The district's Local Professional Development Committee has been working on a plan for the 2010-2011 school year. A component of the plan includes a district definition of student achievement. The committee discussed the following questions:
- Is student achievement high test scores on standardized tests?
- Is it improvement on local assessments?
- Or should the definition include other positive student outcomes such as confidence in academic and social situations, student responsibility for learning, or the ability to apply new skills to real life situations?
- What changes in student behavior are we trying to create?
- What will student success look like in our school?
As our committee and staff continue to discuss this definition, I would love your feedback, as a member of our school community! Please blog your thoughts today...
10 comments:
results of state tests
A measurable benchmark as a result of multi-faceted personal and or group endeavors to obtain new skills or broaden skill areas previously obtained which can be replicated and are beneficial to the individual and or society and represent prerequisite skills and knowledge for subsequent higher level endeavors.
-An HTS Teacher
I think that it should include both social and academic growth. Thanks for including us in your discussions. I really love your blog. Between this and your twitter account, you have really been keeping everyone informed.
test, social interaction, problem solving, applying information.
Assessment based on state tests is fine, but it is important to acknowledge that the scoring is based on average students, and not every child is "average" in the way he or she learns or takes tests. My child was eligible for the AIP program based on her test scores, and the letter sent by the AIP coordinator was deeply offensive to me since is stated rather plainly that the only purpose of that program is to increase test scores, as opposed to actually identifying and addressing the weaknesses that led to those scores. This is "teach to the test" at its very worst. Furthermore, the AIP program is not coordinated in any way with what my child has been doing in the classroom, so now she is struggling with two sets of math problems as opposed to learning how to master one. AIP is also not coordinated with Student Services. There needs to be more coordination and communication among the teachers in the classroom and those involved in these special services. The students need to learn how to think and how to master the subject material so that they can go on to do well on the tests. They will not learn the material just by learning how to take a test.
Sounds like you should call the school if you have a problem with the AIP program. My child is in AIP and I think he is learning a lot. I'm really thankful that the school is offering this extra service.
But regarding the student achievement, I think it is important to include cognitive thinking in the definition. This doesn't have to be solely based on state tests. Our teachers do a wonderful job.
BTW, thanks for doing this blog. Its nice to see our community active in educational discussions!
Any letter indicating that your child needs extra help can be offensive. I applaud the school/AIP person for making the effort to address concerns/deficiencies.
While achievement can be analyzed through grades, you can only really tell a child has achieved something when their overall attitude is very positive. They want to learn more and work harder because their confidence has been lifted. You can also tell by observing them and seeing that once they achieved something, they want to go over and above what is expected of them. Since their attitude is so positive, you can see that they want to do things to please the teacher. Children who are achieving their goals, often "rub off" onto other students.
The most important thing in helping a child succeed is using positive reinforcement constantly. Children who are struggling, tend to need a lot more positive feedback and reinforcement. Through experience, this has been the most important tool I use in my classroom.
-An HTS Teacher
I think in defining student achievement you should consider state test scores, academic achievement (includes student's ability to improve grades/scores through intervention), personal success (ability to collaborate with peers, ethics, community involvement). A definition for student achievement should go beyond test scores to represent the whole child.
I'd like to thank all of you for the feedback/input. I shared all of your comments with our Local Professional Development Committee. The committee was impressed with the number of responses and interest into the definition. The LPDC actually modified their initial definition based off some of your suggestions!
The LPDC has decided to define student achievement as the ability to organize, adapt to new situations, apply knowledge and critical thinking skills, conduct appropriate socialization and exhibit confidence, while achieving grade level expectations.
I would love an opportunity to speak to the anonymous individual who posted about the AIP. We are always looking to improve the program and I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you regarding the matter.
Thanks again everyone!
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