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Case: Assessment Dilemma For the last several years, the administrators and the teaching staff at Smith Elementary School have been happy to report their school's high achievement test scores. The school district has spent countless dollars on professional development workshops for teachers. Assessment experts have presented valuable information on test taking strategies that bring positive results. Mrs. Madison, who teaches second grade, has faithfully attended all of the information packed presentations. She can now reap the benefits of her new approach to standardized testing. Her students' scores last year far exceeded her expectations as a classroom teacher. Mrs. Madison was very pleased with the level of academic performance her students displayed on the end of year exams. Ironically, these latest scores arrived on the same day Mrs. Madison received her student list for the upcoming school year. After reviewing the names of her new second graders, Mrs. Madison became quite concerned. The list of students revealed two last names that were obviously not typical American names. After a brief conversation with the principal of her school, she learned that an expanding business in the area had hired employees from other countries to join their corporation. As a result, new families were moving into the local community to work at this prestigious business. These specialized employees were moving their families into an unfamiliar country and culture in order to take advantage of an opportunity to work in the United States. The principal informed Mrs. Madison that these new students coming to Smith Elementary would be hearing the English language for the first time. The determined principal also relayed to Mrs. Madison the importance of maintaining their school's reputation of producing high test scores. Mrs. Madison was now facing an unfamiliar task of teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) students and upholding high standardized assessment scores. Questions: 1. Is Mrs. Madison's assessment dilemma an unfamiliar situation in today's educational system? 2. Was the principal of Smith Elementary School asking too much of Mrs.? Madison? 3. How could Mrs. Madison prepare for her new ESL students? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) 1. No, lots of people are moving to America to work here and their kids need to attend school just like everyone else. When they get there they will have never heard English in their lives. Schools need to produce high test scores in order to recieve funding and these students cannot read English will affect the scores if they are not prepared. 2.This trend is becoming more and more popular and I think that teachers need to be prepared for it. I do not think that the principal was asking too much because her job is teach students no matter what language they speak. 3. I think that Mrs. Madison should read up on the cultures of the new students and also label things in her classroom to help them. By making sure that there are pictures along with word labels the students will be able to learn the meaning of new words. Also it is important to use signals to communicate. Another helpful approach is to get a interpeter to help the students understand what is going on in the class, if that is available. |
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