Thursday, August 25, 2011

Do you know where you're going?

"If you don't know where you're going, you're probably going to get there."  Knowing where we want to go is an important part of planning how we get there.  Each school year we start with the goal of students growing and learning so they can move to the next grade.  North Carolina gives us all a clear description of what End-of-grade results look like in action.  When parents and students receive the results of their hard work at the end of the year they get a level ranging from 1-4.  Well, take a look at what the levels mean:

Level 1 students do not have sufficient mastery of knowledge and skills in this subject area to be successful at the next grade level.

Level 2 students demonstrate inconsistent mastery of knowledge and skills in this subject area and are minimally prepared to be successful at the next grade level.

Level 3 students consistently demonstrate mastery of grade-level subjects and skills and are well prepared for the next level.

Level 4 students consistently perform in a superior manner clearly beyond that required to be proficient at grade-level.

The description of achievement levels does not apply to just the End-of-grade tests!  We all must work together to make sure students demonstrate mastery in class long before a test at the end of the year.  Reaching the goal of mastery and being well-prepared makes it possible for students to plan a future and not have it planned for them.  Working together we can create a school where students learn to successfully meet the challenges of "education and life".  Let's help students know where they are going and have a plan for getting there.

GO KNIGHTS!!