Numbers rule my life

I teach English, so the title of this post might confuse a few people. Words should rule my life - beautiful words that stir the soul. Sadly, that is less true than I wish. As a teacher in the state of Michigan, I am the sole cause of the decline of civilization. If a high school student fails, blame falls on me alone. The student is not responsible, nor are the parents - just me.

The state has mandated a new teacher evaluation process. This new process must include data from tests given to the students. Our building has chosen to given the same test, twice in one semester. How the students score on this test will then be factored into my evaluation. This year, the percentage that is tied to my performance is 2.5 percent. In about three years, that will jump to a whopping 40 percent. The test the tenth grade English students took included a short story by Ernest Hemingway and 25 multiple choice questions. It was hard. How did they do? Look for yourself.

 

Coral – English 10 Pre/Post Test Scores Total Points Possible - 25

February 2012 and May 2012

1^st hour

Name	Pre-test # Correct	Post-test # Correct	Change +/-
1	9	12	+3
2	7	10	+3
3	7	Did not take	NA
4	9	Did not take	NA
5	10	9	-1
6	8	6	-2
7	9	12	+3
8	13	11	-2
9	19	17	-2
10	13	Did not take	NA
11	20	21	+1
12	6	8	+2
13	16	16	No Change
14	8	17	+9
15	11	10	-1
16	9	Did not take	NA
17	16	16	No Change
18	15	10	-5
19	13	Did not take	NA
20	10	18	+8
21	15	13	-2
22	9	9	No Change
23	5	Did not take	NA
24	13	12	-1
25	2	Did not take	NA
26	11	12	+1
27	6	10	+4

 

5^th hour

Name	Pre-test # Correct	Post-test # Correct	Change +/-
28	17	17	No Change
29	17	18	+1
30	17	18	+1
31	19	17	-2
32	14	14	No Change
33	10	19	+9
34	8	15	+7
35	12	16	+4
36	13	13	No change
37	16	15	-1
38	13	9	-4
39	15	14	-1
40	18	16	-2
41	11	17	+6
42	18	19	+1
43	11	14	+3
44	11	10	-1
45	13	15	+2
46	18	15	-3
47	12	13	+1
48	14	12	-2
49	13	13	No Change
50	11	18	+7
51	16	5	-11
52	Did not take	14	NA
53	Did not take	10	NA
54	19	16	-3
55	3	6	+3
56	16	14	-2
57	14	13	-1
58	17	19	+2
60	16	11	-5
61	12	11	-1
62	8	15	+7

7^th hour

Name	Pre-test # Correct	Post-test # Correct	Change +/-
63	6	15	+9
64	19	16	-3
65	9	16	+7
66	16	17	+1
67	7	6	-1
68	Did not take	18	NA
69	5	Did not take	NA
70	18	18	No change
71	15	15	No change
72	13	Did not take	NA
73	Did not take	17	NA
74	10	Did not take	NA
75	2	Did not take (class change)	NA
76	20	14	-6
77	Did not take	15	NA
78	Did not take	5	NA
79	Did not take	7	NA
80	10	14	+4
81	20	20	No Change
82	16	15	-1

It looks like a mixed bag of numbers. The are a number of students who added or dropped by one or two. A handful of kids made big jumps and two had disappointing tumbles.

You know what's actually missing here? The kids themselves.

Do I get bonus points for the increase in score by the student who lost both parents this year? Or the student who was kicked out of her house earlier this year? Can I take credit for the increase in score by the student who just told me that the gas and electricity has been cut off, thus suggesting that it has been a rough year at home? How about that kid that lost 11 points? That student is patently dishonest and has been caught plagiarizing - do I really have to take the blame for that score?

It's funny. Every time a college-educated adult has given me a hard time about my summer's off, I counter by asking why he/she didn't become a teacher if the job is so easy. Their universal reply: I don't want to deal with those kids. Same with my own student. If I venture to ask if anyone would want to be a teacher, they exclaim in unison, "These kids are too rotten! I'd kill someone!" But on these kids, and how they might do on a test on any given hormonally-challenged day, my career hinges.