Ugh.

The portion of the school year that resembles "going through Hell" has arrived!  This year, there is a kink in the plans...one of the three 7th grade English teachers on campus is out due to emergency surgery over Christmas Break, and the other teacher, besides myself, is brand-new to Writing/English.  Therefore, all plans of success for the 7th grade English students on the upcoming Writing TAKS test, Tuesday, March 1st (24 school days from this coming Monday 1-24-11) is based on MY thoughts, opinions, and decisions.  EVERYONE is waiting to hear what I THINK we should do!   YIKES!

Last week, the students took a "practice" TAKS test.  The district calls them Benchmarks.  The students had all day to take the test, but they MUST be complete by the end of school which is NOT the way the real TAKS test works.

After the scantrons were graded and the scores were input to the computer system, I received my "official" copy.  I just about flipped!  The break down of overall passing per teacher looked like this:  The new teacher:  78.4% passing; the sub for the teacher that is currently out: 79.3% passing; and my score: 67.7% passing!  I could have been in tears if I had not been so shocked and exasperated.  The district passing average for all 7th grade Writing students was 76%.

Well, the next day, after sleeping off the steam, I realized there was an error with MY numbers.  I am a teacher on the Inclusion team at school.  This means that all students who are labeled as exceptional, or having a disability, are in my classroom.  These students can function properly in a general education setting and are continuing to prove they can be successful in a mainstream classroom.  They receive support in every general education class they take, from the Inclusion Specialist, a certified Special Education teacher.

If a student is receiving Special Education services in Writing I can have them take any number of TAKS tests based on their ability levels and strengths.  They can take REGULAR TAKS (like the general education students), TAKS Accommodated (fewer questions, bigger font), or they can take TAKS Modified (half the number of questions, even-bigger font and a different writing prompt).  With TAKS Accommodated (which most of my Special Education kiddos take) they have to make a score of 50% to pass their questions portion of the test.

This 50% passing rate was NOT factored into my other numbers.  The scoring sheet ONLY factors passing as 70% for ALL students.  This is a problem.  3/4 of my exceptional students actually passed which brings my overall student passing percentage to the 80ish% mark.  I could not be happier with my children. 

There were several knuckleheads that did not do what they were supposed to do and they bombed the test which did not help my ratings, but those students are now REQUIRED to be in tutoring with me for two afternoons a week for a full hour each session.  They have already told me that they will NOT mess up on my test.  They do not want me to retain them in the 7th grade!

Ha!  The simple things in life that make us freak out, and the simple things in life that makes us so happy!  Although my job is crazy, hectic, chaotic, and as-of-right-now extremely stressful, I could not ask to work in a better place, with more loving, helpful, supportive people.  My academic team, and my English department co-workers are PHENOMENAL!