![]() Almost all of the schools are back in session in Florida. New outfits, crisp notebooks and waxed floors are a common sight from school to school. With that comes another wave of testing, meetings to discus testing and libraries closing for testing. Calendars with test dates, testing coordinators scheduling test dates and data, data, data inundate teachers and students. Seminole County has asked the state to consider a simplistic approach by using the two most commonly accepted common admittance exams; The ACT and SAT. Additionally he wants to use the Iowa State Test. The Orlando Sentinel reported on this and July and stated the following, "Both are paper-based exams unlike the FSA, which requires many exams to be given on computer. By eliminating computer-based testing, schools would be free of the disruptions caused by needing to schedule hundreds of students into testing sessions on a limited number of school computers.The two national exams would take only four hours of testing per year per student. The FSA computer-based exams interrupted 31 days of classes for Seminole high schools.As national exams, both would provide a way to see how Florida students stacked up to counterparts in other states." Since this approach makes perfect sense, the state will most likely reject this idea. One thing that will not change right now is the need for proper test preparation for the ACT and the SAT. Nothing can improve scores more than practice and exposure to differentiated test examples. The proper tutor can make all the difference.
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Summer is a great time to visit colleges. However not all potential students have the ability to tour campuses and a decision is sometimes made without ever actually stepping foot on the campus. Virtual tours can help students view the campus and create a sense of what types of courses and resources are offered, however nothing compares to being able to physically tour a college campus. The feel of a university is very important, as this will become a home.
I recently toured the University of Miami and was pleasantly surprised by the feel of the campus and the realization that it's much smaller than I imagined. Even though it is in the heart of Coral Gables and the area in general is extremely congested, the campus is private and welcoming. The price is high, especially since it's a private university, and the application process is thorough. However I immediately thought of students who would thrive in an environment which encourages low underclassmen numbers and ensures diversity. Additionally UM wants to see how every student they accept will engage in clubs and extracurricular activities. College visits may not always be possible, but if possible, be sure to make it happen. ![]() Most children used to read because they had no other choice. After playing outside, watching television, and talking on the phone, we read. Television was not available 24 hours a day with endless cable. The internet did not exist. Phones were generally one line per household and had to be shared, and playing outside could grow tiresome. Reading was available to most of us through numerous resources. Magazines, comic books, novels, pamphlets, encyclopedias and other various forms of literature could be found in most homes. I remember getting caught at a friend's house during a rain storm and there were no comics or teen magazines, however there were National Geographics. We sprawled out on the floor, fascinated by the incredible images and glossy pages. We settled on an article about the Amazon and the slow extinction of many indigenous animals. I learned what "indigenous" meant on that day. I couldn't figure out what it meant within context so I used her dictionary (most homes had them) and made the connection. I also learned about the poison dart frog. We didn't realize the rain had stopped and the sun was back out because we were immersed in the Amazon. I understand that this may seem novel to some folks. However I had a natural inclination to pick up anything with words and this was due to my mother forcing me into summer reading. In my house, summer reading is what you did in order to do anything else. My mom used her patterned scissors in order to cut out red construction paper and create reading coupons. Each coupon had '15 minutes of Reading Coupon' written on them. My brother and I would have to read 1 hours in order to go to a friend's house. This was the hardest to earn because she knew once we left we would often watch television since my mom rarely allowed us tv time. I recently read an article in Real Simple which addressed reading as 1 of 15 parenting must ://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/kids-parenting/only-parenting-advice-you-really-need. These days summer reading is imposed by schools. Teachers sit in meetings mulling over which novel will really grip the boys because they are they hardest to get to. They come up with engaging lists and hope students will check the website and read. The reality is that kids need to read what they want, when they want, in order to fully embrace reading. However the models and enforcers must be parents or whomever a child lives with. If a parent does not model reading at home and does not show children that reading is joyful and pleasureful, then it will always be more difficult to get the buy in later. Education companies will continue to dictate to parents what is wrong with their child, and throw out motley ideas and assorted fixes all for monetary results. Do yourself a favor this summer; Sit down next to your kid and read. Read to them, read with them, read for the love of reading. As a high school teacher I talk to students daily about their futures. I question their inherent passions, their skill sets, their motivations and what they might want to do in the future. I know that what they think is their goal could be completely opposite from where they will end up, and this is especially common with freshmen.
When I was in high school, there were thousands of scholarships available to me, however I did not have anyone to help me find them. I did not have an involved guidance counselor and my parents were clueless. I knew if I swam a little faster I might be able to get a partial scholarship but I was burnt out on swimming. There are still thousands of scholarships, ready and waiting for applications, however I find that many seniors are not applying. The number one reason students are not applying is they don't know how to narrow their searches and the work involved overwhelms them their senior years, especially with all of the other demands that seniors have to deal with. Recently an APP was designed to help with that called 'Scholly.' It was featured on Shark Tank and it's growth has been fast since its initial exposure. I downloaded the APP for $.99 and I find it very helpful. However I still find that students will be excited to see a narrowed scholarship list, yet still fail to initiate the steps needed to begin the application process. Having someone to assist with this is imperative but I am also excited to see how well 'Scholly' does. https://www.myscholly.com/ Attaining a high grade point average is something that should be the goal of every freshman upon entering high school. Too often teens are unaware that every grade they earn in high school will affect their eligibility for sports and college. High School brings about such a huge change and most teens are not focused on four years down the road. Unfortunately many teens end up scrambling their junior years to try and bring up a GPA that could have been solidified the first year. Parents and guardians who are not aligned with the current trends and requirements of college can miss out on important steps in guiding their child's future.
With the push for more rigor and assessment of students also comes a drop in GPA. A student could complete 10 math assignments in order to earn one 100%. If an F is received on a test then often times it will crush a students' grade and affect their GPA. Teachers are asked to push rigor and sometimes teachers misunderstand this as weighting tests more aggressively. This is a huge disservice to a students' GPA when one test can really make or break a student. GPA should be discussed and regarded highly in middle school in order to set the tone for high school. For more about GPA's and how they can be a predictor, check out the Washington Post article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/05/20/heres-how-much-your-high-school-grades-predict-how-much-you-make-today/ Testing and assessment is a useful tool when determining someone's knowledge. However it is a tool that should be part of a tool box, not the overriding factor in measuring knowledge. Public Schools have become testing centers and if a student does not test well, they are left without many options. The blame game is bountiful when discussing education, whether the government, education companies, teachers or the family unit is to blame is neither here nor there, but what should be looked at is the amount of testing that should be done and exactly what should be counted.
An example is the current Biology EOC and Algebra EOC tests in Florida. They are as vague as the icloud. 70% of a student's grade is determined over 2 semesters. (I'm not great with math however why an odd number is used based of an even number of semesters seems silly). THEN a student must take an EOC, End of Course Exam, in the subject area. The student then leaves for summer, unsure of their final grade because scoring will not be completed until some time in the summer. When the EOC grade is calculated, that score is mysteriously translated into a grade, which is then averaged into the final grade, again, some time in the summer. Currently, no 9th grader can complete their first year of high school, 100% sure of their GPA. This does not make any sense at all and this should be protested. Both the SAT and the ACT test are used for college admittance. These are comprehensive tests constructed to challenge and assess multiple subjects and skills. These are the tests that count. Rapport is the idea that one person works in harmony with another by understanding each other's feelings. This is something most people strive for in relationships with friends, family and co-workers. Why should this be any different in education? Over the years I have seen teachers, mentors and coaches wrack their brains, wondering why they are unable to motivate a student. They waste valuable energy wondering 'why' a student would 'choose' not to work and often times dismiss them without ever grasping how rapport can make a difference. Taking the time to get to know a person before trying to sell them something goes a long way. The same is true when educating and coaching a student.
Ideally we would love to all be self motivated and driven however this is not the case. Taking the time to assess what another person values and what emotionally drives someone will make life much easier. When a students struggles with a subject or is uncertain of how to plan their next step, rapport building will help bridge the gap between uncertainty and assurance, thus creating confidence which is invaluable in education. To read more about rapport building check out this article: http://www.psychologicalscience.org/teaching/tips/tips_0301.html |
AuthorAllyson is a seasoned teacher hoping to make a difference in student's lives, in and out of the classroom. Archives
August 2015
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