be her strengths. You can tell this because she is in a high percentile—average to above average—for each of these subjects.  For example, Ingrid’s raw score in Reading Comprehension of “8,” which correlates to the 92^nd percentile, means she had a better performance score at this subject than 92% of students in her grade level who took this test.  Her weaknesses are Math Concepts, which still ranks in the average 57^th percentile but could still be improved, and most clearly Spelling and Math Computation.  These are the subject areas which have below average percentiles and need to be strengthened at home to help her catch up.  I would suggest that her grandmother involve Ingrid in daily computations at home, the grocery store, and the gas station, to name a few. She could also give spelling drills and quiz Ingrid on the spellings of random words throughout the day.

By the way, now that you got suckered into watching the video, I will admit that I am biased because the principal in the movie is…..my dad. But hey, I’m proud of him and the positive environment he’s built at his school! Whether educators like it or not, TCAPS are still a required aspect of Tennessee public schools, so the best way for an individual teacher to cope is to adjust and make the most out of what has been given.