EDU 510 Standardized Achievement Tests

The general editor

The Education times

Atlanta, GA, 30205

RE: The District’s Math Achievement Test Scores

I’m writing regarding the poor performance in math of our district in the recent test. This is of great concern to me, and certainly something must be if we are keen to seeing the education standards of our district improve.

For the improvement of our children’s scores, the buck stops with the school authorities, the students, the parents and the teachers alike. The parents, since they spend significant times with their children can seek to know the activities for them and their children to do while at home so as to help them prepare for tests and subsequently improve their children’s understanding of schoolwork. They should be the home teachers to their children. In the same spirit, the teachers should use Direct Instruction as a model of teaching math, which basically refers to a method for teaching that is rigorously developed, and is highly scripted and fast-paced, therefore providing constant interaction between the students and their teachers. This model has worked for example in the Public School system of Milwaukee, in Siefert Elementary in. A couple of years ago, it was one of the poorest performing schools. The Principal introduced direct introduction after extensive consultations, and in a period of two years, the math score improved from 11% to 48% (Borsuk, 2001). The school leaders have a role to play as well, in that they are supposed to provide effective administrative and instructional leadership so as to implement change processes. Such leadership is one that is proactive and one that seeks help where it is needed. Such is presented in the Siefert Elementary school where the principal sought advice and counsel on how to improve the performance of the school. It sure bore fruits at the end of the day, as explained by Borsuk, (2011)

Most states in the U.S have adopted the common core standards of teaching rather than the standards of learning, mainly because of the uniformity and the effectiveness of the common core standards. These standards, are well developed in that they touch on every area of learning. It emphasizes on the synergy from every stakeholder, i.e. the teachers, parents and students all work together for the good of the students’ performance.

I therefore suggest, for the district’s educational standards to improve, the above recommendations need to be in place, and implemented in full.

Regards.

References

Borsuk, A. (2001). Learning the Drill: Siefert Elementary Studies Success with Structured

Lessons. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.