There
is a debate raging about the usefulness of standardized test scores in evaluating
teachers. It will rage a while longer, as those on each side are convinced and
immovable. This article, on the other hand, sidesteps the debate and examines ways
that teachers can use test results for the good of their practice and their
students.
As
teachers, we all too often feel powerless in the face of the many factors that
hinder our students' achievement. Family problems, peer pressure, relations
with the local community, demographics, even the weather, can all get in the
way. The only thing we CAN control, however imperfectly, is what happens within
the four walls of our classroom.
So how
can test scores be useful in view of the limitations placed upon us? Here are a
few thoughts on how test scores might be used.
1 – Get to Know Students
Even
before the opening of school you have the opportunity to get to know your
students. You can review grades, discipline records AND test scores. Remembering
that, with children, the past NEVER fully paints a picture of the future, there
is still a lot to be gained from a review of test scores.
As you
look through student scores, be SURE you know if a test is standards-referenced
[scored on a percentage correct basis] or norm-referenced [scored in comparison
to other students].
Be
aware, at this point in the year, of the factors that affect scores OTHER THAN
the student's knowledge of the subject. They include things such as motivation,
emotional state on test day, and distractions inside and outside of the
classroom.
2 –Student Progress Review
If your
school does mid-term and/or mid-year testing, these scores can be especially
valuable. They can be indicators of the effect your teaching is having on the
students. The progress of an individual student should be discussed with the
parents and with the student himself. Always remembering the uncertainties
inherent in testing, there is still good information here to examine and
discuss.
3 – Teacher Collaboration
Teachers
can collaborate even without test scores, of course, but these scores can
provide an excellent starting point, especially when viewed in terms of the progress
of each class as a whole. Comparison without competition can be difficult to achieve,
but the opportunity to share lesson plans and teaching methods makes it worth
the effort.
4 – Self Assessment
OK, I
say this often, but when those numbers are before me, they DO, in part, paint a
picture of me, much as I don’t like to admit it. Not in such a way, perhaps,
that they could be used to make a fair evaluation of my overall performance,
but they do tell something about what I have been able to accomplish with my
students. We teachers do so many things that could never be quantified and
reported for administrative use. These unquantifiables may very well be the
most important things we do.
There
it is – I see ME in the scores of my students.
I look
at the various standards that have been tested. Yep! The things I love, that I
designed great lessons around, THOSE things my students know and test well on. I'm
crazy about characterization, writing, and poetry, and, I must confess, not as
thrilled about narrator point of view and subordinate clauses. Guess what my
students test well on?
There
is value in testing if teachers are provided with the data AND THE TIME to
analyze the results. The results can help us identify more clearly an
individual student's strengths and weaknesses, and thereby help us focus on the
areas in which he or she needs support and practice. They can also help us
determine for what topic areas we may need to develop improved teaching
methods. Finally, we can become more motivated to infuse emotion and energy into
even those less-than-favorite lessons!
Managing Director
No comments:
Post a Comment