For years, I’ve given my students their test free response questions ahead of time. We go over them together. They take mini-quizzes along the way. And they do pretty good on tests.
This year I finally started having them prove to me that they are re-working their FRQs by adding that to their study guides. I’ve said for years, “Writing is so much more active than reading. You all have to PRACTICE writing these. Reading through them before the test is not going to suffice—not if you want this knowledge to last until May.”
So why have I not required them to prove to me they were studying in this manner before now?
I HAVE NO IDEA.
I literally preach this to new teachers: “If you expect students to do something, afford them time to do that thing and then reward the effort with a non-assessment grade.”
But I wasn’t following my own advice. Not for this, at least.
For this study guide, I took it a step further and said I would not be giving out full points if I didn’t see that they were grading their own practice attempts in a different color.
Writing is good, yes. But copying can be just as passive as reading if we’re not engaged. “Show me that you’re testing yourself and not mindlessly copying the answers from class. Show me with a check if you got a part right, and with a correction if you got it wrong. Use a different colored pen.”
And wouldn’t you know…I have never seen so many 100s on a calc test before.
They’re ready for the big girl stuff now.
They did it.
This group that lost so much. This group that has endured so much.
They did it. They caught up. Somehow—they sped up.
And, lord I hope—maybe they’re learning some study skills along the way.
Finals, we are coming for you.
one good thing 