A New Take on Retakes #MTBoSYuleBlog

 It's Christmas Break!

I'm pretty certain I will not get 12 blog posts done for #MTBoSYuleBlog, but I do have a couple of things I want to reflect on while I have a few days to reflect. 

This particular post has been simmering in my brain for a while, but I haven't had time to compose it.

As I have blogged about many times before, I'm a big believer in students having the ability to improve their understanding of a concept, demonstrate that to me, and then earn points back on a test grade.

Several years ago I implemented a broad retake and redo policy. It was a great policy, but there were aspects of it that were challenging to manage.

In the last couple of years, I have done test corrections. Test corrections are a little easier to manage than the full-scale retakes, but there are things about them I don't like.

1) They are a PAIN to grade. I'd rather grade a full set of original tests than a small number of corrected tests.

2) It is hard to get students to correct tests in a way that demonstrates to me that they really understand the concept and why they missed it the first time. "Write a sentence explaining your mistake" often gives shallow answers. "New" work can be copied from someone or somewhere else with no real understanding.

This year I came up with a different way, and I like it better.

Students who wish to make corrections to a test must come before school (I facilitate the school's Homework Help each morning) or stay after school. They make corrections, and I am there to assist if and when they need me.

I get to be there with the students while they work, so I know what they are doing and how they are doing it. I can reteach and re-explain. I can see and hear and then correct misconceptions. I get to KNOW why students missed something the first time.

The best part of this method of test corrections? When students leave my room, their test corrections are graded! I know they got the problems they reworked correct, and all I have to do is refigure their points.

There's been just a little bit of push-back on the requirement to come to see me before or after school, but the ones who have complained mostly don't want to make the effort to do so.

And I'm OK with the opportunity to make test corrections requiring a little bit of effort.

Turn & Talk - Testing-Style

I tried something new this week. Two somethings new, actually.

Algebra 1 had their first unit test on expressions and equations.

The first thing I tried was an idea I got from Howie Hua (@howie_hua) on Twitter. He gives his students 5 minutes before a test to talk about the test - without pencils - with classmates. He says it lowers test anxiety and results in "rich" math-talk (I LOVE math-talk).

Many other teachers have used his idea, and they have all posted glowing tweets from the experience.

So I tried it. I called it "Test Turn & Talk." I told students they had to stay in their seats and could talk to the classmates around them.

I knew right away it was beneficial when students read the first question and I heard, "What's a coefficient?" from a couple of students. I heard students talk about making sure they looked at the last questions of the test. A couple of students didn't say anything to anybody. Students probably spent about 3 minutes actually talking about the test; after that, the conversations turned decidedly non-mathematical.

I liked the process. Those who had forgotten what a "coefficient" is would have been stumped on the first question, and that would likely have affected their performance on the whole test. I could sense confidence and calmness as students had the chance to look at and even talk about the test before they started.

As I read about Howie's practice last year, I wondered if it could be applied to some sort of test correction procedure.

So I tried another something new the day after the test.

I marked the tests the day they were turned in. With highlighter. I didn't write any "points off" or what grade students had made. If they missed any part of any question, the question got highlighted.

The next day I passed the tests back to the students. I gave them an official "Test Corrections" sheet (using the same one I blogged about last year). The sheet forces them to explain what they did wrong the first time AND makes the corrections easier to grade because they're all nice and organized.

After receiving their tests, students had 10 minutes to work individually. They could consult their notes and ask me clarifying or directional questions (although I told them I would not find their mistakes for them or tell them how to rework the problems).

Then students were given 5 minutes of "Turn & Talk" time. They had to put their pencils down (we found that under the desk was better) and they could talk about their tests/corrections/work. They, once again, had to stay in their seats.

We repeated the process 3 times.

There was lots of great math-talk. I heard lots of "OOOHHHHH!" as lightbulbs came on. I heard students share strategies for problems I might not have thought of.

After corrections, I regraded the tests - with the corrected problems - and gave students "points back" from what they would have earned had the tests been given a grade the first day.

The overall result of the two days of different forms of "Turn & Talk"? Happy students and a happy teacher.

I gave a reflection on the third day asking students what they thought about each thing: "Turn & Talk" before the test and "Turn & Talk" mixed in with individual work time for test corrections.

For the pre-test "Turn & Talk," students mentioned feeling more confident and less overwhelmed.

For the test corrections process, students mentioned really understanding why they had missed problems (win!). They, of course, loved being able to improve their grade. One student said it was his/her favorite thing a teacher has ever done.

As for suggestions from the students, they wanted more time to "Turn & Talk," and they want to be able to use their pencils during "Turn & Talk" time; they also would like to be able to move around the room. Right now, I like the 5 minutes. I also like the no-pencil policy; I don't want students simply copying from someone else, and I like that they have to process and remember what they discussed with peers when they return to their work. As for "Walk & Talk" (as one student called it)...I'm not sure. I want them to work with the students around them (their seats change all the time), and I don't want the whole class to mob the one kid they are confident will know how to do everything.

One student suggested a couple of minutes of individual time before "Turn & Talk" time for the pre-test. I like that idea. When I first told students to "talk" before the test, they sort of looked at each other and didn't know where to start.

I REALLY liked having tests AND corrections graded and posted in 2 days. A big reason for this is the 10-question assessments from this bundle along with this curriculum guide from Rise Over Run that I am using and loving this year. It deserves an eventual post of its own, but 10 great (editable) questions that tell me everything I need to know is a great way to do tests!

A Flash of Something (Maybe) Resembling Brilliance #flipblogs

I get it wrong. A lot.

But every once in a while I have a spur-of-the-moment idea that I look back on and think, "That was pretty good."

I gave a "Quick Check" to Algebra 1 this morning. Four questions on our last concept. I give a Quick Check when I feel students are ready to receive a grade on the material we've been working on.

I began collecting students' work, and many of them were missing #4. Half of them were missing #4.

I could have graded it as is - maybe showing students how to do it later - or I could try to correct their misunderstanding immediately.

After I collected the papers, I instructed students to get their notes on the material out and look at the examples relating to the missed problem.

I gave the students a quarter-sheet of paper, wrote the problem from the Quick Check on the board, and told them to use their notes to rework the problem.

Students kept working on the problem until they got it correct.

I told students I would take their corrected work and count it as their #4. A large portion of students originally missed the problem; now they all had it correct.

They got immediate feedback. I think many of them learned in the process.

And I smugly gave myself a virtual pat-on-the-back for having a spontaneous idea that wasn't half-bad.

"I Love that Teacher!" #flipblogs

My Algebra 1 kids got back a test this week. It was a deep test, what I like to call a "thinker test." It was very accessible but also required kids to dig a little deeper. I really liked the test.

But many kids did not do as well as they would have liked. There was some minor panic amongst students (I always tell kids that I will tell them when it's time to panic!). I posted grades at 10 PM one night and had a student in my classroom at 7 AM the next morning to discuss her test.

I've been a big believer for several years in giving kids the opportunity to learn or relearn material they have struggled with. To improve their understanding and - in doing so - improve their score. As I blogged about here, I am a big believer in hope.

I have had an extensive retake and redo policy for a few years. But right now that particular policy is not a good fit for me.

I decided to try test corrections again. There are many test correction procedures throughout the interwebs, but I decided to go with Math Giraffe's policy.

(I must note that I still think grading corrections will take longer than grading new tests, but I think the other parts of the retest procedure were more difficult than the corrections procedure...maybe that's another post.)

Anyways...yesterday I returned the test and explained the test corrections procedure. The looks of shock and fear slowly calmed as students realized they might not be grounded for the rest of the grading period.

Today students came in proudly declaring, "I'm ready to turn in my corrections!" (They're not due for a week.) A few came this morning to ask questions about their test.

One student said, "I told my mom about the corrections and she said, 'I love that teacher!'"

It is not my goal to be liked by every student and parent. It hurts my heart a little bit, but I know there are those out there who don't particularly care for me. And that's OK (or, at least, I try to convince myself it is).

But it IS my goal for every student and parent to know I care about student learning. That I believe in hope. That I will do what I can reasonably do to ensure students experience success. That I have my students' backs.

It all goes back to that relationship thing. Relationships with my students are important; relationships with my students' parents are important. The stronger both of those foundations are, the more positive - and successful - experience a student will have in my class.

Hope - It's a Beautiful Thing

So, I'm teaching this Pre-Calculus Trigonometry class for a local community college. As I mentioned in my previous post, it is scheduled for one night a week, 4.5 hours. There are 9 class meetings and the exam.

I have a lot of material to cover in 9 class meetings.

After the first test, we have a test scheduled for every other week until the final. That means a whole unit of material in about a class and a half.

It's overwhelming (for students AND me).

Even with the flipped format - which, I'm sure, makes the situation more bearable - it is hard to make sure material is covered AND students understand it in a class and a half. I still feel I am throwing material at my students and hoping some of it sticks.

Our second test covered trigonometric expressions, identities, and equations.

Yikes. Learn all these trig concepts AND use every algebra skill you might have ever been shown.

Students were nervous and unsure as they came to class. Watching them take the test was hard for me. I made the test as straightforward as I could, and I gave them a reference sheet to use, but it covered. so. much. stuff.

I graded the test as a few students took a retest of Test 1. They were not pretty. A few knew parts of the material well, no one really showed mastery of all of it, and a few were completely lost.

After I returned Test 1 a couple of weeks ago, I told my students I was a big believer in hope.

I've been giving retakes in my 8th-grade classroom for several years, and I wanted to do something similar in the college class. I told students if they'd correct their original test, they could retake it the following week after they finished the scheduled test.

I plan to do the same thing for Test 2.

I was able to talk to a few of the students about the retake for Test 2 before they left.

As I gave one student his test, telling him to begin working through it this week and making corrections, another student asked, "We're going to get to retake that test?" When I said, "Yes," the look on his face was one of complete relief. Of hope.

I reminded them I was a big believer in hope.

The first student said, "I'm so glad you have hope in us." I think he meant "faith," but the thought is the same. These students can keep trying because they have hope.

I talked to another student who was extremely frustrated after the test. But he looked at me and said, "I'm not going to quit. I will not drop this class."

And I was able to tell him he didn't have to. He can work on the material he found difficult, work with me in class, and learn the material.

I'm still trying to figure out how to "do" this summer class format. Flipping instruction was the way to go, allowing retakes is the way to go, but there are a lot of things I'm still not sure I've approached correctly. Or how to approach things so I am better assured of students' grasp of the material. I'm hoping to get some feedback from the students by the end of the summer to see what worked and what I could have done better.

But I'm pretty sure of this: these students know I care, they know I want them to learn, and they know I'm going to give them time and opportunity to do so.

At this point, no one has dropped the class, and everyone is still working and trying.

All because of a little thing called hope.

Retakes and Redos

Flipping my algebra classes has been a huge part of my transformation as a teacher this year. But there's been a second change I've made that has been transformational in its own right: retakes and redos.

I've attempted various methods of redos/retakes throughout my teaching career. I've never been extremely happy with any of them. They seemed to be lots of work for me with little benefit or improvement for the kids. Many times student made significantly worse on their second attempt at a test.

Last year I started to seriously consider some sort of retake policy...again. Students (and parents) were frequently interested in do-overs, but I wanted to make the effort required worth my and my students' time.

Then this past summer I discovered (via Twitter) Rick Wormeli. I read some of his books and watched some of his YouTube videos. He is a huge proponent of retakes and redos. He asks if all the "major" tests - ACT, bar exam, driver's license, others - are allowed to be taken as many times as desired, why shouldn't a test in school? He says any student - even the one who makes a 95 and wants a 100 - should be able to retake a test. He says students should be able to earn full credit on a retake - just as on all of those "major" tests. He also suggests ANY assignment can be redone.

His arguments made sense to me, so I decided to implement a wide-reaching retake and redo policy. I patterned my policy after the policy he used when he was in the classroom.

Daily grades can be corrected for full credit.

Tests can be retaken for full credit, after some preparation. A "Request to Retest" must be filled out and signed by the student and parent.  The student reflects on why they made the score they did the first time and what they are doing to improve the score.

Three activities must be done to prepare for the retake. Correcting the first test is always one; if there was a practice test or review, it must be completed again. Students can choose the third activity - re-watching videos, practice worksheets, IXL practice, etc. - as long as they provide proof.

Retakes and redos must be completed within a week of the return of the original assignment. Tests must be taken during the student's PE class. Retakes and redos can't be done the last week of the grading period to allow me to meet my deadlines for having grades finalized.

Yes, it has been extra work. I'm making 2 tests for every unit (3 if you count the practice test); the retake is similar to the original test. I'm writing passes for students to miss PE and juggling students coming to me to take a test while I'm getting a class started for the day. I'm finding extra practice for kids to do on concepts they struggled with the first time. I'm grading extra daily assignments and extra tests.

But it's working.

Only 1 student hasn't raised his/her score on each of the the last couple of retake rounds (30 students retook the last test!). And, each time, that student has either made the same score or scored only a few points lower on the retake.

Even more exciting to me than the improved scores is the evidence of learning. Real learning. Students are understanding concepts they will need as we progress through the course. Misconceptions are cleared up, and students who are careless pay greater attention to detail.

Some students choose not to redo any assignment or retake any test, deciding it's "too much work for a few points." The only abuse of the policy I've detected is some girls who retake tests to get out of "weight room days" in PE, even if they did very well on the original test. For a few students, I've had to stress the importance of following the policy; if you don't, you won't be allowed to retake your test.

Overall, though, I'm very pleased.

Today a student summed it up very well.  She said, "I'm glad you do the redos and retakes because it makes you really learn the material." Me: "That's the point." Her (my paraphrase): "Usually I just rush through the material trying to get it good enough to get the grade. Now I get to go back and really learn it."

That's a win in my book!

My Goals for the School Year

A teacher-friend at my school let me know via Twitter about TeachThought's 30-Day Blogging Challenge:  Reflective Teaching.

I've been very proud of myself for blogging once a week.

Every day for a month?  Well, that WILL be a challenge.  But I'm going to try my best.

Day 1's prompt is to write my goals for the school year.

I've already been in school four weeks (!) and my students have completed three.  My goals began to come into focus as last school year came to an end and through the summer as I read blogs and books and Twitter feeds.  The gears began turning and I knew what I wanted to accomplish this year.

The BIG goal - and the purpose for this blog - is the flipping of my Algebra 1 classes.  I knew by the middle of June I wanted to flip, and I have been working since then to make that happen.  You can read some of the process here, here, and here.  The beginning weeks of the flipped classroom have been successful.

Reflecting on my flipped classroom journey through this blog is another goal.

At the very beginning of the summer, before I made the decision to flip, I had found videos and writings by Rick Wormeli.  I set out to create a retake/redo policy in my classroom, allowing students the time and opportunity to truly understand and master material.  As I hoped, students are taking advantage of the new policy.  I am figuring out how to manage the extra paper flow.

Related to the retake/redo policy, I am taking steps to ensure the grades student have are accurate measures of what they know, not how compliant they are or how much work they have done.  My classroom is not a standards-based grading classroom, but I can see that becoming a reality at some point in the future.

After being introduced to and reading Carol Dweck's Mindset:  The New Psychology of Success, I am seeking to move my students from any fixed mindset habits they display to a growth mindset.

I have a goal to perform frequent formative assessments and give timely feedback.

As a result of feedback I received from last year's students after they took the Algebra 1 End of Course Test, I have a goal to dedicate more time to problem-solving.

The school year is young, but these goals are already being attained.  They become fine-tuned with each passing week, and I can't wait to see what they look like by the end of May.