Last week we started giving the "benchmarks," that is, practice standardized tests (TAKS). However, they weren't real TAKS release tests (you can find those online, by the way, if you want to know what my kids are going to take). They were TAKSMaster, that is, by a private company, and they were way harder than the TAKS. It is useless for me to know that my class can't read them, because I already knew that. They scored 39 percent on reading and 50 percent on math (that math score actually makes me rather optimistic, because there wasn't a lot of variation, and once we get through measurement, fractions, and decimals, I think they will be closer to 70-80 percent on a test that was harder than TAKS). Still... had it been real TAKS it might have been worth my time. Giving these harder tests depresses them, depresses me, and wastes my week.
So tomorrow, we are doing it again, this time for writing. Their writing is gradually improving... they generally have good ideas, but struggle with execution and providing details. I am optimistic that, in the end, they will be OK with compositions. What worries me is the grammar. Their grammar is horrible and not really getting better. We are going to focus intensely starting in January, so hopefully they will get there, but...
Tuesday the After School Program is presenting their holiday songs, and Tuesday is a short day anyway because I have my horizontal team meetings, so not much I can do. Wednesday we have our holiday party, Thursday is early dismissal and ends the week. So basically they didn't learn all that much last week and won't this week either. They need so much work that it really worries me that this time is being wasted.
I'm sure I've got plenty of other thoughts right now, but I'll wait until I've had time to put them together in some sort of comprehensible order. Happy holidays!
Oh, and just for everyone... a shot of my classroom:
No comments:
Post a Comment