Mash-ups have become very popular in the musical world. This is where someone takes at least two different songs and mixes them together to create a new sound.
For instance, someone calling himself DJ Earworm creates a mash-up of the top 50 pop songs every year. It’s quite the song to listen to with all those sounds!
This week’s column will be a mash-up of sorts too. We’ll see how it sounds at the end!
My predecessor in this space used to comment on the two seasons of the year in Minnesota: winter and road construction. Well, winter’s still here, and I was just reading about road construction projects this morning! However, in the world of education, we have an additional season: testing.
While various standardized tests are spread through the year, April is the big month in Minnesota. Students in grades 3-11 take the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs). These are tests that cover reading, writing, math and science.
Until you get to high school, none of these tests count for students. There is nothing negative that will happen to a student who does not pass some of these tests.
Now, in the early grades, many students are eager to please, no matter what. They are not thinking about how something might affect their grade. Throughout the state, MCA scores are wonderful in grades 3-4.
We all know that all kids head down the dark path in some way as they become teenagers. For many of them, the “How does this affect me?” attitude becomes foremost in their minds. MCAs? Eh, no impact for some.
I actually had a student in 8th grade tell me one year that he just randomly picked answers on his entire reading test. In an essay section, he wrote something along the lines of, “Thanks for making me feel dumb. I don’t care anyway.” Huh, I wonder how he did…
Yet, schools and teachers are judged on these results. I’m sorry, I can lead the horse to water. I can even shove his head in the water. Still, I can’t make him drink, and stories like this prove that.
What’s the solution? First, cut back on the incessant testing. Perhaps a test to see where students score in third grade is a good idea.
Check again in fifth grade. Do one more check in eighth grade. Then give them one that really counts in high school, such as it is now.
I have nothing against testing high schoolers to see if they can read and write and do a few math problems before they graduate. That’s a great idea! It’s the over-testing that leads to that point which is burdensome on schools and students and leads to anxiety and apathy.
Still, testing isn’t going away anytime soon. Every year, we get to hear how NRHEG measures up to local and state schools. If we don’t match up, questions are asked.
Which, makes the thought process in making up snow days curious. A plan was presented to extend the school day by half an hour a day to make up for the time we’ve lost this year. The thought was to start this right away and give more time in the classroom prior to testing since we’ve missed the equivalent of a week. This is really tough in a math room, where there is so much on the test that needs to be taught.
Instead, it looks like we’ll be babysitting in June, when absolutely no learning will be accomplished. Would it have been tough to pull off an extended school day for a few weeks? Sure, because it impacts a lot of people: bus drivers, parents, daycare, coaches, etc.
However, if it could’ve been looked at closer or earlier, it might have been the best option, educationally speaking. Maybe someday, we’ll have a better plan than June.
Who would’ve thought that tests and snow days would go together? Perhaps, since we do live in Minnesota, we should have a test on how to make a snowball. At least we could put a snow day to some educational use!
Word of the Week: This week’s word is snowbroth, which means freshly melted snow, as in, “Yesterday, he woke up to a carpet of white, but now it’s just snowbroth.” Thanks to former star Laura Yerhot for a website with this word. Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!