Assessing Struggling Students

As I mentioned a few posts ago my Pre-Calculus students are struggling a bit through a unit on Trigonometric Identities. I know that through my teaching career I will have units that my students struggle through, which makes me wonder what a teacher should do for a summative assessment in these circumstances. There are several things that could be done.

In "Dr. Smith's" classes he makes the test more difficult believing that the students would learn more from a difficult test. I talked to the student that I tutor again last night and he said that his final exam in math for all 7th graders will be more difficult than usual because the 7th graders are struggling in math. To me this doesn't seem like the environment that will help students learn.

Before I present the other two options that I can think of, I would like to remind you that I don't know what is best. The purpose of this blog is for me to reflect on my teaching and collaborate with other teachers. I am interested to know how other teachers assess their students when they are struggling through a unit.

Another option is to maintain the expectation I have for my students but put off the test a few days to help my students meet this expectation. I usually try this one if my students are close to meeting my expectation and I am only putting off the test up to two or three days. If I need to put the test off longer or if I am not able to put it off, then I use a third option.

The third option is to adjust my expectation of my students. In simple terms, I am making an easier test. I know this isn’t the ideal, but I try to be very aware of where my students are at. If I know that they are struggling, I accept that it would be difficult to help them meet the expectation that I previously had. I adjust that expectation and give them a test based on this new expectation. This third option is the one that I am using with my Pre-Calculus class because today is the end of the grading period and I don’t want to put off the test.

I would love to hear your ideas.

Doing My Homework

As a teacher, particularly a math teacher, I assign homework. I feel that the purpose of homework is to give my students an opportunity to practice what they learned. As a teacher, I haven't been doing the homework that I assigned because I know how to almost any problem in the book. Several weeks ago I saw another math teacher in my school work out the problems that she assigned. The thought I had at the time was "Maybe this teacher isn't as strong in math and that is why she feels she needs to work out the problems in advance." I think this experienced teacher knew something about teaching that I didn't.

My Pre-Calculus students have been struggling during a unit on trigonometric identities. I know part of the reason was I haven't been doing the homework that I assigned. When they asked questions, I noticed that I could look at the problem and see how to do it but they couldn't. My students would say things like "I wouldn't have thought to do it that way" or questions like "How do you see those things?" I decided to sit down and do the homework that I assigned. While I was doing my own homework I realized how I did the problems. The next day in class I gave the class "three tricks" or three methods that I think through when I am solving problems with trigonometric identities. My students are still struggling, but these three tricks have really helped them.

The reason that I should do my homework is not to practice doing it. The reason that I should do my homework is so I am better prepared to help my students do their homework and learn this material. I can do it using methods that they know and I can identify potential problems that my students may have.

I am going to be much better about doing the homework that I assign.

Clear Expectations from the Beginning

While I was substitute teaching I talked to several teachers questions about what they know now that they wished they knew during their first few years of teaching. Many of them talked about setting expectations and then not giving in. I agree with this advice. At the beginning of this school year I guess I wasn't sure exactly what expectations to set.

I have learned that I it is difficult to enforce an expectation when I don't start with the expectation and then enforce it every time. One of my assignments is lunch duty. I walk around during lunch and detour a lot of trouble with my presence. One thing that I try to do is prevent students from cutting in the lunch line, because I don't think it's fair that the other students have to wait for a student who has cut in line. I know this sounds like a grade school issue, but it is something that I try to enforce.

A few weeks ago I had a student who cut in line to be with his girlfriend. I called him out and asked up to go to the end of the line. He said it wasn't a big deal because he only cut in front of a few people. He also turned around and asked them if they cared. No surprisingly, they said they didn't care. I said that I cared and asked him to go to the end of the line. Again he refused. Looking back I know that I should have given him the choice of going to the end of the line or going to talk to the principal, but in the moment I decided that sending this student to the office for cutting in line wasn't worth it. I realize now that the reason I would send him to the office was not for cutting in line, but for defiance.

Anyway, yesterday I called out another student who cut in line, this time in front of several dozen students. He referred to the fact that I let the other student cut in line to be with his girlfriend. I tried to explain that this was because it was only a few people, and he repeated that it is no different. Again, I walked away defeated.

I know that whether I try to or not, I am creating expectations. I guess I would rather be proactive and set them from the beginning than dealing with them case by case and not making the best choices. Before the start of the next school year I will spend time thinking very critically about what expectations I am going to set and how I am going to deal with students who don't follow them.