I remember being a high school student. It was fun and I didn't have to work very hard at all. However, I feel like I still took tests very seriously.
Some of my high school students in my finite classes take the tests serious, but they do not take advantage of all of the resources I provide them. For example, every test has had a review that looks very very very similar to the actual test (i.e. they have the same type of problems exept different numbers and answers). Thus, there are no surprises on the test. If my teachers had done this for me, I would have been so happy. However, some of my students do not even finish their whole review. Then, they miss problems on the test. There has been a direct correlation between the test scores and whether or not the review was completed. Some even ask if they can finish the review after the test. But this misses the whole point of letting the review prepare you for the test.
Overall, this just shocks me a little. My plan is to keep providing the students with a review. The review will not be accepted after the test. My mentor teacher grades the reviews pretty harshly too. I plan to have a talk with my class and let them know how fortunate they are. This kind of work ethic will not cut it in college. Maybe I should give them a test without a review?
We also provide a review for our tests and quizzes and most of the students do it but I agree that is not a right but a gift.
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel! My students FREAK out if a test problem isn't like the one on the review sheet. We give our students a review but don't grade it so it's up to them whether they want to study to get a good grade. I almost don't want to give a review because then students rely on it as a "crutch." I would not give them a review and see what happens or at least not grade the review.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in honors Pre-Calc my teacher did the exact same. However, he did something a little different. The review wasn't graded and we would go over it a few days after it was given out. Then, the following day we would do a group exam with really challenging problems and we could use anything in the room (textbooks, notes, people, computers, etc.). Then, the day after we took the exam. I realize that there's problem with this because I didn't ever do the review but rather waited for him to do it so that I could just study the answers. I don't really advise this, especially in this classroom (mainly because it sounds like my classroom and there's no way that'd go well with them!). I agree it's a challenging situation but it sounds like you're doing the best you can. At a certain point, students need to be held accountable for their grades-we can't do everything for them!
ReplyDeleteI agree that you need to explain to your class the purpose of the review. In our class we have students complain all the time about having to do a review. We only grade it for completion but do not tell our students that. I feel like our students will not review or study at all if we did not assign them a review and we did not review in class. We have considered making part of the review extra credit for the tests but we think that will just help the students who already do well on the tests. However, they might surprise us and be more motivated to finish it if they know it is extra credit. It is amazing how they perk up when they hear about extra credit opportunities.
ReplyDeleteRecognizing that reviewing for a test is worth the effort will come for some and for others, they may never think it is necessary to do. In this case, I also think of the comparison between high school and college when it comes to doing homework and preparing for a test. Ultimately the student is responsible for reviewing before a test, and it is unfortunate that your class doesn't take advantage of how generous you are for giving a thorough review.
ReplyDeleteI see your point about the review...still you are providing an opportunity for those who would like to do well to do well?
ReplyDeleteI don't know if any of you do this, but I used something called homework quizzes at the end of each week to check homework. So individual assignments might be checked for completion. Then, there is a quiz and I pick the actual problems from homework. Students could use their folders with the actual homework problems on the quiz, but that's all...there are pros and cons, but just a thought.