I was ready for my students to ace the STAAR yesterday, not something I would normally say but this time I was confident. Turns out I probably shouldn't have been.
I teach a class for students that haven’t passed the STAAR before. These students have taken it at least three times and never passed. So much of this year has been devoted to building their confidence in math. Proving to them with focus they can do it. As many teachers will say, I am beyond proud of them. This past month their commitment and knowledge has grown so much. I actually went into test day confident for them.
Well today they come to me with bad news. Problems they forgot and major calculator issues. Should I have relied so much on calculators, probably not? I wanted to get these students to pass though and calculators are a huge tool that can help them. I’m disappointed. For them, of my teaching. I tell my students it is just a test, but I also push it hard on them. I was so excited for them to pass. I want them to feel that validation of their hard work. I want them to know they can do it. I am afraid of what one more failure will do to their confidence in math, or even school altogether. I keep thinking about the couple things I could have done last week to help prepare them more. I didn’t want to burn them out before test day, but maybe it wasn’t enough. That one thing I should have taught them that could have made the difference.
Testing isn’t everything, but it has a large effect. What hurts the most is so many students don’t care about these test and don’t try their best. These students walked into my room in September like that. Yesterday they showed up at test day, excited, nervous, asking me last minute question, clearly caring about their results. Today they are visibly upset. Now so am I. My fellow teachers in the lounge are asking what is wrong. Can they take it again, yes. They are not seniors so they have another shot. I just want them to know how much they really have grown this year and I don’t want them to loose that.
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Related Articles:
STAAR Season 2016 in Dallas ISD
Testing Anxiety in Dallas Students
STAAR Season 2015 in Dallas ISD
STAAR Results 2015 in Dallas ISD
Dallas ISD News and Politics Rundown - April Week 5
Well today they come to me with bad news. Problems they forgot and major calculator issues. Should I have relied so much on calculators, probably not? I wanted to get these students to pass though and calculators are a huge tool that can help them. I’m disappointed. For them, of my teaching. I tell my students it is just a test, but I also push it hard on them. I was so excited for them to pass. I want them to feel that validation of their hard work. I want them to know they can do it. I am afraid of what one more failure will do to their confidence in math, or even school altogether. I keep thinking about the couple things I could have done last week to help prepare them more. I didn’t want to burn them out before test day, but maybe it wasn’t enough. That one thing I should have taught them that could have made the difference.
Testing isn’t everything, but it has a large effect. What hurts the most is so many students don’t care about these test and don’t try their best. These students walked into my room in September like that. Yesterday they showed up at test day, excited, nervous, asking me last minute question, clearly caring about their results. Today they are visibly upset. Now so am I. My fellow teachers in the lounge are asking what is wrong. Can they take it again, yes. They are not seniors so they have another shot. I just want them to know how much they really have grown this year and I don’t want them to loose that.
Follow us on Facebook; Twitter; iTunes; Soundcloud; Stitcher
Related Articles:
STAAR Season 2016 in Dallas ISD
Testing Anxiety in Dallas Students
STAAR Season 2015 in Dallas ISD
STAAR Results 2015 in Dallas ISD
Dallas ISD News and Politics Rundown - April Week 5
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