Mid- September is the time of year that we, at school and parents, at home, are eagerly awaiting the results of the MSP test (Measurement of Student Progress), that the students took in the spring. I always have conflicting feelings over the MSP test. Both when the students are taking it and while waiting and reviewing the results. I do not like to take standardized tests, and I imagine most people feel the same. However, it is a part of what all students have to do to get into college and/or graduate school. It is the way the system is set up. Maybe one day in the future it will change or look different, but for now this is it. Knowing that, even though I don’t like putting students through the stress of it, it is an important skill for them to have. Test taking strategies and stress management can benefit students not only in preparation for the MSP, but for any standardized tests. That being said, it can be particularly difficult for students with learning differences to take these tests. At our school we accommodate these students based on IEP’s or 504’s, but it is still extremely challenging for them. It can be hard for me to watch them struggle through the test while I am proctoring them.
Then comes the fall. Many parents put A LOT of weight on the results of the test. There are even some who judge the quality of the child’s previous teacher based on the results of this test. I like to think that I am immune to this way of thinking, and although I do not take it to the extreme as these parents, sometimes I wonder if I too put too much weight on the results as well.
Once our school receives the results, our principal brings them to the Learning Center (L.C.) where we spend considerable time reviewing every students results (whether they are served by the L.C. or not). We look at how the students did last year and how it compares to this year. Did a student pass last year and not this year? Did they not pass last year and pass this year? Are there any surprises? I have found that when a student passes we are excited and we feel a sense of accomplishment in having helped that student succeed. But when a student does not pass, although there may be some sense of responsibility that I feel (these feelings were magnified when I was a classroom teacher), I also think to myself, well it is just one test, they were probably having a bad day.
I think the bottom line is. It is a snapshot of the student. It could be they were just having a bad day. Or maybe they really did their best, but taking tests is incredibly stressful for them. Maybe they had a headache while taking the test. Or on the other hand, maybe they like tests as a way to demonstrate their knowledge; maybe they had a really great morning at home, so their mood was light. Whatever the case, it is just one piece of the child’s learning, and although we and the parents have to consider the results of this test, we also need to remember that there is so much more to what the child knows than just the results of this test.
Once we have reviewed the results with the Principal my mentor teacher and I go through each child who did not pass and write up a plan for each student for the year. A part of the plan writing entails a discussion of why we think the student did not pass. The results of this discussion help us to decide what kind of support we need to put in place for each child. Sometimes it may be as simple as teaching the child test taking and stress management strategies, or it may be as complex as in-class support combined with pull-out support. Typically the students who need the more complex support are students who we are already serving in the L.C. or were on our radar as ones who may need L.C support. Once these reports are complete, we send home the report with the results of the test. We also call each parent to let them know if their child did not pass and that a plan for their child’s learning will be included with the results of the test. This assures the parents that not only are we aware that their child did not pass, but that we already have a plan in place to help them succeed next time.
rebeccaaf 