Reply to Class Average on Exam 40%

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My kid is in a science class in a W high school where the average on the last test was 40%.  The teacher allows corrections to raise the grades, but the most the average kid in the class will get is a C on this test.

There is a method to the teacher's approach, but it is clear that [b]simply attending class and doing the assigned work does not prepare the students for the test[/b].  Would you approach the teacher about this situation?   [/quote]
You identified the problem right here. "Simply attending class" - how engaged are they? Are they taking notes? Are they asking questions? Are they thinking about the content? Students should be monitoring their own thinking and understanding of the content before, during, and after class, and they should be proactive in seeking help (textbook, video, teacher) when they don't understand something. "Doing assigned work" - again, are they thinking and actively engaged in the content? or are they just skimming and copying down notes, relying on peers to answer questions, and acting like a completed worksheet is the goal rather than a tool for gaining understanding. I've started giving open note, auto-graded, retake-able quizzes, based straight off of instructional worksheets so that students are held accountable to actually completing worksheets correctly and getting feedback on their understanding quickly. It's shocking how many students fail the first time around. They have many words on their papers, but no understanding of the meaning.

I'm a HS teacher and this problem has been growing over the years, and was exacerbated by virtual instruction and students passively watching lessons. Too many students don't understand that the purpose of school is to learn how to think. They are just focused on going through the process of school while missing the point. It's not the fault of the teacher that students are doing poorly. Test corrections are a good way for students to learn and very common in AP/IB science classes where there is a clear standard of achievement that students need to reach.[/quote]

Thank you for this perfect response.
I teach HS science and half my kids are failing this year.
I am not sure what to do. But it is not enough just to come to class.
The kids who have regular attendance and who are engaged during class (take notes, ask and answer questions, do all the practice assignments without copying from a friend and study at home) are doing great. It is the kids, and it is a lot of them, who are practically sleepwalking through their day who are having trouble and they are unable to make the connection between actually being actively present in class and doing well despite me discussing the issue in class multiple times. The kids also seem thrown off by having to think and apply what they learn. Weak math skills is also exceedingly common and that becomes an issue in higher level science.

I hate the 50% rule and MCPS’ weak stance on cell phones. Both of these policies are hurting rather than helping our students. The early start time for high school is also terrible. If parents could actually see a live cam of first period in high school, they would be shocked [/quote]

+1. Both when I taught math and when I was in grad school, I’d talk about treating a test like a performance or a game. You don’t listen to a piece of music and then expect to play it live. And you don’t hear a coach describe a play and then try it out in a game. I mean, you could, but most people wouldn’t be all that successful. Instead, you practice the piece over and over until you could do it on your sleep. Or you practice the play with your team over and over, so that when the coach calls it, all you have to do is execute.

You can do the same thing for tests by working your way as close as possible to test conditions while studying – so all you need to do is show up on the day and repeat what you’ve been doing. This is also a skill that will serve you super well in higher ed, at work, etc.[/quote]

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