I’ve committed myself to trying to live with my principal’s motto of “Failure is Not an Option”. In order to do this I need to change some of my own thinking around. For one, if a student chooses to fail a test, on one hand, “they failed, oh well”. On the other hand, what about the few kids who really did study? What about the kid who is like me, a poor test taker? If a kid miserably fails, as in less than 50%, they haven’t learned a thing and it will become impossible for the kids to raise such low percentages. So, to combat these challenges, I’m trying two new things (so far) this year:
When a student scores less than 50% I still enter 50% in the grade book. Why give them points they didn’t earn? Because they still have an F, but it’s a higher F which means it won’t be so hard to get out of the F zone. It just might give kids the motivation to make that effort to pass. In the past, kids would end up with 20% in class. Why would a kid want to work that hard if they have so far to even get to a D?
The second thing I’m doing is not allowing re-takes of tests when grades are low. Instead, if a student fails one of our weekly grammar/vocabulary tests, they get to do five grammar activities to reinforce the skill they didn’t learn the previous week. I could let them take the test again, but that’s not really fair and doesn’t really show me if they learned the material. Instead, they do the 5 grammar activities. They have 2 days to get it back to me. If they just did an “ok” job their F comes up to a D. If they do a GREAT job on the packet, and prove they have finally learned the skill, I will give them a C.
So, what do you do when kids are failing every simple test? Would love to hear other’s thoughts.
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We use “Assessment for Learning” at our school. This is not just a simple “retesting” policy. We have a multi-layered approach that begins with presenting a chapter or unit plan that gives students a clear understanding of what we will learn BEFORE the learning occurs. You can see an example here:
http://www.humbleisd.net/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=107944&fileitem=84180&catfilter=12221
Next we assess learning throughout the chapter. How? With prequizzes, practice of skills and lots of feedback. For example, when I give 10 homework questions – I give them a week in advance. Some kids turn them in the next day, others take the full week. But, I will start going over some of the questions in class for warmup – essentially practicing them with the students in class.
For homework, if they score below an 85, I let them come in and “orally defend” the work in tutoring after school. Say they scored a 70, they have ONE chance to schedule on their free time to come in and present their work and then orally defend it. They can only score up to an 85. Why? I want to see clear evidence that they have learned the material. All that matters to me is the learning.
Quizzes. They take the quiz in class. If they score below an 85 they can retake it ONCE in tutoring after school. They can only get as high as an 85 on the retake. The quiz will be over the same material as covered in class but not the exact same form or questions.
Tests work the same way, except to take retake a test they must show evidence of note taking from class, book or from my website (I post the notes). I want to be sure that they have studied. They have one shot and can score up to an 85.
Now, here’s the thing… if you are “worried” that more students are going to pass… that’s true. But, not as many as you would expect. Why? I have pushed my curriculum and my expectations much higher. How can I do that? I am supprorting the learning process in a much clearer way now and I am also giving multiple opportunities to have students prove they have learned the material.
To me it is all about building a winning streak. Last year (the first year that I tried this) I noticed a big change in the last six week’s period. Less kids were coming in for tutoring because they were becoming more confident, recognizing the need to do the work in the first place (it’s costing them a lot of time to come in on their own!).
This year we have added another level. Students have two chances to turn in homework w/o a late consequence. They can turn it in on the day it is due… and also the next class period. But, then if they still have not turned in the work I schedule a tutoring session for them to come in on their own time to do the work – or – present it to me. If they do not show up they get a trip to the principal’s office and a d-hall after school.
We have made not doing the work a BEHAVIOR issue – not a learning issue. Separating out the two has led to a much better relationship between my students and I. No longer am I constantly preaching about “DO YOUR WORK… or else you’ll FAIL!” Now it’s – what did you learn? A whole new and nicer level of teaching.
Of course, I would talk your ear off about this if anyone has any questions or wants to know more. I have gone to two conferences about Assessment for Learning and have presented to several trainings and professional developments in the past 6 months.
I give my students the opportunity to come back and take the test open book. Many don’t take me up on this opportunity. Many refuse to even try b/c they have been passed along so much.
David said that its a behavior issue, so in my district, not doing the work is a Chronic behavior issue. It is CHRONIC.
You’ve got me thinking about this thing again and i’m going to address it on my blog.
[...] was reading Tamara’s post, Failure is Not an Option. She discusses the options she has provided so that her students do not fail. States the [...]