☹ Why does it take them over four weeks to return a test?
Why does it take so long?
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Why does it take them over four weeks to return a test?
Why does it take so long?
I’ve seen the gamut of test return dates.
Some teachers get the test back the next day*, many within 1-week, more within 2-weeks, almost all within 3 weeks. The more than 4-weeks to 8-weeks become outliers when compared to most teachers, but it occurs. I see it every year.
*This next day return is a super-human feat, and I can tell you a test returned within a day (or a few days) makes the world of difference to the students.
Students say, ask …
Why does it take so long?
They don’t care.
Shouldn’t there be a standard return date?
It always takes them months to return it.
Students will ask me why
it takes their teacher so long to return a test. I never have a quick answer. I’ll recommend they ask their teacher why, but when the response they get is, “When you get it,” or “I still haven’t looked at it,” or “Don’t know” …, that knocks their motivation down a few notches.
I liken it to playing a game or doing a task today but then not being told how you did until weeks later.
The problems created for a student by a 4 to 8-week lag in returning a marked test are numerous:
Motivation: Diminishes their motivation. Can create an, 'I don't care attitude' or a "What's the point?"
Feedback: There is no feedback on how they're progressing. They won't know what changes they need to make to get better.
Learning from mistakes can't happen ... as can only learn from a mistake when they know their mistakes.
Test corrections will take much longer to do. Why? The student will have to reacquaint themselves with that math from over 4 weeks ago.
Test returned after next test written – this one is problematic. No opportunity to see mistakes and better them, before they write their next test.
Yes, I am biased, as teaching How to learn is what I do. But isn't feedback fundamental to learning and 'learn from your mistakes' a mantra that's been advocated forever?
Note: I’m not talking about one-offs, as teachers are human, and sometimes life gets in the way of marking.
This message excludes when a teacher is holding back returning tests because one or more students still need to write the test. Though the odds are high, they’d give the mark (or KCAT breakdown) sooner.
Positives?
It gets the student asking their teacher why questions.
Students will get better at spotting patterns, especially as this one is more emotional. This means it’s a 1-2-3 Pattern Principle, where the pattern is spotted after one occurrence.
Use it as a teachable moment: A math course is all about problem-solving, so here’s a problem on ‘test not returned in 4 weeks’, how would you solve the problem?
Use it as a teachable moment #2: Have students understand what outliers are in math, what they look like on a graph, and why they occur. 😊
Student gets experience in being patient??? I’m running out of positives …
Possible solutions
The obvious one is … return the test sooner (but that’s a solution, not the solution)
Mandate that teachers have to return tests within a certain number of weeks.
Explain to the student/class why the test has not been returned and when it will be. I’ll have it back by ... Scout’s honour.
Some teachers will not return the test but give the mark - that’s a situation where the teacher is waiting for a student to write it.
Students know the date of the test and prepare accordingly. But shouldn’t teachers match that and give a date when the test will be returned?
What would you do if you were the student?
What would you do if you were the parent?
What would you do if your child was in this situation, and you were a teacher?
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