Surprises

TVAASS scores were released today. While we don't have our individual teacher report, I am pleased to announce that both of my teams made gains this year! The English II team made it into the green: as in good to go, ahead of the pack, my principal and department head will smile, we don't have to hide during the back-to-school data reveal.

After playing around on the website, I was able to find lists of my students that had their predicted and actual scores. It is so surprising to see who I under-served, who was listening even though I didn't think they were, and who just glided along as usual. I loved my ninth graders this year. I thought I was doing everything right. We had an amazing in-class connection, their work was stellar, and I just knew their scores would shoot through the roof. SURPRISE. I let a lot of freshmen fall through the cracks. It was my bright ones; the ones I sometimes forget about because "they got it." My tenth graders, however, were making incredible gains. SURPRISE. I felt like I kept putting them on the back burner of my pedagogical oven (that was a really awkward metaphor; I apologize). If I could only figure out how to serve ALL levels of my students--low, middle, and high. I know how to differentiate as far as learning styles go, but how do I differentiate for learning levels? Especially in an honors class. Next year, I have to raise the bar for all students and put supports in place for those who aren't quite ready for the challenge.