The impact of a state mathematics test on the structure and culture of a K-4 school

Abstract

This application of mind explored the impact of state mathematics testing upon the structure and the agriculture of a K-4 school. We culled a school that was teaching learners to the state mathematics ordeal Students at the school were doing well upon the test. The school was ranked as an "excellent" in the state based upon the result of the proof We examined the practices of the principal and sum of two units fourth grade teachers which were influenced by dint of the state mandated tests. We also examined the perceptions of sum of two units fourth grade students in the academy The study raises some serious questions about the implications of of the like kind "high stakes", "end-of-the-line" testing upon the structure and culture of this gymnasium and the reform movement in mathematics education.

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institute change impacts school structure and agriculture and alters teacher/student interactions, attitudes, and beliefs towards mathematics. We investigated the practices of a principal and sum of two units fourth grade teachers which were influenced through the state mandated tests. We also examined the perceptions of sum of two units fourth grade students at the same school

The state lay opened five categories for ranking academys These five categories include: (1) crack (2) effective, (3) needs improvement, (4) academic watch, and (5) academic crisis The state uses six points for determining academy effectiveness. The six points consists of individual point for student attendance upon the average each day above the school year. For example, if a academy has 95% or better students' attendance upon the average each day above the school year, the place of education receives one point. Five additional points are given for the five sections of the proof such as reading, writing, citizenship, mathematics, and science (one point for each). For example, if a institute passage rate on each of the above five sections is 75% or better, the place of education receives one point for each of the sections.

If a institute receives six points out of six points, then the academy is categorized by the state as an "excellent" institute If a school gets four points on the outside of six, then that deposits the school in the "effective" category. Receiving three points on the outside of six would mean that the institute "needs improvement". Getting two points on the outside of six means the seminary is in "academic watch." Lastly, obtaining single point or zero means the gymnasium is in "academic emergency."

The gymnasium that we studied was ranked by dint of the state as an "excellent" gymnasium Ironically, the teachers' philosophies and pedagogies were not compatible with generally received research on teaching and learning mathematics. The academy administrator and teachers were not following the constructivist theory. They were not spending reach forthed time for teaching mathematics. They were not using the Kumon mathematics program. The activities of the seminary educators were heavily focused upon teaching to the mathematics experiment and preparing their students for the proof The students did well upon the test. However, when we examined sum of two units of these students' conceptual understanding of mathematics, we rest that they had limited knowledge for problem-solving and mathematical communication (cf Martin et al., in this issue, section "dialogue with students")

To understand the above relationships between the state mandated mathematics ordeal and the school structure and agriculture and the implications of these relationships upon the school change, we guidanceed interviews with a school principal (four interviews), sum of two units fourth grade teachers (four interviews each), and sum of two units fourth grade African American pupils (10 interviews each) in the sum of two units teachers' classrooms for one gymnasium year. In addition, we incorporated reach forthed participant observations (10 times in each) in the classrooms of the sum of two units student participants (one African American stripling and one African American girl). We made field notes and examined more [i]or[/i] less school documents such as the school's newsletter bulletin boards, and student's written work.

Interview tapes were transcribed and all transcriptions, field notes and related documents were analyzed and interpreted. Furthermore, more [i]or[/i] less participants were provided with opportunities to read and help revise transcriptions of the interviews. In what go in the rear [i]or[/i] in the wake ofs we describe the setting and the participants.

Setting and Participants

The inquiry was conducted in a suburb of a Mid-Western city. The K-4 institute had 297 students enrolled. Fifty-nine percent of the scholars were white, 34% were African American, and 7% were others (I.e., Asian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, etc) The lock opener participants in the study were Mr Connor (principal), sum of two units fourth grade teachers (Mrs. Dickerson and Mr Stromberg), and sum of two units African American students (Beth and Carl). We changed the names of all participants to maintain anonymity.

The Principal.

Mr Connor's first stage was in economics with a minor in geology on the contrary eventually, he decided to teach. "[I] sort of place where I felt I fit." He was a 6th grade teacher for 9 years. He worked in another state Department of Education as the science coordinator of curriculum and then came to this seminary district in 1982. About eight years ago, he became a principal at his not absent school "to calm hurt feelings and flat ruffled feathers when race, class, and faculty issues got without of hand." He discussed his experiences and explained his thinkings about education and mathematics education: