Thirty years ago, late April and early May was a much different time in schools. As the days got longer and warmer, recess would last just a little bit longer, class would “wrap-up” a little bit sooner, and basically everyone connected with the schools were more or less passing the time before the arrival of summer. The serious work of school was over, and the time was filled with year-end parties, movies etc. This is not to say that teaching and learning didn’t take place, but the pressure lessened with each passing day.
Fast-forward to today’s schools, and we see the reverse is true. The days may be warmer and longer, but this time of year has become the most important in students’ lives, because it is in these last few weeks of school that the students learn and review for End of Grade and End of Course tests. The pressure grows each and every day. The scores that a student receives on these tests has a tremendous impact on his or her academic future. If a student fails to pass an EOG (Grades 3-8), they will have two more times to take the test, but those opportunities happen very close together. A year’s worth of material cannot be learned in this time, so it is essential that parents stay in contact with their teachers to understand areas of weakness that need to be improved upon BEFORE taking an EOG. After three tries, the child stands a high probability of being retained. EOC’s in High School count 25% of the overall grade. A student can be passing a course but fail because of a low EOC score. Here again, it is essential that parents monitor their child’s progress closely, and encourage them to spend some time each week reviewing material from earlier in the year. Finally, students should do everything possible to be in class these final few weeks, and parents should encourage good attendance. The reality of the situation is a child can fall behind in only a couple of days, and at this point in the school year it can be very difficult to catch up.
With all the pressure that students face today, it is also important to remember that the many events that are taking place: athletic events, spring musicals, concerts etc. are very valuable to our students. These activities give our students an outlet and help prevent them from burning out on the pressures applied by testing and the end of the school year.
Thirty years ago, this was a relaxing time for educators and students alike. Those days are gone, and while the pressures have increased, so have the levels of achievement. We realize across our system that the final weeks of school are more important than the first ones, because it is in these final days that the concepts that have been learned are taken to higher levels of thinking, which of course, is what we are all about.
We welcome your comments on my blog at http://www.drstrickland.blogspot.com/ and be sure to check out our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us.
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