Benchmark reading assessments

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haha! Benchmark assessments are crap, very hard, and not used as an indicator for success at our school. We are not even doing them this year as they were not an accurate representation of what a student could do, made the kids have nervous breakdowns and low self-esteem as they rarely passed, and made our data skew negatively.

PP can you describe what the Benchmark assessments are trying to assess, and what types of questions they ask?

They cover the standards/indicators from the week's lessons. In theory, this sounds wonderful. In reality, the text selections they pick for the assessments are awful and no kid enjoys reading them. There are reading comprehension questions and some around foundational skills. There's often a question involving comparing & contrasting of two texts. It's definitely not an assessment of basic who, what, where, when type questions.

[Anonymous]

Seriously, no one else gets C’s? 😔

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, no one else gets C’s? 😔

all DCUM kids are in the 99%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, no one else gets C’s? 😔

all DCUM kids are in the 99%

True. Except mine

[Anonymous]

My 3rd grader said for her class, those assessments, which I've never heard of until now, are taken on the computer, and she and we don't know what the results are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader said for her class, those assessments, which I've never heard of until now, are taken on the computer, and she and we don't know what the results are.

Correct. We just assign the test to the kids like we would do a book on the Benchmark site. The site scores the tests for us unless there's a written component like on the unit and interim tests. Those require us to login and score the students' writing. I agree with the other teachers in that the tests are very difficult and not a great indicator of students understanding. The issue I have with Benchmark is that we teach the same strategies all year long and they keep spiraling back. This approach works for some kids, but the majority of my students do better when we introduce a reading skill (i.e. - main idea and key details) and we teach that same skill for multiple days in a row coupled with flexible small group instruction. The jumping around constantly in Benchmark confuses many kids. No wonder why so many students' weekly test scores are terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader said for her class, those assessments, which I've never heard of until now, are taken on the computer, and she and we don't know what the results are.

Correct. We just assign the test to the kids like we would do a book on the Benchmark site. The site scores the tests for us unless there's a written component like on the unit and interim tests. Those require us to login and score the students' writing. I agree with the other teachers in that the tests are very difficult and not a great indicator of students understanding. The issue I have with Benchmark is that we teach the same strategies all year long and they keep spiraling back. This approach works for some kids, but the majority of my students do better when we introduce a reading skill (i.e. - main idea and key details) and we teach that same skill for multiple days in a row coupled with flexible small group instruction. The jumping around constantly in Benchmark confuses many kids. No wonder why so many students' weekly test scores are terrible.

If the test scores are terrible which I don’t think its true for everyone. Why are they used for grading purposes and report cards? My DC did okayish in 2nd grade on these tests, some were C’s but most were A’s and B’s. That’s what’s confusing, how the performance varies from test to test given that his MAP R scores are very high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader said for her class, those assessments, which I've never heard of until now, are taken on the computer, and she and we don't know what the results are.

Correct. We just assign the test to the kids like we would do a book on the Benchmark site. The site scores the tests for us unless there's a written component like on the unit and interim tests. Those require us to login and score the students' writing. I agree with the other teachers in that the tests are very difficult and not a great indicator of students understanding. The issue I have with Benchmark is that we teach the same strategies all year long and they keep spiraling back. This approach works for some kids, but the majority of my students do better when we introduce a reading skill (i.e. - main idea and key details) and we teach that same skill for multiple days in a row coupled with flexible small group instruction. The jumping around constantly in Benchmark confuses many kids. No wonder why so many students' weekly test scores are terrible.

If the test scores are terrible which I don’t think its true for everyone. Why are they used for grading purposes and report cards? My DC did okayish in 2nd grade on these tests, some were C’s but most were A’s and B’s. That’s what’s confusing, how the performance varies from test to test given that his MAP R scores are very high.

We aren't required to use these for grade book grades. I know very few teachers who actually use the Benchmark weekly assessments for grades. Unless a student just guesses and gets an abysmal score, MAP-R is a much better indicator of where a student is in terms of his/her reading capability in grades 3-5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader said for her class, those assessments, which I've never heard of until now, are taken on the computer, and she and we don't know what the results are.

Correct. We just assign the test to the kids like we would do a book on the Benchmark site. The site scores the tests for us unless there's a written component like on the unit and interim tests. Those require us to login and score the students' writing. I agree with the other teachers in that the tests are very difficult and not a great indicator of students understanding. The issue I have with Benchmark is that we teach the same strategies all year long and they keep spiraling back. This approach works for some kids, but the majority of my students do better when we introduce a reading skill (i.e. - main idea and key details) and we teach that same skill for multiple days in a row coupled with flexible small group instruction. The jumping around constantly in Benchmark confuses many kids. No wonder why so many students' weekly test scores are terrible.

If the test scores are terrible which I don’t think its true for everyone. Why are they used for grading purposes and report cards? My DC did okayish in 2nd grade on these tests, some were C’s but most were A’s and B’s. That’s what’s confusing, how the performance varies from test to test given that his MAP R scores are very high.

We aren't required to use these for grade book grades. I know very few teachers who actually use the Benchmark weekly assessments for grades. Unless a student just guesses and gets an abysmal score, MAP-R is a much better indicator of where a student is in terms of his/her reading capability in grades 3-5.

Sure you teach in MCPS? Almost every teacher I know across the county uses these for grades. They aren’t supposed to assess the same thing as MAP-R… they are supposed to assess what a student learned during the week and during the unit. Of course the scores aren’t going to align.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader said for her class, those assessments, which I've never heard of until now, are taken on the computer, and she and we don't know what the results are.

Correct. We just assign the test to the kids like we would do a book on the Benchmark site. The site scores the tests for us unless there's a written component like on the unit and interim tests. Those require us to login and score the students' writing. I agree with the other teachers in that the tests are very difficult and not a great indicator of students understanding. The issue I have with Benchmark is that we teach the same strategies all year long and they keep spiraling back. This approach works for some kids, but the majority of my students do better when we introduce a reading skill (i.e. - main idea and key details) and we teach that same skill for multiple days in a row coupled with flexible small group instruction. The jumping around constantly in Benchmark confuses many kids. No wonder why so many students' weekly test scores are terrible.

If the test scores are terrible which I don’t think its true for everyone. Why are they used for grading purposes and report cards? My DC did okayish in 2nd grade on these tests, some were C’s but most were A’s and B’s. That’s what’s confusing, how the performance varies from test to test given that his MAP R scores are very high.

We aren't required to use these for grade book grades. I know very few teachers who actually use the Benchmark weekly assessments for grades. Unless a student just guesses and gets an abysmal score, MAP-R is a much better indicator of where a student is in terms of his/her reading capability in grades 3-5.

Sure you teach in MCPS? Almost every teacher I know across the county uses these for grades. They aren’t supposed to assess the same thing as MAP-R… they are supposed to assess what a student learned during the week and during the unit. Of course the scores aren’t going to align.

Teachers.. or actual mcps teachers. Please let me know how students actually do on them. Is my kid an outlier if he gets C’s on them sometimes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader said for her class, those assessments, which I've never heard of until now, are taken on the computer, and she and we don't know what the results are.

Correct. We just assign the test to the kids like we would do a book on the Benchmark site. The site scores the tests for us unless there's a written component like on the unit and interim tests. Those require us to login and score the students' writing. I agree with the other teachers in that the tests are very difficult and not a great indicator of students understanding. The issue I have with Benchmark is that we teach the same strategies all year long and they keep spiraling back. This approach works for some kids, but the majority of my students do better when we introduce a reading skill (i.e. - main idea and key details) and we teach that same skill for multiple days in a row coupled with flexible small group instruction. The jumping around constantly in Benchmark confuses many kids. No wonder why so many students' weekly test scores are terrible.

If the test scores are terrible which I don’t think its true for everyone. Why are they used for grading purposes and report cards? My DC did okayish in 2nd grade on these tests, some were C’s but most were A’s and B’s. That’s what’s confusing, how the performance varies from test to test given that his MAP R scores are very high.

We aren't required to use these for grade book grades. I know very few teachers who actually use the Benchmark weekly assessments for grades. Unless a student just guesses and gets an abysmal score, MAP-R is a much better indicator of where a student is in terms of his/her reading capability in grades 3-5.

Sure you teach in MCPS? Almost every teacher I know across the county uses these for grades. They aren’t supposed to assess the same thing as MAP-R… they are supposed to assess what a student learned during the week and during the unit. Of course the scores aren’t going to align.

Teachers.. or actual mcps teachers. Please let me know how students actually do on them. Is my kid an outlier if he gets C’s on them sometimes?

Not an outlier… for the most part, the strong readers score well BUT once in awhile, they will get a C. It really just depends on the given week.

[Anonymous]

I personally wouldn't be too concerned about the occasional C on Benchmark, when MAP-R is the more accurate measure. Like a PP said, Benchmark's questionable assessments are why many top MAP performers weren't given that GT designation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally wouldn't be too concerned about the occasional C on Benchmark, when MAP-R is the more accurate measure. Like a PP said, Benchmark's questionable assessments are why many top MAP performers weren't given that GT designation.

My DC was one of those who didn’t get the GT designation due to benchmark assessment. He is to be rescreened. But might still not get the GT designation again due to random C’s on benchmark assessment again this year. Plus its not great for self esteem either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally wouldn't be too concerned about the occasional C on Benchmark, when MAP-R is the more accurate measure. Like a PP said, Benchmark's questionable assessments are why many top MAP performers weren't given that GT designation.

My DC was one of those who didn’t get the GT designation due to benchmark assessment. He is to be rescreened. But might still not get the GT designation again due to random C’s on benchmark assessment again this year. Plus its not great for self esteem either.

I'm a SDT in the county and our school has teams give the weekly and unit assessments as they choose. Very few give grades for them though. If the primary teams do give the assessments for a grade, they need to be mindful that the foundational skills grades from the assessments should not be used for a grade as those skills are taught in a different sequence through Really Great Reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally wouldn't be too concerned about the occasional C on Benchmark, when MAP-R is the more accurate measure. Like a PP said, Benchmark's questionable assessments are why many top MAP performers weren't given that GT designation.

My DC was one of those who didn’t get the GT designation due to benchmark assessment. He is to be rescreened. But might still not get the GT designation again due to random C’s on benchmark assessment again this year. Plus its not great for self esteem either.

I'm a SDT in the county and our school has teams give the weekly and unit assessments as they choose. Very few give grades for them though. If the primary teams do give the assessments for a grade, they need to be mindful that the foundational skills grades from the assessments should not be used for a grade as those skills are taught in a different sequence through Really Great Reading.

I am not sure what that means