Retaking tests in high school

[Anonymous]

If you don't do well on a test you are allowed to retake it. Is this true?

[Anonymous]

For my kids it depended on the class. For many of them, yes-although for some you could only raise your grade by so much. This was true even when I was in high school!

[Anonymous]

It depends on the class for my kids too. This is no end of frustrating for my kid who's great at math and not so great at english, and has a math teacher who allows test retakes and an english teacher who doesn't. But as a parent, I think it's a great idea. I want my children to understand the subject being taught. If it's not until the test that they, and the teacher, find out the student doesn't understand, that shouldn't be the end of it. When teachers allow test retakes, it's not. In my observation, the kids actually then work to understand the things they got wrong so they can improve their score.
The primary drawback I see is that kids may be less interested in finding out what they did wrong and figuring out how to do it right when they don't get a retake option. Though those kids probably would have been the same in an environment where no retakes were allowed.

[Anonymous]

It is usually not available for the large end of unit test..more like a quiz. Some teachers limit it to one a semester. Some teachers only allow it on selected tests when the class in general does poorly.

[Anonymous]

So is this one of the things that contributes to grade inflation that I hear so much about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the class for my kids too. This is no end of frustrating for my kid who's great at math and not so great at english, and has a math teacher who allows test retakes and an english teacher who doesn't. But as a parent, I think it's a great idea. I want my children to understand the subject being taught. If it's not until the test that they, and the teacher, find out the student doesn't understand, that shouldn't be the end of it. When teachers allow test retakes, it's not. In my observation, the kids actually then work to understand the things they got wrong so they can improve their score.
The primary drawback I see is that kids may be less interested in finding out what they did wrong and figuring out how to do it right when they don't get a retake option. Though those kids probably would have been the same in an environment where no retakes were allowed.

It's a joke and it enables kids.

Furthermore, it's reactive and has backfired across the county.

Colleges know MCPS grades mean very little now, and I, for one, will not allow my own children to re-assess. If they're having issues, they need to address them immediately before the test rolls around.

Why not ask your boss for another shot at a presentation that you blew b/c you weren't prepared?

It's embarrassing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So is this one of the things that contributes to grade inflation that I hear so much about?

bingo

[Anonymous]

Is this something new? My last DC graduated two years ago and it wasn't like that. No retake allowed back then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the class for my kids too. This is no end of frustrating for my kid who's great at math and not so great at english, and has a math teacher who allows test retakes and an english teacher who doesn't. But as a parent, I think it's a great idea. I want my children to understand the subject being taught. If it's not until the test that they, and the teacher, find out the student doesn't understand, that shouldn't be the end of it. When teachers allow test retakes, it's not. In my observation, the kids actually then work to understand the things they got wrong so they can improve their score.
The primary drawback I see is that kids may be less interested in finding out what they did wrong and figuring out how to do it right when they don't get a retake option. Though those kids probably would have been the same in an environment where no retakes were allowed.

It's a joke and it enables kids.

Furthermore, it's reactive and has backfired across the county.

Colleges know MCPS grades mean very little now, and I, for one, will not allow my own children to re-assess. If they're having issues, they need to address them immediately before the test rolls around.

Why not ask your boss for another shot at a presentation that you blew b/c you weren't prepared?

It's embarrassing.

I hope you are right about the colleges. My private school DS is working his but off to get As and, no, he doesn't get to retake tests. The only way he gets another chance to learn the material he got wrong on quizzes and tests is when he studies for the mid term and final exams, where he can spend more time on the material he got wrong. But I guess MCPS doesn't do mid terms and finals either so....

[Anonymous]

It's not enabling. Enlightened teachers and school districts allow this. If you are an educator and at all up on modern educational theory, you'll know that the focus is enabling a kid to learn material, even if it takes multiple tries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not enabling. Enlightened teachers and school districts allow this. If you are an educator and at all up on modern educational theory, you'll know that the focus is enabling a kid to learn material, even if it takes multiple tries.

Right, but the college admission folks better know that these kids have a cake walk in high school. Not fair when comparing to kids in other schools that truly have good study skills. I think it is enabling. The kid with an A who took the test twice is not as smart or hard working as the kid who got it right the first time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this something new? My last DC graduated two years ago and it wasn't like that. No retake allowed back then.

Yes it was like that two years ago MCPS wide. It is just not that big a deal because it is quite limited in most cases. MCPS also does not curve or give extra credit. If a kid did not understand a math concept on Wednesday but got some extra help and now understands on Friday..the goal of the math unit has been met. These are not big unit tests that are repeated. This are quizzes which I meant to assess understanding along the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not enabling. Enlightened teachers and school districts allow this. If you are an educator and at all up on modern educational theory, you'll know that the focus is enabling a kid to learn material, even if it takes multiple tries.

Right, but the college admission folks better know that these kids have a cake walk in high school. Not fair when comparing to kids in other schools that truly have good study skills. I think it is enabling. The kid with an A who took the test twice is not as smart or hard working as the kid who got it right the first time.

Not as smart? Maybe, maybe not. More aggressive/hard working because they are willing to work twice as hard as a "smarter" kid? Maybe.... and colleges care about that kind of kid.
I have one kid who has a memory that is stunning. Never has to study-hears it or reads it once and he's golden. Straight A's. And I have one kid whose IQ is "low average", who has a disability as well. She has to work three or four times as hard as my other kid, but she does it. Takes tests twice often. Straight A's.

Who do colleges want more? Which kind of kid? Who will be more successful in life?

It's not as easy as filling colleges with the "smartest" kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not enabling. Enlightened teachers and school districts allow this. If you are an educator and at all up on modern educational theory, you'll know that the focus is enabling a kid to learn material, even if it takes multiple tries.

Right... Closer to cheating than enabling.

[Anonymous]

To me it is far better than allowing random extra credit to bring up a grade..