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Neighborhood vs. Magnet: Testing

2/1/2012

1 Comment

 
I haven't posted on this topic in a while, mostly since so many other political struggles have taken place recently. That being said, I still notice some major differences between these two types of schools. Most recently I focused on how my current students take tests (both my own and standardized versions) in comparison to students I taught in neighborhood schools. To put it simply: they just take them.

On the whole the students I taught at neighborhood schools were willing to take tests, both ones I created and standardized versions. That being said, there were always a large enough number of students who put their heads down, didn't try, complained loudly, or walked out of the room. I found myself begging students to try their hardest. My one major argument: if you leave it blank, you guarantee yourself a zero; if you try, you could get partial credit. Still, it didn't matter that much.

In comparison, when I administered midterms to my current students last week they focused just fine. There were a few times when a head was down for a few minutes, but that student got back to work after a brief respite. No begging necessary.

So why does this happen? 

Again, I am no expert at teen psychology but I think the issue is mainly one of preparation and expectation. Students at my current magnet school (for whatever reason) are mostly at the level they should be for high school math and so have the background knowledge to push ahead. Additionally, they have a positive association with putting effort into tests. 

In contrast, my students at neighborhood schools were not as well prepared and, I think, felt that if they tried and failed it was a determination on their future. Instead of putting effort in only to be told they had failed, they put no effort in and so could not be blamed for the failure. In my belief, this view was held by many of the students who decided to take a nap instead of finishing their Algebra tests in my previous schools.

I'm not sure exactly how to solve this one but I think one major factor that would help is having fewer unprepared students in one classroom. Peer pressure can be a strong thing and if the one or two less-prepared students see everyone else putting in effort, they might just do the same. 
1 Comment
Rich Migliore
2/1/2012 11:41:47 pm

What you said about students at neighborhood high schools who put their heads down, didn't try, complained loudly, or walked out of the room is because those students were being tested at their "frustrational level." They are normal behaviors of students who are forced to read at frustration levels at that time and/or have a history of frustration with such tests.

Psychologically it is better to appear rebellious than to demonstrate one's lack of ability. It is an ego defense mechanism. It is normal for disabled readers to hide their disabilities so they will not be found out.

Many students at neighborhood schools are below grade level for many developmental reasons. Most magnet schools by their very nature and selection processes attract higher achieving students and most are on grade level or have the motivational fortitude to struggle through difficult material.

That is why good standardized tests start with lower level reading selections at students' independent levels and progress in difficulty through students' instructional levels and finally to advanced levels. That way, a test can give us an approximation of each student's independent, instructional and frustration levels and students can begin the test with success rather than frustration.

I have never taught math, but I bet it works the same way. Your midterms are probably what you have taught your students and made sure they know. That is why they do not display behaviors indicative of frustration.

The behaviors you describe above for your neighborhood school students are classic frustrational behaviors.

There is a whole psychology to the development of reading ability and its diagnosis. When I went to graduate school to become a reading specialist degree I received from Temple was a Masters degree in "Psychology of Reading."

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    I am a math teacher in the New York Department of Education. I infuse technology and real-world problems into my curriculum in order to prepare my students for the future. I would love for people across the country to recognize we teachers can't do it alone. If you don't believe me, come visit my classroom!

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