End of the First Year

The end of my first year teaching has come. I have actually been out of school for 2 weeks now - but I felt an obligation to take the time and process my feelings about the first year.

I bought a yearbook and the students took turns and passing the book around and signing it. I read one note from one of my favorite students and cried so I did not read any other notes from any one else. Immediately after school ended I left the state so I still have not read any notes from any of my other students. I am so heartbroken over not being able to follow my students all the way through their high school career. The kids also signed the big poster in my classroom and I rolled that up on the last day and still have not read it either..... :( Soon.

I spent 1.5 weeks reviewing content material with all my classes. I created review games, gave them study guides, even gave them the answers to the study guides so they would make sure they all had the correct answers. I was so hopeful they would really take the initiative and study. Below are my kids test scores....

Physical Science

PD1 – 53.5%

PD5 – 44.5%

PD8 – 47.2%

Biology

PD3 – 54.9%

PD7 – 55.6%

Now, if my test scores were right in line with all the other science teachers in my school - I would still be broken hearted - but....I am pretty sure I had the lowest test scores in the entire district. After talking with a couple of other science teachers - I figured out why.....

They literally give the students the tests with the answers on them as the study guides. They spent 2 weeks reviewing with them and gave them all the answers again....

Call me crazy - but I think this is pretty unethical. Actually, I believe it is extremely unethical. This completely defies the entire assessment procedure. Why even have them take a test? Why not just give them whatever grade the end the school year with and call it quits? Why test them? Giving them the test with the answers as a study guide is not preparing them for the test - you are giving them unlimited access to memorize the test and the answers. Even using this technique - the district average is still below a 60%. I guess it is true - cheaters never win.

What are we teaching the kids by using this technique? They are learning that if they never study, teachers will give them the answers eventually and if they actually have any desire to pass at all, they only need to study the study guide and that's it. No research, no understanding, no higher level thinking......strict memorization. Remember key words and spit them back out with the right question and the right answer and you are good. Maybe you will be lucky enough to remember just enough of the answers so you will pass the test. You don't need to ace it - just pass. 60.0% is all my students shoot for.

I actually had the kids asking me how many questions they HAD to get right just to pass. Only pass......that's it.