But I digress, as I usually do. Test taking. Here are some things I discovered.
1. Teens are severely attached to those cell phones. In every class I had to confiscate two cell phones used to find google translator, even though I was clear that cells were not to be used.
2. During reviews when I actually gave an approximation of a test that they worked on, we went over, I discovered how much they had forgotten. As long as I used flash cards in reviewing almost daily, they remembered that particular vocabulary. I stopped and their brains drained out those words. As the assistant principal, former psychology teacher, told me: There's a study that says teens "prune" their brains (not consciously) and get rid of everything but brain growth. If asked why they did something "stupid," they claim they don't know why. My AP says they really don't know. So my French students simply lost a lot of information. Pruned right out. I have drilled conjugations and verb cards over and over and over. "What's conjugation?" they wanted to know. I declare! What's the word for "a?" I could not believe my ears!
3. Some students called me over and over to help them on the test. I did. Those who never asked for help, I asked them if they wanted help. "No, I got this," one boy told me. Some called me over and said, "Ms P, I don't know any of this." I'm sorry, but, folks, I had to remind them that sleeping during class and turning in no work probably played a large role in their lack of knowledge. Besides, I worked so hard during the review process and this same girl talked the entire time. Pity? Got none.4. One boy who is in trouble with his grade--he tries some, talks a lot, sleeps some-- he called me over and asked if he could do some catch-up work. Absolutely, I told him. If this macho black dude can humble himself to ask for catch-up work, I can certainly grant his request.
5. On occasion I allow use of various tools to aid and abet during testing. I assign verb cards with their conjugations and flash cards with vocabulary for quick references. Not all students will do them or do them correctly. So for this first test I allowed the use of anything except cell phones and neighbors. A professor once told me that a student should learn something taking a test. I declare, but these students used initiative in using the textbook. Those who had little or no notes had to figure out how to use the text--a challenge, I might add, but they did and found enough answers to carry them through. I was excited they could! I should have taken pictures of all my classes working diligently to find answers and do at least well enough.
6.Now the funniest, more revealing part of the testing process. In the last class of the two-day period, the most "communal" of classes, I had the wildest experience, as a teacher, with cheating. It was toward the end of class time, when they started slipping verb cards and class notes to each other. They were asking questions and getting answers. I even found one girl with a boy's test paper tucked under her test. The crazy thing is that SHE is the good student--he is middling. They were panicking and doing whatever--you know, the bottom line--to finish their tests. My point is: They cared!--enough to cheat in their panic! I let it happen and thought I had learned something about them--the communal, connected thing. Was I wrong to let them "cheat," if one can call it that since I allowed so much use of notes and such. Next time, I think I'll have neighbor testing, that is, two working together. Aha, I'll put like with like.
I am looking forward to grading these tests. More later....
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