At our staff meeting before we departed last week, we were presented with our test results that included our retest scores. Only a handful of kids passed the math test the second time around, so I was feeling a little discouraged. My principal had already told me that we had pretty much broken even with our scores from last year, which is good considering our kids came to us a lot lower this year, but to outsiders it looks like we've made no progress. But I was holding my breath to see how 7th grade math did overall, and how we compared to the other tested subjects in the school. Because let's be honest, we're all a little competitive, and I had been telling my kids all year long we'd have the highest scores in the school.
Well, guess what?
WE DID! As far as we know, 7th grade math had 66% proficiency - the highest in the school by 11%! For a school whose composite proficiency is usually around 40%, this is pretty big news. We were also the ONLY subject to surpass the district expectations, and one of two subjects to meet HIGH GROWTH. 84% of 7th graders made at least some growth, and 5 out of every 6 made HIGH GROWTH. I cannot even tell you how proud I am of my babies. We worked hard, and it shows.
Here's the discouraging part. Our district harps all day long about wanting to see student achievement. They want passing test scores, they want students who are ready for the next grade level. But then my babies do it - they blow the previous scores out of the water, and they pass the district's goal for them, and nothing is done to celebrate them. I feel like I've been a one-person cheerleading squad all year long. No one congratulates them or acknowledges them for their hard work. I'm beginning to sound like a broken record with my constant affirmation and praise - can I get some back up please? These kids will never learn to value educational success if they aren't even simply acknowledged when they achieve it. And we can't just expect it from students who have a history of struggling. If there's one thing I've learned these past two years, it's that we have got to make students believe they can do it, and them encourage them the whole way. If they've never done it before, why would they believe they can do it now? Because I am telling them they will, and I'm the best math teacher they could have (I'm the only math teacher they could have - shhh!).
It worked, didn't it?
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