I’m Worried They Will Not Pass the Test
I remember a time when I uttered those words to a campus principal. She told me, “You don’t have to wor
ry. I have faith in you and I know all of your students are going to do just great.” I was teaching math to a group of 78 5th graders at the time, and over half of them were reading below grade level. Even more students were struggling with problem solving and the fundamentals like multiplication and division. While the principal’s sentiment was sincere, I had actually been looking for more in terms of support and actionable advice.
Fast forward a few years later and I was now working with a group of 32 juniors who had repeatedly failed the state’s science test; Graduation was on the line for these students. I met with the science chair and told him, “I’m worried these students will not pass the test.” He told me, “You don’t have to worry. These students don’t want to try, and it isn’t a reflection on us if they don’t pass the test.” I didn’t get on my soap box with him. You know the one about how we should never lose faith, and that it’s up to us to find the way into their hearts and minds. I had also been looking for more from him, in terms of support and actionable advice.
I work with teachers who often express their worry over students who will not pass the test. I strive to be supportive and provide them with actionable advice. My hope is that they can channel the worry and use it to inform a plan of action. We identify the worry, start to analyze, formulate a plan, and take action.
Identify the Worry
I’m worried my students will not pass the test?
Analyze
(I always used a shiny new spiral and pencil. These tools helped me feel like I was re-booting or starting anew.)
Print a roster or write down the names of all your students.
Who will certainly pass and show growth?
Who will probably pass the test and show growth?
Who will probably not pass the test or will not show growth?
How many students are in the certainly and probably will pass categories?
How many are in the “will not pass” category?
Plan and Take Action
Take a moment to pat yourself on the back, because you have identified several students who will pass the test. You played a critical role in their growth and deserve some credit.
You now know that (fill in the number) students will probably not pass the test. Evaluate the data for each of these students. Your observations and interactions play a key role in this evaluation. For each student, list the objectives which have not been mastered. Create a tracking sheet for each student. The tracking sheet should have two columns. The first column lists all of the objectives for the course. The second column is used to check-off the objective once it has been mastered by the student.
Write down notes, vocabulary terms, and key information for each objective. Find or create practice questions which correspond to each of the objectives. Staple or attach your notes to the practice questions, and be sure to write the objective at the top of the first page. Put a folder together for each of your students which include the notes and practice questions for all of the objectives they still need to master.
The struggling students will meet with you either one-to-one or in small groups. They will need re-teaching through direct instruction. They will reference the notes you placed in their files as you review the critical information for each concept. They will then work through a few practice problems with you. They can continue to work on their own and submit the work for your review. They can also meet with you to discuss whether they can check off the objective mastered on the tracking sheet or whether they still need additional practice. This is a great time to reinforce effort and praise each student when they are able to move past an obstacle.
Managing your class is always a complex task, but at this point in the year you will want to allow the students who will certainly and probably pass to work cooperatively on various projects. These projects are still related to the learning objectives and your content area, but they will help students develop some critical thought and depth of knowledge. Their work on the projects will afford you the time you need to provide direct instruction to your struggling students.
Please share your worry in the comments section below. Let me know how you are planning to channel your worry into a plan of action. Do you have any questions? If so, please post them here or feel free to send an email to vlopez@treetopsecret.com.