My Biology students took a test over a chapter we covered in one week. I gave them a study guide with time to work on it in class. The study guide was literally question for question the test. I made the study guide due on the day of the test (Friday), and passed out the test. When I realized my students really didn't even have the study guide done, I passed out the textbook for them to use on the test. I gave them 30 minutes of our 50 minute class time to complete the 18 question multiple choice test.
Highest class average was a 63.3%.
I chose to give them the textbooks because they will be taking the final next week. I really want them to KNOW the information, not just guess. I wanted them to READ the question and have to use the book to find the answer. This required something that I did not anticipate.... Despite the homework assignment of reading the textbook, answering questions in class, going over information in class, and student centered learning of the sections in the textbook, they did not even know where to look to find the answer. They had no idea about the layout of the chapter and therefore, 30 minutes was not enough time for them to find the answers they needed. Awesome. Just awesome.
Not only do I give the answers in class, design lab activities that reinforce the answers, and give them a study guide with the questions to fill the answers in, but I also apparently need to specifically say, "This is the answer to question #3 on the test."
This is not teaching.
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