I just found out that only 46% of our fourth graders were proficient in math when they took the Ohio Achievement Test this spring!!! I worked so hard to get them to pass and I know I did everything I could. This year's class was particularly low and everytime I taught long division, it was as if they had never seen it before. Many of them also didn't have their multiplication facts memorized which didn't help either. I feel like crying!!!
Keep your head up. As long as you did everything you possibly could, short of taking the test for them, then you've done your part. On the other hand, I know how it is to want your students to achieve. Your reaction to the results show that you are a caring teacher.
That is so frustrating, especially when we are judged by the students' scores. Don't beat yourself up.
Yes they didn't pass but look at were they were last year and the growth they made. That is what you should be focusing on.
I know I have stated this a few times before,but is a shame what education has become today.Teachers give their best effort to see their students improve and the only thing that matters is the test scores at the end of the year.Your could have great discipline,great exciting creative ideas show nice progress in your students work,but if the test scores aren't above standards you are considered a failure.On the other hand you can be a very mediocre teacher with a bright group of children who test well and you are fantastic.(If you cheat enough on the exam and don't get caught you can also be considered fantastic.) Everyone is happy until they eventually find out some children with high test scores really don't know the work. You can't do more than your best. Feel proud of the job you did.
Thank you, everyone, for your encouraging words. They mean a lot. I'm trying to turn this into a positive experience and use my summer as a time of reflection so that I can improve my teaching skills next year. I'm going to use as many hands on approaches as I can. Thanks again!
We feel your pain! We ate, slept, and drank math and reading all year..........haven't got scores yet...... but I think about it often!! It's really hard when kids come from all levels and all kinds of environment. I'm in a Title I school - 74% free and reduced lunch. They haven't had those experiences at home. HOWEVER, it doesn't really matter does it. They are ALL children!
We are crying up here in the Cleveland area too. I teach 5th grade, but my scores were the lowest they have ever been. Only 26% of my class passed the math test. What you have said about multiplication facts rings true-in fact, that is one of our districts "goals" this year-to improve their math facts. What math program do you use? That seems to be the underlying "evil" with us. We have yet to find a program that really fits the needs of our students.
You may want to try Rockin' the Standards from Tim Bedley next year- he apparently has some songs that correlate with multiplication/division. Additionally, what kind of technology do you have? You may want to show them some PowerPoints or use an LCD projector to show the animation of a long division problem being solved. It is challenging to teach students when sometimes they are still developing with other skills....
Right now, our district is using Saxon Math, but many of don't like the program because it moves too slow. We have to supplement like crazy in order for the kids to be introduced to everything that is on the OATs. If we followed the book, they wouldn't even get to long division and harder multilication problems until close to the end! I told my asst. principal that next year, I am starting right away with the Buckle Down book which is what we use for OAT prep. I did find out that several of the kids scored between 390-399 so they were sooo close. One of my students who is on an IEP for reading and math scored a 397 on math, reading, and writing!!! I am soooo proud of her even though the numbers say she wasn't proficient.
we use fastmath - I use it with my 1st and 2nd graders for addition/subtraction facts - it does works! It's a drill and game format. they do things when they get high scores - but they only compete against their high scores.
Oklahoma has correlated our state test to meet the state objectives, but it's still a battle every year! We eat, sleep, and drink math facts and sometimes I wonder if they will ever get it1 You are not alone - but that doesn't help much when we all feel like we're drowning does it?
We use Fastt Math, too. Less than a handful of my kids didn't pass (two of them almost made it). It works.
