A dribble of time lost

We are supposed to go over our AIMSWEB and MAP benchmark results with our students. This takes time. So students were given the chance to make-up work, retake tests and other independent activities, allowing me to go over their test results with them. I have no problem with this plan. We need to share the data. The kids need to understand where they stand and what their efforts for the year netted them. Almost everyone made gains. Some made appreciable — even multi-year — gains. These wins need to be celebrated.

Still, I effectively lost one day of instruction from what I’d call test spillover. I am clocking that stolen time as I keep track of total testing losses. I can’t teach while I am going over standardized test scores with each individual student.

Eduhonesty: This review was sobering my students. These kids are mostly at least a couple of years behind grade level. Some are four years behind grade level. They don’t benefit from not knowing this, though. The “A” and “B” grades they got in elementary school may have lulled them into a state of comfort with their understanding of math. They can’t be allowed to continue in that comfort — not if they want any realistic chance at college success.

Tomorrow, we will spend more time discussing goal setting for the future.

P.S. Speaking of dribbles, let’s throw in Monday’s 45 minute math meeting, entirely dedicated to getting standardized test data ready to present to the kids.

I will not include Tuesdays meeting. On Tuesday, we spent 40 minutes writing a quiz for Friday on probability. Aside from the fact I test, test, test, this seemed a reasonable use of a math meeting. My problem will be presenting all that probability with enough time for reinforcement, especially given that I sacrificed one of my four weekdays to discussing data rather than teaching, a requirement for all teachers with homerooms in the school. I should note that I managed the data-discussion task in one class period but some teachers have homerooms twice the size of mine. Did they lose two days?