May 1, 2009
Whew. That's the sound of the collective sigh that happens once our state testing is complete. Even though third through sixth graders are the only subjects being assessed, the high stakes exam affects our entire school. Our primary students had different PE, music and lunch schedules to accommodate the extended time our intermediate students were provided in order to do their best thinking and work. Office staff spent hours organizing test booklets and doling out new pencils. Trainers prepared proctors so the stringent protocols would be followed to a tee.
Our test results won't be back for months, but we like to get together (in grade level teams or school wide) to reflect on what we learned from the testing process and the test itself. The following are typical of the kinds of questions we ask ourselves:
What went well with the test?
What surprises did you find?
What preparation do you think supported the students the most?
What supports would you do differently next year?
Based on your knowledge of your students and the attitude during the test, make a list of students you think will pass each section of the test, which students may pass and which will probably not pass.
This final question may seem a bit strange, but we keep these lists and refer back to them once we receive assessment results. Often teachers were completely accurate regarding who was ready for the test and who was not. They use information gleaned from the reflection questions to own whatever part they had in the results and to make decisions on how they will modify their instruction next year. Teachers in the next grade level get a sense of upcoming student skills and strengths and can pinpoint student needs so they know what skills and strategies they should focus on.
If we really want our students to achieve at their highest level and potential, this reflection process is important. It doesn't matter if you reflect with your grade level, your whole school or on your own, just take some time to do it. Use the information to fine tune your own practice. Good results are practically guaranteed.