First Time with Common Core

At Animo Jefferson Charter Middle School, students will be taking state tests called SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) when normally, the state tests taken by students would be called the CSTs (California Standards Test).

AJCMS teacher Carl Finer along with Thomas Lo are part of the Common Core Transition team which is where they act as an advisory panel to help the organization of Green Dot make changes.

Finer said that there are monthly meetings usually on Monday evenings. He said that in the meetings of twelve attendees, the group members talk about what would they approve of, and what they wouldn’t. Finer gave an example of deciding what type of technology to use. According to Finer, Lo was part of the team deciding to choose to utilize the math Carnegie Books.

Lo said that there are six meetings spread throughout the year which take place at Animo Western Charter Middle School and Animo Phillis Wheatley Middle School’s campuses.

Lo said, “There are two parts to the test; the computer adaptive test and the Performance Task. The performance task is similar to an extended word problem. Common Core refers to the new state standards. It is a list of concepts and skills students are to learn for each grade in English and math. Science standards will be released in the near future and I hope that History standards will follow soon after.”

All students at AJCMS will be tested on English and Mathematics by computer. Eighth graders will take those tests in addition to taking the CST for Science. Finer said that the National Governor’s association is still working on refining the testing standards for Science as well.

The SBAC tests will be taken on computers from May fifth to May 15. Days Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will be testing days for the two weeks at Animo Jefferson Charter Middle School.

The changes that were made can be nerve wracking but the teachers have been trained to prepare and train students for the upcoming testing weeks.

Lo said, “Yes, all teachers in the Green Dot School District received specific training, which we call professional development, to help students learn using the CCSS.”

According to Lo, “I think students will struggle at first with some of the testing. This isn’t a bad thing. Every student in the state and other states are going to go through the same struggles. The test is more rigorous and requires more critical thinking skills. It also incorporates technology to test which we are not used to for state testing. With that said, I think our school is more prepared than other schools around us. Our teachers already use Common Core Standards to teach. We are using technology more frequently in the classroom to test (Mathia) so we are more comfortable with testing than most other students. Our school has also focused a lot more on literacy (reading and writing) which is very important for the SBAC testing.”

Animo Jefferson Charter Middle School teacher Christina Berke said, “Yes. Students have been learning many reading skills like sequence of events, and cause and effect. They also have been learning various test-taking skills like reading the question first, then the passage, and eliminating wrong answers. I also like to remind students to breathe, take their time, and have confidence in themselves. I know students will be successful because they have been working hard each day this whole year. They can apply all of the skills they have practiced and prove what they know on the state tests. In general, the school does a great job of teaching skills like CATCH and reciprocal teaching so I am very confident our bulldogs will do an amazing job!”

Adam Davis, a science teacher at AJCMS said, “I was aware that state tests this year focused more on students reading, analyzing, and writing. I think this helps prepare students to become better thinkers and succeed in life. I adjusted my lessons to help prepare students by having them do more reading, discussing, and writing. In addition, my scientists also attempt to discover scientific phenomenon on their own using the scientific method before they learn them.”

During the tests on the computer, the students will use earphones. The students have a choice of using their own, or the ones that the school will provide. The way that the SBAC test will be taken differentiates. At AJCMS, the students will use computers but in other schools, Ipads are used.

Eighth grader Alexis Martinez attends Clinton Middle School and is in the process of finishing up with the SBAC tests. He said that he tested last week on Wednesday (April 30) on mathematics and English. He said the second part of his English test will be taken next week (week of May fifth). His science test was on paper and it was the CST. The SBAC tests are taken on Ipads. Martinez said, “It was frustrating because we were using Ipads… if we try to connect points, it went everywhere.” He also said that the tests required earphones for the English test, and that excerpts were read to him. Overall, Martinez was a bit nervous but said that the tests were not hard and sort of similar to the CSTs. He said that he was prepared for the tests by having essays and homework on the material.

Yuliana Gutierrez, a fourth grader at Norwood Elementary said that the transition from the CSTs to the SBAC test made her nervous. She said, “You have to train for it first…” Gutierrez took the test on computer. Last week (week of April 28), she was tested on language arts on Monday, math on Tuesday, and uncommon Animals on Thursday. She said that the test required to use earphones. According to Gutierrez, she was trained to take the test by having practice tests and was fed breakfast in the morning.

Jose Sandoval, a third grader at the LAUSD school Trinity Elementary School, said that he took the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium last week and he was nervous. He was tested on his skills in mathematics and English. To prepare for the tests, Sandoval said, “We did math and language worksheets.”

Eighth grader Bryan Gomez, from LAUSD’s William Jefferson Clinton Middle School was tested on his skills last Friday and will be tested again this upcoming Friday (May ninth). He said he was only tested on mathematics. “It was alright.” Gomez said that he prepared for his tests by going over math lessons. “We went over lessons on math.”

Ashley Gutierrez is in the third grade and she attends Norwood Street School, a school from the Los Angeles Unified School District and said that she felt nervous taking the tests because it was her first time taking the test that was introduced. The SBAC tests she took were taken on a computer last Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Her skills were tested on math and language arts. Gutierrez said, “Some questions… we had to hear.” She said that earphones had to be used to not distract other test-takers. According to her, the test was kind of hard. Like Animo Jefferson Charter Middle School, breakfast was provided in class in a morning class.

Eighth grader Jacquelyn Lopez, from the LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District) school Charles Drew Middle school said, that she took a smarter balance assessment last week and and she said it was similar to the CST. She said that she wasn’t nervous. Lopez said, “No, not really.”

Animo Ralph Bunch eleventh grader Paolina Pedro said, “ I felt comfortable with the test and it was simple we were tested on English and math on computers. The teacher gave us worksheets and packets to use to help us.” Pedro said, “We were also getting tested on ‘Roof Trusses’ which was a math performance task.”

Eighth grader Araceli Sanchez said, “I did not know that some standards were changed, I feel insecure because mostly they tell us what to do and this is going to be different since students don’t really know what to do.” Araceli said she thinks it will be challenging because she is in eighth grade and she will take tests that are from a long time.

Sixth grader Wendy Hernandez said, “I was aware that some standards would be changed because the teachers told us and I feel that it will be a little challenging because it is a little different.” “I studied for English with practice sheets and I reviewed my notes that I got from my teachers.”

Seventh grader Andres Rendon said, “No I did not know some standards were changed.” He said he felt confident because you can choose your answers on computers so you choose your answers instead of given answers. I studied with study guides I was given. I think the standards were changed to see what level we are in.”

In the month of April, Jesse Quinonez an eleventh grader at Animo Ralph Bunche said that he took the new state tests on Math and English. He said that the test for math were difficult and confusing. One of the things he said he was tested on was the ‘Roof Trusses’ in math. English was easy for him but he said that the CST was easier.

This test was a “Field Test” according to Finer which will not count as a placement test for future classes.