futurebird's Diaryland Diary
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failing
Outside of my school at night. I stayed late on thursday to grade papers.
I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. Nearly all of my students failed their first math test. There are a variety of reasons for this I think, some of my students don’t do homework or study—some have entered the 9th grade at a 5th grade or 4th grade level—a few have learning disabilities. Many of them do not read or write English terribly well. But, most are bright—and could do well, I think. If only if I knew how to show them how.
Out of 40 or so students I have in 9th grade, two scored Bs , three Cs, 8 Ds and the rest answered less than half of the questions correct. I would venture that the exam was simply too hard, but I used questions from the regent’s identical to many we did in class and as homework.
I’m depressed about giving them the tests back—I don’t want them to give up hope. Especially the ones who do their homework and who I know try hard. But, they still have not grasped the concepts of our first unit. I can’t lie to them—Besides. I didn’t think the test was too hard—I timed myself taking it and it took me about 4 minutes—so, I gave them 40—many were still working when the bell rang. How can it take so long to answer a question like: -3-8 ? We did dozens of examples in class. They did OK on the homework. Maybe they were just stressed by the test? I don’t know.
I teach 90 minute periods so I spent the first half of class working with them on example problems—maybe I’m just a bad teacher.
I don’t know what to do.
12:28 p.m. - 2003-10-05
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