The end of the 9 week grading period brings the beginning of FCAT testing. I am very pleased with my students and the grades they earned this 9 weeks. The lowest grade in the class was a 73 percent. I am happy that all of my students will have the opportunity to earn at least a B for the semester grade. I understand how important grades our to GPA's and college acceptance. This is one of the things I will struggle with once I get my own classroom. I don't know how I will react to giving a failing grade. Hopefully I will be able to prevent any of my students from failing by giving them the additional support throughout the grading period before their grades are final.
I have an array of choices for volunteering at Osceola High School. I will try to balance my time between 21st Century and Credit Recovery. The program I am most interested in is Credit Recovery because it gives students an opportunity to catch up or replace a bad grade with grade forgiveness. I think it is important to give students a chance to catch up besides summer school or being held back because this will prevent students who fall behind from getting frustrated and dropping out. I was thinking about possibly volunteering for FCAT practice this week as well because FCAT is testing on April 11th and 12th. I would like to be able to help students relieve some of their test anxiety and help them have confidence before taking the test. Even if teachers don't necessarily agree with the assessment methods being used we still need to do whatever we can to help our students prepare for it.
:I don't agree with the FCAT, but I do agree with you that keeping students calm is important. If students stress too much, their grades on the test will suffer. Of course, I can't help but feel some of their stress is due to the stress the state puts on schools, administrators, and teachers. Students feel when a teacher is stressed.
ReplyDeleteI noticed you are finishing your Masters in Social Science Education. Congratulations! I am finishing my Master of Exceptional Education degree.
I truly hate FCAT. I did an FCAT camp on test taking strategies and hope I prepared the students. Presently to many teachers are giving the students anxiety about the FCAT. I myself have tried to reduce the anxiety by telling them that I'm not concerned because they have been prepared all year for it and they are smart and will do fine. Teachers don't realize there is no use in scaring the kids because either they have it by now or they don't.
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