Well,
Today marks the beginning of retesting for the Georgia High School Graduation Test at our high school. For the past two weeks, we have offered tutoring sessions for each part of the test at the high school. We offered tutoring sessions Monday through Thursday with four separate sessions that they could choose to attend. The sessions were held from 9:00-10:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m.-12:00 noon, 5:00-6:30 p.m., and 6:30-8:00 p.m. One of our more dedicated teachers actually drove a bus to pick up several of the students and bring them in for tutoring.
As I understand it, the purpose of GHSGT re-testing is for schools to have a better chance of meeting AYP. During the school year, we set a goal for every student to make at least a 519 on the tests which is considered "Pass Plus", 500 is actually the passing score. Those students who met the score of 519 were rewarded with a day at school spent on the track with music, water slides, and other sorts of fun activities.
So, for the GHSGT re-tests, we had students who failed parts the test and students who passed, but did not meet the score of 519. The students who chose to come to a certain number of tutoring sessions before the re-tests will be rewarded with a free trip to White Water amusement park in Atlanta one day later in the summer.
This whole situation has caused great debate at my home. My wife and I have differing opinions on this whole issue.
My wife's view: Why should students who failed the test get a chance to take it again and then be rewarded for it?
My view: I understand some of the negatives about rewarding those who are not initially successful, but to meet what the state requires, is there a better way of handling it?
My wife and I both graduated from the school that I am teaching at in 2004. A lot has changed since then, especially the tests that our students take and the requirements from the state.
GOOD LUCK TO OUR RE-TESTERS!!!!!!!!
Thoughts???????????
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Your wife is right, fwiw. "No child left behind" my arse. Honestly, even from an educators point of view, you have to admit that some folks just have to be left behind. While we are at it, let's take warning labels off of everything and clean out the genetic pool.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletei actually agree with both of you- i mean, even though i made all pass plus on the tests in 2008, if we would have had a free white water trip with all our other classmates for retaking the tests, it would have been tempting, and much more temptig than the 519 party. but, while i think the No Child Left Behind Act is BS, i agree with you in that a good way to meet the requirements is to bribe students. i personally know a lot of students who dont give a f* about their grades or what kind of test scores they make. i think they should suffer the consequences and not be rewarded, but hey- you gotta do what you gotta do.
ReplyDelete*jkm:)
ps. was coach nisbet the one who drove the bus? the only reason i ask that is because he always seemed like he liked driving the buses around.
I have never been a fan of "No Child Left Behind." NCLB causes those who are ahead to be pulled back, and those who were behind to fall even farther behind. The students who do not care about their grades will NEVER care about their grades if they are rewarded for failure.
ReplyDeleteOk, Lee.
ReplyDeleteI can see both sides of this argument. Those children that struggle with academics SHOULD be rewarded for overcoming their problems after the initial testing session. They should be given a "treat", if you will, just like those of us that attained the Pass Plus rating the first time. However, this prize should definitely not be better than what those that pass the first time receive. If they get something better than the people who passed at first, what would be the point in striving to pass when the top students do? Now obviously this isnt true for the first set of students who get rewarded, being MY graduating class, but the classes below mine can learn and see that they have two chances to pass, and will STILL be getting a big reward. Many will be smart enough to do badly the first time around just so they can get the beter reward.
So, your wife is right. You are right. There are just varying levels of "rightness" in this situation.
And as far as AYP goes, it is a crock of bull. Maybe it is useful for those schools that start out low on the totem pole, but in my highschool we were already high in the percentages when AYP became a big issue. We had a high passing rate. Now, with "Annual Yearly Progress" it is almost impossible to meet the progress required when you are already at 90 some-odd percent passing. NOBODY is going to reach 100%. Completely impossible. Nobody is going to progress when you cant educate all students who take the tests adaquetely. Some people just cant do it. Its a fact. Face it. Love it or leave it.
And Tripp cracks me up.