Kelly, I agree that the PARCC test was not taken very seriously nationwide. We had quite a handful of students opt out and many teacher/student/parent complaints. I also just finished administering 3 days of NWEA at our high school for those who did not do well the last time they tested and need to see if they will end up needing remediation. I don’t think this is a very accurate assessment because the majority of the students came in complaining and asking why they have to take it again, which left them even less motivated and more frustrated. On a better note, I really like Figure 9.4 Self-assessment of group work. I think this is a great strategy to keep students up to date on performing their job of the group. I think this would be very useful for literature circles as well.
Students in my district are starting the second part of PARCC testing when it only seemed a few weeks ago they were taking the first. Students as well as teachers are fed up and are convinced that PARCC is just a test to accumulate data for the schools not to benefit or assess the students. You have NECAP, PARCC a slew of other tests that districts and states by into. PARCC, NECAP are products not assessments tools and it seems the business of education is overshadowing what education really needs- a way to better the system of education
Fred, my students in a matter of 3 weeks will have completed STAR tests in math and English, NECAP Science and PARCC. It seems all we have done since we got back from April vacation is test. These students are getting burnt out and therefore not showing a lot of care in how they perform on the test. I think the data that should be collected and evaluated in terms of what these students are learning should be the time teachers spend in the classroom with these students and how they interact. How they differentiate instruction to benefit the students needs and thus teach the students. Not something where they have to bubble in a scantron sheet!
I just finished up administering the NWEA test last week to students at our high school who did not meet the suggested criteria the first time around this year. They came in having no idea why they were there or what test they were taking. Once I told them what test it was they quickly figured out that they were there because they had not previously done well. They couldn't have been more unmotivated and took it even less seriously. I don’t know how effective these scores will be in determining if remediation is needed. The teacher in charge of this test told me he realizes that as well.
We also recently finished PARCC and I too connected the test to the discussion of high stakes testing, especially if RI begins using it as a measure for graduation. However, as I was reviewing the sample questions for the test and thinking about how I could prepare my students to take it, I found myself thinking, "these are pretty good questions" and, while I did not teach to the test, the test did inform my teaching and bumped my game up a bit as a result. I was genuinely surprised.
Great point Mike, I also did the same after observing my students when they took the "mid year" assessment in March. We finish the end of the year assessments tomorrow. I anticipate that next year will hopefully be spread out more to show some actual growth. The emphasis placed on close reading and citing textual evidence was a big take away for me. In addition to the comparison of paired texts.
This is the John Oliver Standardize Testing rant/video/news/whatever... copy and paste if you haven't seen it. I did not fact check it at all, but it seems a lot more students are opting out of tests than I realized.
Kelly, I agree that the PARCC test was not taken very seriously nationwide. We had quite a handful of students opt out and many teacher/student/parent complaints. I also just finished administering 3 days of NWEA at our high school for those who did not do well the last time they tested and need to see if they will end up needing remediation. I don’t think this is a very accurate assessment because the majority of the students came in complaining and asking why they have to take it again, which left them even less motivated and more frustrated.
ReplyDeleteOn a better note, I really like Figure 9.4 Self-assessment of group work. I think this is a great strategy to keep students up to date on performing their job of the group. I think this would be very useful for literature circles as well.
Students in my district are starting the second part of PARCC testing when it only seemed a few weeks ago they were taking the first. Students as well as teachers are fed up and are convinced that PARCC is just a test to accumulate data for the schools not to benefit or assess the students. You have NECAP, PARCC a slew of other tests that districts and states by into. PARCC, NECAP are products not assessments tools and it seems the business of education is overshadowing what education really needs- a way to better the system of education
ReplyDeleteFred, my students in a matter of 3 weeks will have completed STAR tests in math and English, NECAP Science and PARCC. It seems all we have done since we got back from April vacation is test. These students are getting burnt out and therefore not showing a lot of care in how they perform on the test. I think the data that should be collected and evaluated in terms of what these students are learning should be the time teachers spend in the classroom with these students and how they interact. How they differentiate instruction to benefit the students needs and thus teach the students. Not something where they have to bubble in a scantron sheet!
DeleteI just finished up administering the NWEA test last week to students at our high school who did not meet the suggested criteria the first time around this year. They came in having no idea why they were there or what test they were taking. Once I told them what test it was they quickly figured out that they were there because they had not previously done well. They couldn't have been more unmotivated and took it even less seriously. I don’t know how effective these scores will be in determining if remediation is needed. The teacher in charge of this test told me he realizes that as well.
DeleteWe also recently finished PARCC and I too connected the test to the discussion of high stakes testing, especially if RI begins using it as a measure for graduation. However, as I was reviewing the sample questions for the test and thinking about how I could prepare my students to take it, I found myself thinking, "these are pretty good questions" and, while I did not teach to the test, the test did inform my teaching and bumped my game up a bit as a result. I was genuinely surprised.
ReplyDeleteGreat point Mike, I also did the same after observing my students when they took the "mid year" assessment in March. We finish the end of the year assessments tomorrow. I anticipate that next year will hopefully be spread out more to show some actual growth. The emphasis placed on close reading and citing textual evidence was a big take away for me. In addition to the comparison of paired texts.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your attitude Mike.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6lyURyVz7k
ReplyDeleteThis is the John Oliver Standardize Testing rant/video/news/whatever... copy and paste if you haven't seen it. I did not fact check it at all, but it seems a lot more students are opting out of tests than I realized.