CHAPTER 11: Practices that support hope and a growth mindset
When in your professional life have you been given a redo? Who offered it to you and why do you think you got that second chance? What did it feel like receiving it? What happened before and during your second chance? How did it benefit you?Was there time when you were asked to demonstrate competence and weren’t given a second chance? Why weren’t you given that chance? Did you ask for it, or believe that you could?
How much of a motivator is hope? How much do you notice a change in student behavior and motivation, particularly among lower performing students, before the first assessment of the term compared to after they have received the scores of that first assessment ? At the beginning of the term versus after the first progress report? How could offering redemption via retakes, weighing more recent performance, minimum grading, or 0-4 scales throughout the term affect motivation?
How would the commitment to mandatory retakes align or conflict with your school’s vision? What would have to change for your classroom or your school to commit to mandatory retakes? What would make it difficult? What could your school do to make it easier to make retakes mandatory?
Post your answer to the questions above in the comment section here by clicking "Enter you comment" > choose "name/URL" in the drop down menu and add your name before typing your comment and clicking publish.
Comment on two peers' posts by clicking "reply" > choose "name/URL" in the drop down menu underneath their posts and add your name. Participants are required to comment on one " I notice...." and one " I wonder..." on two peers' reflections in each chapter.
Due. April 8, 2022
1. In my professional life, I have been given opportunities by administrators and mentors to present at various conferences on topics such as learner voice, learner agency, and innovation. Although there were rejections along the way, the belief in me led to future presentation opportunities to share my journey as an educator. After hearing the disappointment of being rejected, I was able to have rich discussions with colleagues about how my application, presentation, and more importantly my story needed to be more relevant and impactful so more educators might benefit from it. From the book, I learned that there is research done which proves that students who have retake opportunities will not take advantage of them and become lazy during the initial assessment opportunities. This is good information to know because I definitely have had this thought before. I will continue encouraging my students to embrace learning as a process rather than a product. The book made me realize that I should implement a simple design cycle of having students “learn - practice - teach.”
ReplyDeleteThere was a professional development course that I took where I did demonstrate competency, however, I was unable to receive the necessary credits. There were individuals and long withstanding policies which prevented me from the opportunity for a second chance. I definitely advocated for myself but unfortunately I was not able to make a strong enough case. This setback fueled me to continue advocating for myself and other educators who are eager to grow as professionals.
2. From personal experience myself and in the many students I have taught over the years, I know that hope can be a big motivator but it is easily lost as well. As a middle school teacher, many lower performing students come to my classes already having fixed mindsets about their intellectual abilities. Because of this, there is not much change in student behavior and motivation before and after the first assessment given or at any point in the year. It takes a lot of individual coaching and positive peer guidance to support struggling learners and over time through small wins along the way, they start to believe in their abilities. I can often be a tough and strict educator who believes that every child can succeed, however, sometimes the 6th graders I teach are intimidated by this. They’re hearing the tone of my voice rather than the words I am speaking. I will work on changing the tone of my voice to be calmer but still firm. I will implement and imbed mandatory retakes as part of class time to ensure that all learners have an opportunity to improve.
3. The commitment to mandatory retakes aligns with my school’s vision. As we are a
standards-based school, we are expected to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery of specific rubric objectives. It was interesting to be reminded that not all students have a supportive home life when they are struggling in school. I learned that teachers might be the only people that believe in a student which is why we should make not failing a non-negotiable. In my practice, I would have to more explicitly share with students that they always have opportunities to share learning evidence at any point in the school year. I will implement a policy where we have rolling deadlines and the formative and summative assessments may be interchangeable. If one solo is mastered early on in the grading period, it would serve as a formative assessment. However, if a student needs more time to practice that piece, it could serve as their summative assessment. Having options will support each individual learner. With large class sizes, it is sometimes difficult to keep track of which students need to retakes. In our schools assessment policy, they could include that mandatory retakes are required. I thought it was interesting when the author shared that a teacher might use a portion of a class period for everyone to retake an assessment. For those that have mastered the material, they could use the time to work on a future assessment.
Hi Zachary! I noticed that you feel like middle schoolers already come in already having a fixed mindset of their intellectual abilities. I believe you are correct because many times students are deemed a certain type of student and it is not easily corrected. I wonder if with the right peer support and teacher support we can change their thoughts or hopefully not let them get to that point. I think elementary school teachers have a big responsibility to not let students get a fixed mindset yet but continue with a growth mindset.
DeleteAloha Zachary- I noticed that you will continue to encourage your students to embrace learning as a process rather than a product. This is something that I also would like to do. I wonder what we can do in our everyday practice to encourage this. Students are so conditioned to create a product for a grade that many times they are focusing on the final product (project, test) that they are not absorbing all the things we as teachers create and implement during the process that will help them to get a deep understanding of the content. I try to incorporate fun, relevant activities to assist students in the process of learning and not just on the product. I really enjoy hearing from other teachers as to what they do and collaborating with them, sharing ideas that work and hearing and giving constructive criticism.
DeleteAloha Zachary- I noticed that you said that it was interesting to be reminded that not all students have a supportive home life when they are struggling in school. You also mentioned that you learned that teachers might be the only people that believe in a student which is why we should make not failing a non-negotiable. These were also things that I took away from this weekʻs reading. I wonder how we as teachers can implement practical, effective changes in our grading system and policies so that our disadvantaged and struggling students are more equitably aided to succeed in school.
DeleteHi Zachary. I notice you care more if your students understand the content compared to simply producing the evidence. I agree with this mindset, especially after reading this book. Sometimes as teachers we focus too much on the outcome, instead of whether or not students actually learned the material. Mandatory retakes should be an administrative or DOE decision. I wonder how effective this approach would be- would students do worse on the first assessment simply because they know they can retake it? I am unsure how effective mandating test retakes across all curriculum would be.
DeleteAloha Zachary,
DeleteI noticed how candid you are with your response to this prompt. I specifically appreciate the opportunities you take to advocate for yourself; especially when professional components come into play.
I also believe that when professional growth and learning is an option, and our chance is taken away from us for one reason or another, that it would fuel me as well!
When the "low" times occur and when we are hindered in growth by the powers-at-be (for lack of a better term), I wonder if other professionals take into consideration the affect "defeat" has on an individual. Not everyone bounces back the same and some find it difficult to speak for themselves.
I pride myself on being courageous to tackle problems that teach us severe lessons. I like that we, as educators, are able to get up after being knocked down. Look at all we've been through in a world-wide pandemic. These hard knocks empower us to unite as faculty/staff and continue to support our community, our people, and our students!
Thank you for sharing your mana`o!
Ceslee
Zach, I really dig what you said about telling your students that Learning is a Process, not a Product. Very true, especially in art. I also talk about the art process. Kids today want instant gratification. But in art or music, 1 art piece might take 3 weeks to finish. It is not a 1 day deal. Young artist/musicians need to know that putting in the work, which includes making mistakes is okay. Just grinding and putting your best foot forward makes you an artist, would you not agree?
DeleteQuestions 1&2
ReplyDeleteI was given a chance at a redo on the math portion of the Praxis test as allowed by whoever makes up the rules about teacher qualifications, although I did have to pay the fee again to retake the test. I was glad I could retake it, although I was annoyed at having to pay the fee again. I feel like I got the second chance because if retakes were not allowed then there would be many people such as myself who would not be teachers because of not being able to pass one or more portions of the Praxis tests. I had studied for the test and when I missed the qualifying score by TWO POINTS (!!) I studied even harder, got tutored, and passed the second time around. From the reading I learned the importance of allowing students to retake exams because really, Iʻm trying to assess understanding of the content and the standards and. In the past, I did not allow retakes except for any reason other than excused absences. I did not take into consideration factors that would cause some students to either not take the test or to score very low. I can see now that this was an inequitable way to grade students. In my practice, I would now like to implement a system that freely allows for retakes so I can properly assess students' understanding of material covered in class.
I cannot think of a time when I was not allowed a second chance to demonstrate competence.
Hope is a major motivator for all people- adults and students included. When there is hope, a person is willing, and even eager to attempt and accomplish tasks. When there is no hope, a person is unexcited about starting, completing, and/or turning in work. In lower performing students, I have noticed that their behavior and motivation can be affected pre and post assessment quarter, exam, and progress report. Some of them make an effort at the beginning of the year/quarter/pre-test, but if they receive low scores, especially scores that are mathematically impossible to recover from to receive a passing score for the quarter/year, they are not coming to class, not coming on time, not turning in work, not taking tests, and it just keeps snowballing into a really negative situation. I get frustrated that theyʻre not trying harder to make up work and catch up and get to a passing grade. They may feel like thereʻs no sense in trying because nothing they do will be enough to get to a passing grade. Even if theyʻre not failing, they may have low scores which can make them feel embarrassed and humiliated. Offering redemption via retakes, weighing more recent performance, minimum grading, or 0-4 scales throughout the term could positively affect motivation for these students. If they feel like thereʻs a reasonable chance for them to pass because of any one or more of these options, they may start coming back to class, coming on time, taking and passing tests, and completing and turning in work that will show understanding of material and bring up their scores so they can pass the class. From the reading I learned that the traditional grading system strips many students of hope. In my practice I would like to implement offering redemption via retakes, weighing more recent performance, and minimum grading as a way to increase hope for my vulnerable and struggling students so that they can succeed in my class.
I noticed you shared your personal experiences on the snowball effect when an initial year assessment goes awry, and hope is diminished due to the traditional uphill climb to catch up. I am eager to learn the effects that the text book’s intervention strategies will have on the “hope” in the perspective of the students. It’s one thing to read about successful intervention, and it’s another to actually see it in person. I’m excited for you to test it out! I wonder what that would look like, in terms of communication to the students/families at the beginning of the school year? Thank you for sharing!
DeleteHi Charme!
DeleteI notice that your background in getting a redo has shaped your current outlook on redos as a teacher. I will agree that many times this initial "failure" gives the essential spark that is needed to come back with more energy to succeed the next time. I wonder if feelings of humiliation prohibit from students from turning in work even when they understand the content. Do you think a possible fear of failure could be contributing to test anxiety? What about performance freezes during a summative?
I noticed that you mention that hope is not only a motivator for students but for adults as well. I couldn't agree more. I wonder if there is a way to apply the principles we have learned about regarding equity in grading towards our professional practice so that we stay as motivated and hopeful as our students deserve...
DeleteQuestion 3- How would the commitment to mandatory retakes align or conflict with your school’s vision? What would have to change for your classroom or your school to commit to mandatory retakes? What would make it difficult? What could your school do to make it easier to make retakes mandatory?
ReplyDeleteMandatory retakes may or may not align with my schoolʻs vision. On the one hand, my school encourages teachers to give students every opportunity to participate in and pass our classes, but on the other hand, we are also given measures of control on how we as teachers implement that. There is really no set standard at my school about grading systems. Some teachers allow retakes for various reasons with different approaches on how to grade retakes, and some do not allow retakes at all for any reason. From the reading I learned that mandatory retakes are effective when students have completed all homework and classwork (formative assessments) since these are preparation for the final exam (summative assessment). In my practice I would like to implement mandatory retakes but students will only be able to retake if they have completed all work. For me to change my classroom to commit to mandatory retakes I would need to get more organized so that I can record all tests and retakes accurately and then enter the higher grade in the grading software. I have about 150 students on my roster across 6 classes so that is a challenge. On the school level, the administration would have to have a school wide training on mandatory retakes, provide the instructional time for retakes so weʻre not working out of our contract hours, and also clearly explain to all teachers that there is a mandatory retake policy so that everyone is doing the same thing.
Hi Charme! I noticed that you were able to redo your Praxis test and that supported your career as a teacher. I believe that to be such a powerful example of why redo testing is so important. As students whether in elementary school, middle/high, or college, there is no reason to limit a student to one potentially poorly taken test. That test could make or break your career path or discourage you to pursue something bigger in your life. I wonder how many redo tests we really get in our lives and how important it is to let students take those redo tests. Grading with Equity has really taught me how rigid our initial thoughts on testing and grading really are. With small changes, big things can happen for our students.
DeleteHowzit Charme,
DeleteI notice that many schools have teacher who "do" and teacher that "don't". This goes for a lot of school related things. I'm on the fence about how the teachers at my school feel and/or function in their classrooms. I work specifically with grade nine teachers and have gotten to know them rather well. They, fortunately, allow me to share my insights about grading and this book study PD has definitely helped me develop a voice.
I wonder what it will take, and exhaustively so, to make the necessary changes across our whole campus - beyond grade 9. I believe that it is difficult to find the teachers who are willing to initiate change. For one reason or another, change is very hard for teachers to grasp. I find that hard to believe because we encourage, almost insist, that our students make changes. Yet here some of us are, unwilling to budge =(. I hope I can be as influential as many of you are! Thanks for your comments!
Aloha Charme,
DeleteI noticed that you discussed the time constraints that can make mandatory retakes difficult. I feel the same way. It is definitely hard to keep track of which students need to retake and which ones do not. I think it is a great idea to have schoolwide instructional meetings on the importance and effectiveness of retakes. I wonder, is there a specific benefit to only allowing those who have completed all of their assignments to be able to retake? I have tried to do something like that in the past and it tends to end up being the higher achieving students that retake and the lower achieving students get left behind. Thanks for sharing!! :)
When in your professional life have you been given a redo? Who offered it to you and why do you think you got that second chance? What did it feel like receiving it? What happened before and during your second chance? How did it benefit you?Was there time when you were asked to demonstrate competence and weren’t given a second chance? Why weren’t you given that chance? Did you ask for it, or believe that you could?
ReplyDeleteIn my professional life, I was given a redo when I was offered my job back in Early Intervention even though I had left for a few years. It was offered to me from my supervisor and I felt like I was given a second chance to continue my work in my specialized field. I got this second chance because I had previously shown how motivated and dedicated I had been to the job and I had let my supervisor know that I was ready to be dedicated to my career again. When I received this second chance, it felt like I was ready to prove that I was worthy of a second chance. Before the second chance, I was nervous what my next step in my career might be. During the second chance, I felt a need to prove how good I was at my job and support my supervisor by doing things that were above and beyond my expectations. It benefited me by making me truly want to do my best and succeed in my career.
How much of a motivator is hope? How much do you notice a change in student behavior and motivation, particularly among lower performing students, before the first assessment of the term compared to after they have received the scores of that first assessment ? At the beginning of the term versus after the first progress report? How could offering redemption via retakes, weighing more recent performance, minimum grading, or 0-4 scales throughout the term affect motivation?
Hope is a motivator because we all want to succeed. When comparing students’ behavior and motivation before and after an assessment, I notice that if a student did well, they continue to try to do their best, but when they did poorly, many students give up. Students are different at mid-quarter from the beginning of the quarter because most students believe that they already have whatever grade they will be receiving whether they try or not. Offering redemption via whatever strategy, might affect motivation by giving students a second chance to show they know the content.
How would the commitment to mandatory retakes align or conflict with your school’s vision? What would have to change for your classroom or your school to commit to mandatory retkes? What would make it difficult? What could your school do to make it easier to make retakes mandatory?
The commitment to mandatory retakes would align with my school’s vision because we use the 7 habits of healthy kids in our school. The first Habit is to Be Proactive. This means to take initiative and know that you are in charge. Students in our school would be up for retakes so that they can continue to be in charge of their future. For my school to commit to mandatory retakes, it would take our team of teachers to take on the responsibility and let the administrators know how important it is for students to retake tests that they did poorly on. What would make it difficult is some teachers may not feel like it is justified due to other students making the effort the first time. To make retakes mandatory, a few things my school could do to make it easier would be to make the retakes mandatory across the whole school and have supports to help the teachers make the retakes happen, such as have the EAs or PPTs be able to administer the tests. Our school is a TItle One school with many students just barely making it to class. I think retakes of tests would make the grading more equitable across the board.
Aloha Beth. I notice your school uses the 7 habits of healthy kids and therefore are allowed to retake assessments. I also feel the decision to mandate retakes is up to administrators and DOE staff. Support personnel such as EA's would definitely help administer retake assessments. Sometimes it is too overwhelming for one teacher to try to teach a class while also monitor students taking exams. I wonder if the Hawaii DOE will ever decide to overpower our teacher's union to implement such changes.
DeleteAloha Beth,
DeleteI noticed you said your school uses the 7 habits of healthy kids. Is that a mandated school program? I also noticed that you addressed the issue of it perhaps being unfair for the students who put the effort in the first time. I wonder if this could be viewed as a reward for not having to retake a test if they already successfully completed it. I know some students will not take the first round seriously because they know they have a second chance, but they do have to spend more time retaking something they already did, which most do not want to do if they do not have to. Have you ever averaged the scores of the first and second tests so students are less likely to goof off on their first shot?
Beth, I notice that you mentioned your school encourages students to exude the 7 Habits. I am familiar with the habits and agree that the habits of being proactive, as well as beginning with the end in mind and think win-win are all elements that are connected to offering mandatory retakes. Students should not the only proactive ones, but teachers as well, preparing to allow students to redo mistakes. And thinking win-win while keeping the end in mind helps students AND teachers to focus on the task ahead and embrace hope and motivation.
DeleteHigh School teachers are provided opportunities to adjust curriculum and instructional strategies between each class period. I consider this a redo to improve my teaching. Sometimes I think I have a great lesson plan, but my students may not be engaged during first period, so I adjust and deliver the material in a different way for the other classes. Teachers must constantly reflect and make adjustments in order for students to succeed. On certain block schedules we have a short break between the first and second class periods to reflect and adjust. I enjoy changing ineffective plans to more effective ones when necessary.
ReplyDeleteHope is absolutely a motivator for success. Typically, when students are successful and earn high scores on their assessments, they are highly motivated to continue achieving and trying to succeed. However, when a student earns a low score on an assessment, they tend to be less motivated on future assignments. When teachers provide the opportunity to retake exams, students are empowered to try harder to improve. This chapter taught me to allow retakes, weigh grades more based on recent performance rather than simply calculating all formative assessments and scores throughout the year. I plan to implement a different grading system that is more equitable for all students beginning next school year.
Currently, the decision to mandate test retakes is left to each individual teacher. Students have shared that most other teachers allow retakes. I do not allow students to retake exams. I have found the main reason students fail their assessments to be the simple fact they choose NOT to study. I believe we have to teach students to study and apply content outside of the classroom. If I allow a retake, students will not try hard the first time because they know they can simply have more time to study and then take the test at their convenience. I think the State DOE would need to mandate retakes in order for all teachers to comply. Our principal may be able to mandate this decision but I would expect her to encounter some resistance from our union.
I noticed that you do not allow students to retake their assessments. After reading the chapter, what are your thoughts now? Do you still feel the same about why students fail? How do you motivate students to instill the idea of “why” we study instead of looking at it as just points? How do you elicit their true comprehension of the content if they choose not to study? How do you think students feel about doing their best the first time instead of wasting the opportunity to have to study later? What do you think about surveying the students? I wonder if a mandatory retake intervention block would allow students to change their perspective? Thank you for sharing!
DeleteHi Melissa... I notice that you share how you adjust the delivery of your lessons based on how previous classes respond. I think it is fantastic that you self-reflect on your instruction and continually strive to find ways to engage your students. I wonder if in addition to self-reflection and adapting your lessons, you also consider that maybe some students/periods may respond differently than other students/periods so before changing something, think first if it might be a great activity for a future period.
DeleteAs an educator, my professional job lends itself to daily “redos”. As mentioned in the text, “Grading for Equity” teachers allow themselves daily redos as we are constantly reteaching skills and instruction, learning from our mistakes, and improving our instruction. Our experiences as professionals; I consider very fortunate in the way we are provided many opportunities to correct our mistakes as compared to professions that depend on information that require close to perfect presentation. If I had a job that required perfection, I would feel anxiety and pressure to perform an exact way, each and every time. I think the remedy would definitely require leadership that allows for mistakes, setting the foundation for worksite expectation, and allowing the employees to flourish to the best of their abilities.
ReplyDeleteHope includes the awareness of the end results; grades, and how to obtain them. I can’t just tell a student to have hope and that it’ll be ok, without something foundational for them to grab onto. Having hope is instilling the confidence that a student can reach their goals. The text, “Grading for Equity” educates teachers of various strategies that can be used to promote a higher “possibility” that a student can earn an A; retakes that replace previous assessments, weighing the most recent assessments, minimum grading, and/or 0-4 scales. These strategies provide students the “hope” that will be motivating enough to achieve their happiness, confidence, and of course; a passing grade.
If a school would like to implement a mandatory retake, the schedule would need to include a specific block of time to allow for teachers to implement the retake. In my opinion, I could see a leader share their agreements requiring retakes, and encourage teachers to provide retakes on their own, but if it were made mandatory, the schedule would need to carve out time for it. I think schools should implement the lather before requiring retakes; which gives teachers the idea of retakes, in hopes that leadership has built a culture to allow it to flourish on its own.
I noticed that you stated that schools would need to carve out time for retakes if it was going to be mandatory. I have heard of schools that have built in flex time for students to go to teachers of their choice for tutoring or making up their assignments. To me, having some type of flex time in a secondary school schedule makes a lot of sense. Students would need to be taught the system and then guidance would need to be provided. I wish we had something like that at my middle school. Time is always a challenge.
DeleteHi Matthew!
DeleteI notice that you are very open to the idea of redos and view it as a part of growth culture which is a great way for an educator to perceive development. Overall I can you feel that having hope is the fuel to propel students into getting where they need to be motivation wise. I wonder if schools would be allowed to implement a mandatory retake policy or if there would be pushback from other (older) faculty members?
I was recently given a redo this past year while writing my research paper for my graduate degree. I did not correctly do my literature review and my advisor offered me an extension to redo the section. My professor understood that my first attempt demonstrated a lack of understanding on my part and allowed me to try again after giving me some more guidance. I needed to get this research done, so it was necessary for me to have a proper literature review. I felt relieved to be able to redo it, if I was not able to redo it I would have failed the course. It benefited me because I was able to demonstrate my ability and grow.
ReplyDeleteThere were multiple times during my early education when I was asked to demonstrate competence and was not given a second chance. My teachers were really strict about only allowing one chance to demonstrate competence. They did not thoroughly explain why we were not allowed to redo a test or project. I thought it had to do with the fact that my teachers just did not want to grade another assignment. Earlier in my educational experience, I think I was more willing to ask for a redo, but after many rejections I realized it was pointless to ask. I learned that you only get one chance to show what you know when I was a student.
I think hope is a huge motivator. I have thought about this a lot, I worry how students will react to low achievement scores on assessments. From my experience, I have noticed that my lower performing students did not have high motivation before the first assessment, but when they received their scores, it was a bit of a wake up call. Most of the students became more motivated to get better scores. I have been offering retakes and minimized my grading so the students seem to be motivated to do better on their retakes. I find that most of my students are hopeful that they will succeed in my class so motivation is not lacking.
I have experienced instances in which students become highly unmotivated because of their low scores. Even when retakes are offered, these students tend to avoid them because they feel like they will fail. It is important to keep the student hopeful for success. When students feel defeated and that there is no way out, they tend to disengage from their academics.
I think a commitment to mandatory retakes align with our school’s vision to prepare our students to become positive and productive citizens. I think in the classroom, I would have to continue to allow more time for retakes. As a school, it may be difficult to get all of the staff on the same page. Many teachers are adamantly against allowing students to retake. I could see it becoming an issue as a schoolwide mandate. I think the school could put less pressure on getting through an entire pacing guide and give more space for flexibility. I understand that we have to teach specific standards, but it feels that the pacing does not fully allow for mandatory retakes. Our school could give us more strategies and tools to be able to successfully give retakes.
I noticed that you feel that pacing does not fully allow for mandatory retakes. As I was reading this section of the chapter, I kept thinking time, time, time. I think the idea of double dipping described in chapter 11 makes a lot of sense and could help to address the issue of time that we all know we never have enough of. In order to pull of this double dipping idea, assessments will need to be well thought out and timed well.
DeleteHi J Economy, I noticed you mentioned that the students with low motivation, were not really excited to do retakes. Intrinsic motivation is so key in getting students to do well, I wonder how can we best motivate the non motivated? I mean besides offering retakes? Maybe students should be paid to go to school? or paid to score?
DeleteI notice that you have recognized the benefits of retakes but have also seen the struggles when retakes are not allowed. I am sure this has helped you empathize with your students when you offer them retake and see the impact is has on their motivation.
DeleteI wonder what we can do about those low performing students who don't seem interested in retakes, I have many students like that too. I haven't quite figured out how to effectively make retakes mandatory, even when I have done them in class there are certain kids who will refuse to do them, they will just put their heads down during the quiz corrections/retake. The book suggested getting disciplinary action involved, although my faith in our admin for holding students accountable with me is very limited as they already have a hard time with that for things like tardiness and skipping classes.
Aloha J! I noticed that you had no chances to do retakes when you were a student and that posed some wondering questions and even jumped into a conclusion that your teachers did not want to provide opportunities for redo because they did not want to grade another assignment. I wonder what inferences and conclusions students jump into when other teachers give chances to redo and others do not, which makes me connect to the potential benefits of a schoolwide mandatory retake. Mahalo for your thoughts!
DeleteWhen in your professional life have you been given a redo? Who offered it to you and why do you think you got that second chance? What did it feel like receiving it? What happened before and during your second chance? How did it benefit you?Was there time when you were asked to demonstrate competence and weren’t given a second chance? Why weren’t you given that chance? Did you ask for it, or believe that you could?
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about the teaching profession, the mid-term check for your SLO offers teachers a chance for a “redo.” Teachers can relook at their SLO plan and their current data and make adjustments as needed. There are a lot of unforeseen circumstances that come up during the year, so having the opportunity to make changes relieves some of the stress. One of the times that I was not given a second chance to demonstrate competence was during a job interview. I wish I had been more prepared for the interview with lesson plans and more concrete ideas. I think I could have thrived in that position, but did not earn the job. I did not think it was appropriate to ask for a second chance in that situation. It just is not how it works.
How much of a motivator is hope? How much do you notice a change in student behavior and motivation, particularly among lower performing students, before the first assessment of the term compared to after they have received the scores of that first assessment ? At the beginning of the term versus after the first progress report? How could offering redemption via retakes, weighing more recent performance, minimum grading, or 0-4 scales throughout the term affect motivation?
I think that it is difficult to change the mindsets of students who have had a fixed mindset for a long time. You will need to show them that your grading system and class works differently than their experience in the past. Finding a way to prove it to them and help them visualize is going to be a must. Sometimes, you have to start small and show them they can be successful on something and then work from there. If a students just continues to get low score after low score many times they will give up.
How would the commitment to mandatory retakes align or conflict with your school’s vision? What would have to change for your classroom or your school to commit to mandatory retakes? What would make it difficult? What could your school do to make it easier to make retakes mandatory?
At my school, teachers have a lot of freedom to set up and run their classrooms the way they see fit, so if a teacher wanted to make retakes mandatory I don’t think there would be a lot of push back. If I were to make retakes mandatory, this would need to be communicated clearly to parents and students and an assessment plan would need to be developed that allowed for mandatory retakes. Class time would also need to be allotted for retakes and we are always short on time. One difficulty I see is if I do mandatory retakes in my class, but the other teachers on my team do not, students and parents may begin to question things which could be a good or bad thing.
Hi Christine... I noticed that you share that with job interviews within HIDOE we only have one opportunity to make a good impression. I wonder if HIDOE could create a resource for teachers to support them in the interview process. Every administrator may have their own interview expectations but having some sort of guidance would help teachers better prepare and help administrators select the most qualified person for the position. I also noticed you shared about how some of the teachers on your team may not have mandatory retakes and it may spark questions from students and parents. I wonder if it would be helpful to have a team, grade, or even school-wide conversation on grading policies so that there is consistency from all teachers. At my school we do have an assessment policy, unfortunately, it is not enforced adequately.
DeleteAloha,
DeleteYou do bring up a good point. There are many obstacles with having retakes as it is a practice that is the normal at my school. We have had challenges as far as time, resources and also consistency cross gradelevel. I am not sure if there are solutions to those obstacles.
I notice that you recognize there are some circumstances in which second chances are given, and some when they are not, like in an interview. It is important for us to teach this to our students too. For example, I understand retakes on tests, but things like presentations for example, I don't think there should be redos, especially when there has been ample time provided to prepare.
DeleteI wonder also how we could best use class time for retakes, that was one of my big questions while reading this chapter. I believe that this will best suit teachers and not encourage burnout as quickly if we ensure to not use our non teaching time, like lunch and after school for instructions like retakes.
When in your professional life have you been given a redo? Who offered it to you and why do you think you got that second chance? What did it feel like receiving it? What happened before and during your second chance? How did it benefit you?Was there time when you were asked to demonstrate competence and weren’t given a second chance? Why weren’t you given that chance? Did you ask for it, or believe that you could?
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I can think of professionally that I have been given a redo is working on my Unit plans. At our school, we have to turn in IB Unit plans. In them, you have to fill out and state: Title, Statement of Inquiry, Key Concepts, Global Context, pre/during/post reflection/ATL (soft) skills, Assessment, Learning Experience, etc….. It is quite a laundry list in which we explain the theme, learning, objectives, and local connections. After writing it, the IB Coordinator at our school will met with me and gave me suggestions of improvement. Receiving feedback felt more like I made a lot of mistakes, but we know at our school it is a learning process. I felt a little dumb, but the person editing my work was very kind. I felt going over my Unit with someone was beneficial in hearing feedback. It did improve my Unit and future Unit writing. They always give you a second chance in writing it and even a 3rd or 4th. At our school, they just want it done right or best it can be.
How much of a motivator is hope? How much do you notice a change in student behavior and motivation, particularly among lower performing students, before the first assessment of the term compared to after they have received the scores of that first assessment ? At the beginning of the term versus after the first progress report? How could offering redemption via retakes, weighing more recent performance, minimum grading, or 0-4 scales throughout the term affect motivation?
Hope is a huge motivator. With hope, people will find the courage to do things. I think students' hopes get stronger as they get encouraged/rewarded by scores they like. So as
They get more A’s, they feel confident and try hard to maintain it. Offering retakes,
I believe would give motivation to those that want a better grade.
How would the commitment to mandatory retakes align or conflict with your school’s vision? What would have to change for your classroom or your school to commit to mandatory retkes? What would make it difficult? What could your school do to make it easier to make retakes mandatory?
Having retakes at our school would align well. Our school believes in grading summative work only and we do accept late work. We believe as long as the students can show they are meeting what the rubric requires, re-takes or late work would be okay.
Val Shidno-Uehira
DeleteHi Jeff,
I totally agree that having hope is a big motivator for students. Having hope would encourage most students to attempt more difficult tasks because they know that they will get an opportunity to retake the assessment to better demonstrate their learning. I recently had a conversation with some teachers about grading summative work only. There was such strong opposition to this, I wonder how your school was able to get buy in from all teachers to agree to this change?
1.) The only time that I can think of when I did a redo was when a lesson didn't go well and I tried to fix it during the next period and made notes on how to change it during the next rotation for myself. This was my own choosing of having a redo, no one "gave" it to me because it was my own classroom. I have probably made mistakes that I had to fix either by apologizing for the error and trying to make it right, or fixing it, but I can't specifically think of any right now.
ReplyDelete2. I think hope is a huge motivator. Everyone starts projects, or new careers, or relationships with the hope that everything will work out, that they will be happy, successful, etc. Without that hope, why would anyone try anything that they think is destined to fail? I have definitely seen students behavior change when they are given hope that they will be successful. They ask more questions, they focus more, and they stay later in class working on assignments. I can see how offering retakes and reworking the grading scale to start at 50% can give students more hope at passing, that makes a lot of sense to me. The thing I struggle with is the logistics of allowing endless retakes for all students without giving up all of your lunches, breaks, and after school time.
3. I think mandatory retakes would align with our schools vision to reach all students and prepare them for college and career. I am struggling with how to actually do mandatory retakes in my classroom without breaking my back tracking down kids, forcing them to come in during lunch multiple times for remediation, ensuring that they do come in, then spending more lunch times actually retaking. I feel like this book should give us more ideas on how to integrate this idea without expecting teachers to use their lunch breaks and after school time. It is just more of the same idea of "in order to be a good teacher you have to go above and beyond your expected (and paid) time commitment". I just can't get on board with that, because it is not sustainable. I could potentially envision doing an enrichment type activity for some students who don't need the remediation while focusing on those students who do need it during class time, and this is something I have been able to accomplish some this year with the help of my co-teacher, but I also have a tiny classroom where we physically don't have much space for alternative seating arrangements etc.
Aloha!,
DeleteNoticed that you mentioned that "without hope why would anyone try?" I too agree with this statement as we have to set students up to succeed and not the opposite. Hope will help students have the motivation to do better and reach their goals.
Aloha Jessica,
DeleteI noticed you also feel like the logistics of retakes would go beyond our already over-contractual hours schedule! I too cannot see how to do mandatory retakes except to do it during class, but again, we don't have enough class time as it is to hit all the standards we're required to teach, so how do we give more time over to the same material? I did like their suggestion of spiralling tests so that they do cover old material, but it would be challenging to figure out how to do that for all summatives in all subjects, and I don't know that those are true retakes since it's a new assignment!
Sorry I forgot my name...
DeleteAloha Jessica,
I noticed you also feel like the logistics of retakes would go beyond our already over-contractual hours schedule! I too cannot see how to do mandatory retakes except to do it during class, but again, we don't have enough class time as it is to hit all the standards we're required to teach, so how do we give more time over to the same material? I did like their suggestion of spiralling tests so that they do cover old material, but it would be challenging to figure out how to do that for all summatives in all subjects, and I don't know that those are true retakes since it's a new assignment!
Q1 One example that I would consider a “redo” are the instruction or lessons that I teach students. Being in the same grade level and teaching the same subjects year after year I am able to reflect on my teaching and find ways to improve. I love reflecting on my own lessons as I am able to improve lessons to help students improve and understand concepts taught. The benefits not only help me as a teacher but help students in their learning.
ReplyDeleteQ2 Hope is surely a motivator to succeed in students’ work and not fail. The change in student behaviors especially in lower performing students varies. Although, I believe that my students’ behaviors throughout the year will improve as we spend the majority of the beginning of the year trying to figure out what type of learning and ways to assess works best. One student specifically this year has always been a low performer. It took me about a couple of months to modify lessons and find strategies that would help motivate this student to produce work and perform on assessments. For many years now and I believe being in an elementary school setting I have offered students opportunities to retest after reteaching. Students are then able to show me what they really know.
Q3At our school retakes are the norm as we are helping students to become proficient in their learning. Having multiple opportunities to teach and assess helps students reach their individual goals.
Aloha, Dayton! I noticed you mentioned that your school regularly allows retakes. I was wondering if it's a straight retest of the same material with new questions, or if you've tried to spiral the learning so a new summative assesses the new material and the old. I was also wondering if you find that all students are taking advantage of the retakes, or is it really a mandatory process, and if it's mandatory, how do you make the time to assess again when there's so many new things to cover?
DeleteVal Shindo-Uehira
DeleteHi Dayton,
I also agree that providing students with an opportunity to retake an assessment helps most of them become proficient in their learning. I do believe that in some cases students are retaking an assessment for better scores rather than to increase learning. This is something that I constantly struggle with. Another concern I have is that students often times do not put effort into completing their assessments because they know that they will be allowed to retake it. I would love to hear how you address this with your students.
1.In my professional life, I cannot think of a particularly large redo that was offered, however, every class period is an opportunity to make things better for a particular lesson, to reteach material that they didn’t understand, or to try reorganizing the lesson or changing it up to make it more engaging and relatable. The school provides this opportunity since I teach multiple sections of the same class. As a new teacher, I had a hard time and I would be my own worst critic, so I focused more on the failure and the mistakes I made, but over the years, I’ve come to accept and acknowledge that we’re all in a learning process, and every period of students is a completely different audience, so what works for some doesn’t always work for others, particularly with my inclusion class of gen ed and special education students. The lessons do often need to be tweaked, or have modifications or adjusted examples that will fit them better as students. There wasn’t anything that I needed to do to earn a second chance (nothing happened before or after), but I did reflect on the lesson, how it went, and where it could be improved or modified. It benefitted me by allowing me to reflect and improve on my craft over time, and I repeatedly tell students that we all make mistakes, and that it’s a part of the learning process.
ReplyDeleteThe times when I wasn’t allowed redo’s would be during observations for EES. We’re allowed one chance, and we’re not allowed to try again to improve, especially these days because there’s only one observation per year. I have never asked for a redo, but I’m fairly certain it’s not allowed because it’s against the procedures. The VP’s don’t have enough time to observe us a second time, and if one teacher were awarded a second chance, we all would need to have that opportunity.
2. Hope is a huge motivator! I definitely notice a change in student behavior after progress reports come out–it’s usually a mix of resignation and also determination for a short time until they bring their grade up, specifically with special education students. They see that there's a possibility to improve, and they're willing to take it. We have started providing revisions, specifically for special education students, and we had a number of special education students who failed last quarter, but on this first test, not only were students given the right answers if they made a mistake on the multiple choice so they can relearn as they go along, but all of our students did well (C’s or higher) on their tests the first time! Though we spoke with them about retaking it, we were happy with their original score as well. Offering retakes definitely helps these students and gives them the opportunity to relearn information, and weighing the more recent performance helps the as well. We grade on a 0-8 scale, which essentially operates as a 0-4 because every other number is grouped together, and it is way more equitable than straight percentages. Based on percentages and points alone, these students still would have struggled to earn a B, however, due to standards based grading, we can assess more holistically and look for understanding of big ideas and patterns, rather than adding up all the demarcations or demerits and then subtracting.
3. I think mandatory retakes would align well with my school’s vision, however, we would just need time to do administer it, and forgiveness when we don’t meet all the standards we’re supposed to teach in a year. It’s possible that we could also restructure our summatives so that they do cumulatively test what was learned before and retake in that sense, however, that again would take time to think about how summatives could retest and spiral rather than assess discrete packets of information. Our school could give us time to look at our summatives and work on adjusting them.
I noticed that you adjust your lessons for each period, as much as that's exhausting for you - your students must appreciate that you're able to offer supports and services to their needs. Thank you! You're creating a great culture for learning, that mistakes can be made and that they have the opportunity to correct and improve.
DeleteI wonder as a course a-like or department that extra summatives would be created for retakes? I remember working with my course a-like on this, we created three different summatives for one unit. We started with the first and then used the second/third for the sections of the rubric standard that the student lacked in. After the student corrects and reflects on their mistakes, they're able to take the retake.
When in your professional life have you been given a redo? Who offered it to you and why do you think you got that second chance? What did it feel like receiving it? What happened before and during your second chance? How did it benefit you?Was there time when you were asked to demonstrate competence and weren’t given a second chance? Why weren’t you given that chance? Did you ask for it, or believe that you could?
ReplyDeleteI don’t think I’ve ever needed or been asked to “redo” something that wasn’t explicitly practice or training in a professional capacity. Once I completed training in all of the jobs that I’ve done, I’ve performed proficiently on an ongoing basis, so I can’t really answer the rest of the questions.
How much of a motivator is hope? How much do you notice a change in student behavior and motivation, particularly among lower performing students, before the first assessment of the term compared to after they have received the scores of that first assessment ? At the beginning of the term versus after the first progress report? How could offering redemption via retakes, weighing more recent performance, minimum grading, or 0-4 scales throughout the term affect motivation?
I don’t think that hope is relevant - I try to look at situations as they are, not what I hope for them to be. The really difficult part of changing these types of practices is the conversations they spur amongst professional colleagues. We operate within a system - and many, many things are problematic. However, I don’t know that grading is actually where we start. I think that the quality of grading depends on the quality of teacher and teaching - and teaching quality isn’t something that can be addressed by addressing grading. If you look at my grade book and you said to move to a 0-4 scale that is purely standards based grading only summative assessments, the majority of my students would fail regardless of the amount of retakes provided on summative assessments because all but 5 out of 40 are 2-3 grade levels below their actual grade level. Would that be equitable? How can you meet students where they're at, while also objectively grading them based on grade level standards?
How would the commitment to mandatory retakes align or conflict with your school’s vision? What would have to change for your classroom or your school to commit to mandatory retkes? What would make it difficult? What could your school do to make it easier to make retakes mandatory?
Reiterating what I said in my answers to the fourth set of questions I don’t think retakes fundamentally solves anything. Because the problem that this book is trying to solve doesn’t exist in the vacuum of grades. Is it a step in the right direction? It could be. But you don’t get anywhere without teachers who have a deep fundamental understanding of their content and the standards they are tasked with teaching. Retakes are irrelevant in the larger picture that lacks educational equity.
I noticed how in the first question you share that you haven't taken any retakes or redo of a professional task, that's great for you. Then I interpreted how having your students retake would be a waste. Why do you that it wouldn't benefit the student? Does a person who fail their drivers permit or license not have an opportunities for retakes?
DeleteI teach high schoolers and creating a rubric for my summatives allows students to see where they're progressing in the standard/concept. I wonder if your students were able to see the goals they can achieve, they can see the feedback score on their rubric and work on the areas they lacked. I wonder if this discussion about 'redos' and 'retakes' have been brought up as a discussion in course a-likes or department meetings? Would you be willing to take the first leap?
Aloha Nicholete! I noticed that you have a great awareness that a lot of systems are not in place in our educational system or if there is, problems exist within them. You have stated that the quality of grading depends on the quality of the teacher and his teaching and teaching quality cannot be addressed by addressing grading. However, grading is an integral element of teaching and should also be focused on, especially that it could be detrimental to the student educationally and personally if we do not grade accurately. And since it is grading that we are given authority of, it is something that we could set up properly within our own means to make a difference. I just wonder how many steps are you willing to take to achieve equity even in your context, because not doing anything to address inequities is perpetuating what wrong already exists.
Delete1) What I learned from having a second chance to redo a PD class portfolio was a chance to express my experiences that I learned in the course with better detail and insight. I was able to edit areas that needed improvement and proof, the redo gave me time to ask for help/support from the instructors. Before my second chance, I felt like my students - rushed to complete a portfolio with life challenges and academics breathing down your neck to complete by the deadline. I think the reason why I got a second chance is due to the small course size and to make sure each student got a fair grade, if all are judged to be “A’s” then everyone will pass, so the instructors were looking out for the whole class versus one student.
ReplyDeleteChallenges to my practice was my first year teaching. During my observation I didn’t show enough evidence of my students learning - as fair as teaching strategies and student engagement goes. I asked for a second observation and I wasn’t given one, but I was able to speak with my academic coach and she helped me bring evidence to my Admin that brought up my EES in three categories.
I will implement a sense of confidence and hope in my students. When they ask for a retake, I’ll grant them a chance to improve. I believe if a student asks for a retake it shows their responsibility for their learning - which makes the improved grade worth it.
2)What I learned from this chapter is that hope motivates when understanding lacks. When a student understands how to master a standard/concept, then they have confidence to do well on an assessment. When a student lacks understanding, hope in the form of a retake - becomes their life jacket.
Challenges to my practice is to monitor all my students - in all levels, by supporting them to achieve their best. It’s great when students score 2 and above, but when students know they can try again will keep them attending class and give them self-esteem to do better.
I will implement time for students to retake their summative assessments before school, during independent study in class or tutoring hours after school. By creating this schedule, it will give students time to complete their retake and take responsibility for their learning to improve their grade.
3) What I learned from this chapter about mandatory retakes is that it takes away agency. Forcing students to retake a summative assessment can stop them from doing well the first time. Sure the thought of retaking to improve is great, some students need that option. But others may be discouraged by the thought of needing to reach a certain score in order to move onto the next unit/standard.
Challenges to my practice is that I don’t think my school would make retaking a summative assessment mandatory. It’s as if the school wants to ensure that all students have a score in the grade book no matter the outcome. This would make it difficult for both teachers and students to move to the next unit/standard when retakes interfere with learning. It’s as if creating a make-up testing day would need to be made to satisfy the demands of retakes if it stacks up.
I will implement ways to turn the first summative assessment - if students don’t achieve a grade that they want, to use that summative as a formative assessment (a learning opportunity) before issuing the retake summative assessment. I want students to understand their mistakes, understand the concepts and skills needed to achieve mastery/ exceed proficiency. When they’re ready to retake their summative, it will be to measure their growth of the standard/concept.
Val Shindo-Uehira
ReplyDelete1-In my professional life I was given a “redo” when I participated in an Arts Integration class. The work that I posted was not representative of the requirements of the portfolio and therefore I was contacted by the instructor and given an opportunity to revise this section. I believe that the instructor gave me this opportunity because as he reviewed my portfolio the section in question was not indicative of the work that I had previously completed. I was definitely appreciative of the opportunity and I worked really hard to revise that section so that I was able to complete my portfolio proficiently. I really don’t recall a time when I was asked to demonstrate competency but not given a second chance. However, I can relate this to my son. He did poorly on a project for social studies and he felt really bad about his score. He went to see his teacher and was told that he would not be able to make revisions as per her grading policy. The teacher also went on to say that he should have been more proactive and asked for help before the project was due. As parents, this was also very confusing because she allowed students to revise formative work, but did not allow the same opportunities on summative assessments. Needless to say, he was very disappointed. He became more stressed and apprehensive as each new assignment was given and at times wanting to give up because he thought that he would not be able to successfully complete his assignments. With more encouragement at home and along with teaching him to ask for help and being proactive he was able to get through the class successfully.
2-I believe that hope is a great motivator. When students are given hope it encourages and motivates them to try the harder “stuff”. Making mistakes becomes a part of learning and students are able to learn from them and move on. When there is no hope, students become unmotivated, oftentimes giving up even before trying. I don’t believe my students’ behaviors are affected before and after an assessment because they are provided with an opportunity to make revisions with the most recent revised score reported in the “grade book”. This lessens the stress and anxiety of performing poorly and earning lower scores. Students are also provided different ways in which they can demonstrate their learning.
3-The commitment to mandatory retakes perfectly aligns with our school’s vision. As a school assessment retakes is something that teachers agreed upon and include in their grading practices. This policy has been a part of our grading practices for a few years. The only challenge that I see is that sometimes students do not take assessments as seriously because they know that they will have an opportunity to retake it. To try and address this concern, I require students to complete all practice assignments prior to retaking an assessment. This way they prove that they have learned the material prior to the retake.
PART A.
ReplyDelete1. When in your professional life have you been given a redo? Who offered it to you and why do you think you got that second chance? What did it feel like receiving it? What happened before and during your second chance? How did it benefit you? Was there time when you were asked to demonstrate competence and weren’t given a second chance? Why weren’t you given that chance? Did you ask for it, or believe that you could?
I am the newly assigned EL coordinator of our school which makes me new to everything including the reports that I need to accomplish within a certain time frame. There was one report that I was not able to submit during the deadline because it is so comprehensive and should be done by specific people, not just me. I asked prior to the deadline, when I already felt like I couldn't complete it, if it was a hard deadline but I got a response from the Complex EL Resource Teacher that it could be submitted by the end of the last week of the school year. I felt a sense of relief having been granted an extension to accomplish it and I did not waste the chance. I didn't even wait for the final deadline prior to submission.
My first full time job was in a Catholic school in my native country. They have their own set of standards that do not only measure a teacher’s competence but also the teacher's soft skills, especially spiritual aspects, which should be excluded from professional life. When the final leg of the school year is approaching, I was told about considering applying to other schools because of not meeting their standards, which they have not explicitly stated prior to me being hired. I tried to advocate for myself, however, I failed. That moment of my professional life made me feel I was put in a battle where I was immediately defeated because I wasn’t armed with the armor and shield and without an army. Since it was my first job, they should have supported me along the way, which they did not do. But like others say, when one door closes, a better door opens. I was immediately hired in another full-time teaching job with more freedom.
PART B
Delete2. How much of a motivator is hope? How much do you notice a change in student behavior and motivation, particularly among lower performing students, before the first assessment of the term compared to after they have received the scores of that first assessment ? At the beginning of the term versus after the first progress report? How could offering redemption via retakes, weighing more recent performance, minimum grading, or 0-4 scales throughout the term affect motivation?
I consider hope as a great motivator in any aspect of life. A student could have a fixed mindset but when he sees a silver lining in a specific aspect of his education (it can be the teacher, their grade, their second chance through retakes, etc.), they will keep on going and trying.
For lower performing students, I have seen that they are more lax and complacent prior to the first assessment, but getting a low grade in the assessment has served as an alarm for them to act right. This is also the same attitude they exude at the beginning of the term and after the first progress report. However, I do not see any change in their attitude towards their performance if a teacher will not let them see the connection of their performance in the assessments with the impacts on their grades. I believe in the power of explicit communication and that it should be explained to students the Why’s, (the reasons they receive the grade) and the How’s (the ways that they could improve and redeem themselves).
Offering retakes and weighing more recent performance could give students a sense of self-efficacy, endless capacity and hope (p. 159), and thus greatly affects motivation. This could be through having them more focused on the journey of learning a skill, rather than on the end result (which is mostly perceived as the grade). Having the students learn about the importance of mistakes and failures in the learning journey will make the teaching and learning process more worthwhile.. In addition, the minimum grading makes it more possible and accessible for low-performing students to go to the next level of the grading scale while the 0-4 scales enables students to reflect on their performance based on the task description, which helps them develop a growth mindset.
3. How would the commitment to mandatory retakes align or conflict with your school’s vision? What would have to change for your classroom or your school to commit to mandatory retakes? What would make it difficult? What could your school do to make it easier to make retakes mandatory?
There is no specific rule in our school related to mandatory retakes, since it is solely given to the teacher's discretion. I believe that the issue is not actually about taking retakes but the first thing that should be focused on after giving assessments is, how many of the students failed the test or need to do a retake? If it is a majority of the population, I believe that the teacher needs to reteach the skill or the content because the students really were not able to get a good grasp of the skill/content. However, for the sake of the mandatory retakes, there should be a conversation amongst the schooling community on how retakes should be implemented and how many times should be undertaken by one student. Teachers should all be on the same page on their understanding of retakes in order to build a more streamlined system across all grade levels and content areas and students should understand the true purpose of retakes so they would not abuse the process or have the tendency to not take the first assessment seriously knowing that they could have a retake if they won’t pass. Or perhaps, the best way is to do a double-dipping where teachers strategically design an assessment that could measure prior content or skill, which will be more efficient.
In my professional career I was given a redo on my student teaching evaluation. While I was student teaching we needed to do four observations, but we only needed to submit 3 to our education department, this meaning that one of our student teaching reviews basically could be gotten rid of if we did poorly. I consider this a redo because it is allowing us another opportunity to succeed, because as a teacher there are many different factors that could influence the success of a lesson. I felt really good receiving this opportunity because it put very minimal stress on us during each of our observations. Just the fact that I knew we could “mess up once” was very reassuring and allowed me to actually be very successful all four times. When there isn’t as much academic pressure placed on you to succeed, being relaxed allows you to thrive and not worry about the mathematical grade but simply doing well.
ReplyDeleteGiving students hope is one of the driving factors to help students succeed when they are feeling low. When a student is starting to become “set” in the mindset of being a bad student, it causes them to become unmotivated and not want to do work. Whenever I can I try to say my students names out loud in class because I read somewhere that when students hear their name out loud it makes them feel more “seen” in the classroom and that you care about them as a teacher.
I think having mandatory retakes would align with our vision of a positive growth mindset, but I know that math teachers would have a very aggressive push back. Many of the teachers don’t accept late work so I think that allowing students to take a test they already took may take some convincing. However, I think they would agree that if there was another variation of the test the student would be able to take it again as long as it wasn’t exactly the same as the first test. This would prevent students from just memorizing answers and forcing them to learn.
When in your professional life have you been given a redo? Who offered it to you and why do you think you got that second chance? What did it feel like receiving it? What happened before and during your second chance? How did it benefit you?Was there time when you were asked to demonstrate competence and weren’t given a second chance? Why weren’t you given that chance? Did you ask for it, or believe that you could?
ReplyDeleteThere was a time during my first year of teaching where I needed to teach multiple 1st grade classes the same lesson. The first class that I taught the lesson didn’t go as planned. Students needed more time with the vocabulary and background knowledge before the actual lesson started. So when I got the chance to teach the same lesson to the next class, I spent more time going over the basic vocabulary words and procedure on how to create the art project first. The second class got better results and students were able to complete the art lesson more proficiently.
How much of a motivator is hope? How much do you notice a change in student behavior and motivation, particularly among lower performing students, before the first assessment of the term compared to after they have received the scores of that first assessment ? At the beginning of the term versus after the first progress report? How could offering redemption via retakes, weighing more recent performance, minimum grading, or 0-4 scales throughout the term affect motivation?
I truly believe that without “hope” and encouragement that things will get better with practice, students are not motivated. Especially with low performing students, giving them hope that they are on the journey of improvement, it gives them hope that they can make mistakes but learn from the mistakes as they go through their learning process by the end assessment. I feel that by adapting my grading, giving students hope will add to their motivation to try harder to meet the standard or at least give their best effort towards proficiency.
How would the commitment to mandatory retakes align or conflict with your school’s vision? What would have to change for your classroom or your school to commit to mandatory retkes? What would make it difficult? What could your school do to make it easier to make retakes mandatory?
Currently in my grade level we have different views on giving students retakes. For some teachers, allowing for retakes and or giving them the opportunity to correct their errors for half the credit back takes work and time to recorrect. I usually am all for it, however my team teacher believes that it is a waste of time because if they don’t get it by the first test, they will need intense intervention and motivation to do better on the retake. In order to make a commitment to making retakes mandatory, as a grade level we would need to have at least 1 retake test prepared so teachers are not scrambling to make up a retake test. We would also need to plan ahead so that teachers have enough time to correct the retake/corrections to award students a proficiency test.