It is very crucial for those who are not familiar with standardized testing to be informed about these tests BEFORE presenting any numbers to these individuals. Therefore, upon meeting with Ingrid's grandmother I would first explain to her the basics of standardized testing. I would tell her what I felt she needed to know about the tests in regards to Ingrid's grades, and I would inform her that she can ask any questions concerning these tests and Ingrid's scores. I would start off with Ingrid's strengths, which would be reading comprehension, science, and social studies. I would explain that the stanine column is the standard score that on average is a 5 with a standard deviation of 2. The score reflects a range of test performance and I would show her that Ingrid's scores in the three aforementioned subjects are well above average. I would show her the percentile that Ingrid is in for these three subjects. I would tell her to continue encouraging Ingrid in these subjects. She should continue using the same study habits that she has been doing in these areas because they are working for her. Also, I would have ready some new material for Ingrid to begin challenging her in these areas because she is so proficient in them already. Next, I would show her the areas that Ingrid is struggling in. She is struggling in spelling and math computation. I would not go into great detail about how her scores are below average in these categories, but rather I would show her some of Ingrid's previous tests in these subjects to show how she had been doing on the tests that I had been administering. For spelling, I would suggest that Ingrid spend more time studying her words and do so on a daily basis. She could practice the words in groups, and once she has mastered a group, study the next group in addition to the previous group she has already mastered. With math, I would have ready a lot of practice worksheets for her to take home, as well as some activities that can be done with her grandmother. For instance, she could have math games at leisure for Ingrid that would be a fun way for her to learn some math concepts that she may be struggling with.
You are right in that it is very crucial to understand what the test scores mean before proceeding with the meeting. I am sure that Ingrid's grandmother already felt uneasy about being called in to discuss her granddaughter's test scores. It would be way too overwhelming for a teacher to put scores in front of Ingrid's grandmother without being sure that she understands what the scores mean and how the test works. I think that stressing the importance of this shows care and concern for teacher-parent relationships.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you also made a point to keep encouraging Ingrid about doing well in reading, science, and social studies! Also I like that you thought about introducing higher level materials to Ingrid because of her above-average performances in these areas. It's really easy to just focus on what she needs to improve because those weak areas are spots that we find problematic. However, her exceptional performances could also be "problematic" because they could indicate that she's gifted in those areas and may need special accommodations. Thanks for reminding me that!
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