Its again results time and this time it is much worse than the last unit test. I would believe that the kids have really improved in their comprehension of English, but still not enough to read the questions and understand enough to write the answers on their own. In the last unit test, I read out all the questions and explained it all to them. This time, the students were totally on their own. They had to first decode sounds and read the words. Then understand the meaning of the words and understand the meaning of the sentences out of it. For most who were just reading a few words and were not understanding even a single word of what they were reading this was no mean task.
I have removed the results of those subjects like Work Experience, PT etc which doesn't really matter much, but inflates my results unnecessarily.
Only 4 students have passed in all the subjects and not even a single one has gone beyond 60%. My Nanda almost reached there. My special child has failed in all the subjects. My dyslexic has failed in all but Hindi and Marathi. The results are so pathetic, I feel like crying.
My fellow teacher, after seeing the results told me, that I cannot experiment with the children like this. Meaning I cannot leave them with the questions for them to comprehend, but I need to read them out to them and explain to them for them to write the answers. On hindsight, I see the point too. As of now since they really cant fully read and comprehend the questions, by not reading out the questions and not explaining the questions to them, in all the subjects I am testing English reading comprehension, except Maths. Even in Maths there were a lot of word problems which most of the students didn't even attempt, since they just couldn't read them. Those who could read them, just couldn't understand them.
On the results day, most of the parents came over and picked up the results from me. Father of my smallest little mouse, who has failed in 3 subjects went to the Principal to complain that his son has failed. I had to explain to him, how the little mouse refused to write the exam and after writing 3 sums he was returning the Maths paper to me. I gave it back to him 3 times and made him do more and then more and then more. He just cannot concentrate in class, neither he can concentrate while writing the exam. When he manages to do that once in a while, he really understands what is being taught.
After looking at my special kid's results my Principal had already warned me that we need to tell her parents that she needs to repeat 4th standard. Since we didn't want to give it as a shock at the end of the year, Principal wanted to give the news during this result itself. When her mother met me and the Principal, Principal informed the mother about the need for her kid to repeat the class and the mother started crying. She started telling that her husband is going to beat them both up.
Surprisingly, the student who got just 4 marks in English in the last exam got the IInd rank this time. It shouldn't actually come to me as a surprise as I have seen some very surprising thing from him once. I have given the class a list of male and female gender to learn by heart. The idea was for them to read it there and go home and learn. After 5 minutes he tells me that he has finished learning. I asked him 10 random words and he answered me each of them correctly. His memory is amazing, but his behavior unmanageable.
Indeed, I cannot experiment with my kids. Though I am seeing that their English reading comprehension has improved double fold, I still cannot leave them alone in the battle field. Their big goal is to "Ace the scholarship exam". In the scholarship exam, all the questions are multiple choice questions. I have already talked to my school management about making my next question paper totally objective type and she has agreed to it. Wait till then and I am going to post much better results then.
I think it is good to experiment a bit like this you know.. i understand it is bit difficult for them few times.. eventually they'll get used to this. It is like pushing the boundaries beyond their reach a bit and it is good to push the boundaries a bit and testing their skills. Again test, exams are all about testing ones skills so experimenting is ok.
ReplyDeleteSubhadra, I would be more bothered by how these results would affect a child's self-esteem. Specially, they will be used by their parents to beat down on them - parents who do not understand the importance of building a child's self-esteem.
ReplyDeleteMaybe if you experiment, you should do it in class tests, where you are the only one who will see what their comprehension levels are. But in exams, children got to UNDERSTAND the questions. If necessary you should explain to them. You have always to remember where they are coming from.
These children are struggling with such basic concepts in academics and in real life issues, I do not understand why they have to learn 3 languages! I could rave on and on about this one size fits all curriculum (I should become Kapil Sibal's assistant)- BUT as a teacher your hands are tied in this aspect.
Pai, I do reading comprehension on a daily basis and most of the times that stretches their boundaries. On a regular basis I have been increasing the difficulty of the passages or poems I use....
ReplyDeleteSwagata, It was not at all supposed to be an experiment while it was happening. Last time I read the questions to them, I thought I am going completely out of my way in doing so. This time when I was not reading, I thought I was doing the right thing. But later I realised that they needed much more support in reading and understanding the questions.
Only 2 parents are bothered about the results and fortunately both didn't shout or beat up the kids. While they were taking the results from me I have asked them to tell me what difference they have seen in the kids and they were very happy that the kids were talking in English and also studying at home even without the parents asking them to. So that sort of saved the kids...
So Subhadra, tell me, the story books that people sent you, are they of any use yet?
ReplyDeleteI think it is good idea.. It'll make them understand the language better.
ReplyDeleteSwagata, We have a "reading room" period every Friday. In that period my kids read books for 30 mins. In my extra classes also on alternate days they read the books. Most of them do not read fluently, but the picture books really help them in making an effort. Also I read to them every alternate day for 30 mins. So, I do not know whether it is of any use yet, but they are being put to use.
ReplyDelete