Thursday, January 19, 2006

A Question for the Students

Now that the EL% exam is behind me, I'm luxuriating in the new found freedom of creating lesson units that may actually spark my students' attention. I sent the kiddos home with a long list of supplies (magazines, newspapers, glue, safety scissors) and began a unit based on advertising. One thing that I've come to discover is that my students are not savvy consumers. They are also not eager writers. So I'm hoping to merge these two concerns and see what comes about.

Today they were asked to write their opinion of the EL% test snafu, and whether the test should be discarded and/or re-administered. I was surprised by their responses.

Of my 19 students, 14 believed that the problem was serious enough that the test should be re- administered. All of the students cited the concern that some students would eat a "1" if they didn't understand the last minute directions.

The remaining students (5) opposed re-administration of the exam. Almost all of them cited that the exam was "too hard" and that it would be unfair to make them sit for it again.

I was pleased with the class discussions about the exam, and their rather mature sensibilities about equity and fairness. In fact, it was the most "mature" class discussion that we have had to date.

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