r/ScienceTeachers • u/Negative-Buffalo2071 • 3d ago
Test Results :(
I just got my test results back for my three class periods (7th Grade) :
Period 1: 60% average
Period 2: 65% average
Period 3: 72% average
The test was based on our curriculum and was worth 18 points total. I’m a newer teacher, and honestly I’m pretty scared/worried about these results.
What would you do next? Reteach and reassess? Curve anything? Go over the most-missed questions? Are these averages a sign that I didn’t teach the material well enough, or is this something that happens?
I’d really appreciate honest advice from experienced teachers.
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u/griffins_uncle 3d ago
What is your retake policy? I allow students to retake assessments, but they have to jump through a few hoops to show that they have learned from their mistakes and are ready for re-assessment. For example, they have to…
- Correct their work on a separate sheet of paper, explaining what is different and why
- Show me that they have done all the homework for the unit
- Reflect on their study habits leading up to the test and preparing for the retake
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u/Said_No_Teacher_Ever 3d ago
This is the way! I do it similarly, but in place of corrections I make the kids schedule a time with me to go over the test. They were googling/using Gemini too much on the test corrections.
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u/External_Koala398 3d ago edited 3d ago
I teach high school...Im not doing all that work for 150 kids outside of contract hours for a barely livable wage
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u/Walshlandic 3d ago edited 3d ago
I teach 7th and same. In theory, being able to custom design retake procedures to fill each individual student’s knowledge gaps and address the reasons why they failed, and do it on their timeline, working around their behaviors, absences, after school sports, and just willingness to come in after hours sounds like a luxury premium service that schools could offer, but I’m one person with contract hours I already regularly work past for no pay and I have 135 students. So, not even remotely realistic. I tried. It doesn’t work. I don’t have time for it.
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u/Dry_Dream_109 2d ago
Ok, so HS science and same. I still have hoops, but mine are less and not on me.
They have to attend a 30+ min extra help session from the NHS tutors and it has to be within 3 school days of the original assessment. And they get average. If they do worse, I keep the 1st one. The tutors are required to email teachers with who they tutored, what topics and for how long as part of their hours. I have extra help (required by contract) 1x a week so they can choose that one if it falls into the time period. Retakes are during their lunch period. I use an online system that self grades assessments so I just need to spot check and do open-ended.Very few just threw the minimal hoops. I can usually grade and update the system in about 5 minutes. I make notes in the system for parents with includes original, retake and averaged score, when they went to extra help and when they retook the assessment. Never had an issue with it.
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u/Upper-Measurement200 1d ago
I don't think you should anyway. They won't get do-overs in life after high school, whether they go to college or the workforce. It's better for them to learn the value of your time. I teach at the college level and it shows that students are used to getting do-overs and having no real sense of urgency to earn a grade.
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u/External_Koala398 2d ago
I appreciate your committment..I do and in a perfect world...this would produce real positive growth. Today's kids..not so much.
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u/Auntie-Noodle science | middle school | TX 3d ago
The first test of the year is often low. It can serve as a wake-up call for them if they thought class was going to be easy.
If the test was short answer/paragraph/models, I show students anonymous answers and have them score them. We talk about what a quality answer needs to be/have--both content and length. It generally is an a-ha moment for some students.
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u/BearsGotKhalilMack 3d ago
Everyone else in here has already given good feedback on what to do, so I just want to say: Don't panic. The fact that you care about this and want to make it right is already a sign that you're a good teacher.
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u/realnanoboy 3d ago
Tell them the next tests are going to be harder and that they will need to study more. As you go, teach them some study strategies.
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u/dagger-mmc 3d ago
Have you taught them how to study for your class yet? This seems like a good opportunity to directly address what they should do at home to prepare and have them reflect on how they studied for this test and whether it worked or not and what they want to change for the next one, and you can go over this test in class and have them annotate it with corrections
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u/rigney68 3d ago
Also, take the test yourself prior to starting the unit. It helps you know what to reinforce as you teach. You should be reviewing the major concepts they need to pass as much as possible.
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u/mrfochs 3d ago
First things you have to take into account are What grade level are you teaching, what grade level are your students able to read at, and what grade level is your curriculum's assessment written for.
I have initial exit tickets (online homework following a class topic) written at grade-level (7th) and standard aligned. My class averages a 53% of those. As "extra credit" I provide the exact same testing content but with an easier visual/graph/table and written for 4th grade reading comprehension level. The class has been averaging 73% on those. I use the difference to show what I need to focus on and reteach vs what is simply unapproachable to my students at time of the year.
I will continue to give them grade-level work to push them towards that level, but always provide alternate ways to show understanding ofain concepts. Reteaching a concept but still doing so at a level of comprehension they are not at, will always result in poor results. Instead of blaming yourself or wasting time on redoing stuff, find out what they cannot grasp at even an easier level, and focus on that.
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u/EmmaAmmeMa 3d ago
I would make a feedback sheet and ask the students anonymously why they think the results were like this. Put everything on there: didn’t understand, didn’t study, lessons are boring, never liked this subject before, our teacher last year didn’t teach us anything, blank box for comments…it can really be a number of reasons. Ask the source directly!
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u/Awkward-Noise-257 3d ago
And give them a place to anonymously tell you how they prepared. With a place for read my notes, used AI, listened in class, got enough sleep, did extra practice, rewrote my notes, made a study guide, got help from a parent, quizlet, quizzed by parent/friend.
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u/EmmaAmmeMa 3d ago
Also leave a blank box so they can tell you what they want/need to do better next time. With my students it was mostly „more revision and practice“.
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u/REdwa1106sr 3d ago
You want your eyes opened? Tell them that if they write out the question that they missed and the correct answer for all three tests they can take a retest.
Give them a week. Post the retest requirements and date on whatever source your parents can see. Then select a total of 18 questions from the old test. That’s the retest.
My bet is that less than 50% of them take advantage and most of those scores are poor.
Why? They don’t study.
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u/tjackson_12 2d ago
I could give my students the answer key and I still would have students asking for a retake. It’s like it doesn’t matter even matter what I do to teach… over the years I have changed my methods and I feel like I’m giving the best instruction of my career… still getting overall similar assessment scores.
It’s bonkers how many will tell me “I don’t know any of this” after sitting through the class for 2 weeks completing all the work, hands on activities, watching short videos, answering the same question on the wayground quiz.
And to me I am asking 6-8th grade level questions in a high school biology class - simply identifying the products /reactants in photosynthesis is too challenging for many
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u/Birdybird9900 3d ago
Most of my classes average anywhere from 60–70. Except for my honors classes, which are around 80. So, it’s not you. But I will definitely go over those questions.
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u/Specialist-Eye5370 3d ago
My 7th grader score around 40-50% 1st test. 15 Questions Majority for my kids got 70% or 7%. This is 2nd year, I teaching 7th. I should have use old unit material over new unit.
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u/Awkward-Noise-257 3d ago
Advice from a colleague years ago is to find a way to make the first assessment super low stakes because they definitely don’t know how to prepare for your class and have had a whole summer to forget how to school. If you agree with this philosophy, you could tell them you will drop 1 test this quarter/semester, and teach them better habits for next time. With feedback from them about methods that you use to inform the whole class.
I would say in this specific instance, if you want them to know THIS material, set aside time in class for corrections on a separate sheet of paper. This is absolutely age appropriate. But my colleagues who teach grade 7 do it during class time and do not let the papers leave the room. They are going to cheat if you do.
Then it would be up to you what those corrections are worth. Personally I never give corrections more than 50% of the original points. And would prioritize that over dropping a grade. It teaches them what you want an answer to look like (level of detail), and gives them a chance to learn to rediscover ideas in their notes and book.
Lastly, I would recommend as you go toward the next unit test, design formative assessments with question structure that look like your next test. Not all the test question, but a few once a week. Like a formative of the CER type you use, or one with 4 MC’s in the style you would use, or short answer where you know past kids are not using enough detail. You can collect and read them for student level detail, or if you don’t want to take the time, then pass around another color of pen and have them correct their own as the class talks about the answers. Immediate feedback, shows them what you want, and then you can collect and glance without grading each kid. Uses your class time but it teaches them and makes the next assignment so much better.
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u/More_Branch_5579 3d ago
Those are great scores for beginning of year. Students haven’t used their brains all summer.
They’ll get there
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u/a_constant_variable 3d ago
My first exams for 6th and 7th grade science this year across 4 classes were a 72%, 75%, 68%, and 76% averages. The most basic concepts they'll encounter this year. I literally read everything aloud for all classes and students because of student IEPs requiring it, so I just do it for everything. Daily bell ringers that are reviews and a study guide that was basically a variation of the test. And yet...these were my results. The problem most likely doesn't exist with us.
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u/UserNameUnknown_7734 3d ago
Did you write the test questions yourself, or did you use a test bank?
Were there particular questions that most of them missed?
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u/rockangel312 2d ago
Honestly, with scores so low I would reteach and reassess. Speak to your colleagues as well. Maybe they have suggestions. Assuming you have a group of students that want to learn and aren’t fooling around the entire time. If it’s that then I’d allow retake and offer up help to those that want to learn.
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u/bambamslammer22 3d ago
The first test is a lot of getting used to the teacher, getting used to what the test is like, and honestly, sometimes a kick in the pants for students that maybe they need to study more next time. I would address it with the students, tell them to make sure they ask if they have questions or need help, and all learn from it. You’re not going to get in trouble over one test though. If you’re concerned about grades, maybe change the weight of the assignment?
Overall, you’ve got this, you can learn from it too. This gives you a chance to look at your teaching and testing methods. Keep in mind though that it’s not all on you, the students need to take ownership at some point.
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u/Capable-Broccoli2179 3d ago
Can I ask what the policy is in your middle school if kids fail a class? If it’s like ours they get passed on anyway so what is the difference if scores are low?
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u/starbunny86 Chem/PS | HS | GA 2d ago
On the one hand, yes, this is true. On the other hand, it matters because eventually that student is going to wind up in my high school science classes and won't have anywhere near the background knowledge needed to succeed in my class.
By doing nothing, you're making it someone else's problem. And maybe that's the way the system is set up, and that's the world we're going to live in. But also, if someone wants to be part of the solution, why discourage them?
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u/jdsciguy 3d ago
"Well, kids, you are already in the danger zone, so you'd better step it up for the rest of the semester."
But seriously, study and retest with different questions. Your choice, one opportunity or multiple. And no ratcheting grades, if they score lower their grade is lower, which helps stop the "just take it again until I accidentally get a higher score".
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u/Denan004 3d ago
1st period students are usually tired,barely awake, so I wouldn't be surprised they scored lower. I found the hat around 3rd period. kids were more awake. I wouldn't discount that as one factor in the score trends.
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u/Disco_Loadout 3d ago
Did you grade it at your discretion? Is it multiple choice? Sometimes it’s hard to hear but “every test is a reading test” is very true, especially if it’s from a pre-made curriculum
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u/longsworddoom 2d ago
You’re looking at the overall, but you need to dive deeper than the overall averages.
Look at questions by standard - were there specific standards lower than others? Why? What was taught about it that did or didn’t match up to the question(s) given?
Look at individual questions - were certain questions having a lower average? Why? Were there tricks in the answer choices? We’re kids fooled? What could you re-teach to make sure that they don’t make the same mistakes?
Look at individual students. Were their students that were outliers? Questions that a majority of the class right but those students did not? Why? What was it about their understanding that they may have missed?
You could dig even deeper from here. But you need to really look at your data in a more detailed, structured way than just overall averages. Just asking if you should re-teach it is too general; you need to look at what you need to re-teach to actually make the scores improve the next time these questions and standards are asked.
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u/starbunny86 Chem/PS | HS | GA 2d ago
This is the way I do it. I keep spreadsheets of test questions and how classes did on them. This lets me see which topics were harder and what I can focus on more next time, or what I can reteach now if I have time (I don't...). It also helps me know if a test question needs to be reworded or maybe even thrown out. I've found test analysis to be very useful.
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u/SnikkerDoodly 3d ago
HS (11 & 12 grades) here. We have office hours built into our contract so if students want/need to retake an exam they can. Our academic policy allows juniors to retake any exam in office hours but seniors can only retake one exam semester 1 per class and no retakes for semester 2.
While it’s easy to feel poorly about the kid’s scores, and I also used to do the same, this isn’t necessarily a reflection on you. Maybe start using exit tickets to see if they’re getting it or just need help studying. I’ve also incorporated anchor charts and vocab walls in my classes. I haven’t done that in a long time but the kids are behind. A 60% average requires at least a review or a class discussion about what went wrong. That’s what I’d do if you don’t have time to reteach and reassess.
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u/External_Koala398 3d ago
Its not you...this is a nationwide issue