What makes these schools unique? Hint: assessments

Every teacher administers assessments during the teaching process. When we ask teachers about the purpose of assessments, they often take some time to think and eventually say, "We want to check the understanding of our students!"

But, what is the point of checking the understanding?

Just as a doctor does not request a blood report only to check the CBC, WBC, and platelet count, a teacher should not assess solely to determine how well different topics have been understood by their students. A doctor's satisfaction comes from seeing their patients improve, and similarly, a teacher's purpose is fulfilled when their students enhance their understanding of a topic.

Some schools have adopted a unique approach

This case study is about two schools who partnered with Open Door. Through their partnership with Open Door, these schools have shifted their focus from checking to improvement. How does it work? Open Door assists schools in evaluating students' understanding with high-quality assessments. Based on the results, teachers reteach the concepts, addressing any misconceptions or gaps. A re-test is then conducted to ensure that students have truly mastered the concepts.

Students improve due to remediation...

In Open Door's model ofAssessment > Remediation > Re-assessment, students make progress through targeted remediation. The Open Door team collaborates with teachers to ensure that the remediation time is utilized effectively. We discuss key misconceptions with teachers and provide strategies for re-teaching the topic.

In this article, we will share a strategy called "Targeted Remediation" that we implemented at certain schools, which led to significant improvements in student understanding. What did we do? Read on..

The Lexicon International School Wagholi, Pune: Revealing Misconceptions

Let's take a closer look at a real-life example to understand how Open Door has made a tangible difference in a school's learning journey. During a Grade 7 assessment at The Lexicon International School in Wagholi, Pune, we identified a common misconception related to exponents. Here is the question from the initial assessment for the "Exponents" chapter:

Q: Choose the correct calculation(s):

a. (0)¹ = 1

b. (-2)⁰ = -1

c. (½)⁰ = 1

Surprisingly, around 50% students selected option B, indicating a misunderstanding of the concept of exponents. It became evident that additional practice and focused classroom discussions were necessary to address this misconception.

Targeted Remediation: Supporting Teachers and Students' Progress.

Open Door team realised that this misconception was easily remediable with the help of basic practice questions.

Since the teachers in Lexicon International School Pune were facing time constraints, we provided Lexicon school with carefully selected practice questions. that reinforce students' understanding.

After comprehensive discussions and targeted practice, teachers conducted a re-test to gauge students' progress.

Results: Remarkable Improvement!

The question we asked in relearning test was:

Q. Evaluate: (-2)² X (-2)⁰ X (-2)³

a. 0

b. -1

c. -32

d. 32

The impact of Open Door's approach is evident in the results. In the subsequent re-test focused on exponents, there was a significant improvement. The percentage of correct answers surged from 28.63% to an impressive 46.11%. These results highlight the effectiveness of targeted remediation and the immense potential for student growth. To see the full report, click here.

What are we doing in other schools?

Similarly, at Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School in Thane, we identified a misconception in the grade 8 assessments for the chapter on sound. The question was:

Q. Ram and Ravi are calling Sam in two different cases shown. In which case does the air particle at P will reach Sam first?

Open Door identified a misconception among the students and offered collaborative support to the school. We provided specially designed practice questions aimed at clarifying the misconception when students understand and answer them. Subsequently, we posed a similar question of the same difficulty level to assess their understanding which was:

Q. Recall the siren of an ambulance and a car horn (simple horn sound). Two sound graphs-1 and ll are shown. Which option correctly matches closely with the sound graphs? (Think!)

Using our 'Targeted Remediation' strategy, we assisted the school in enhancing their understanding of the sound chapter. The initial learning stood at 60.67%, while the relearning phase resulted in an overall improvement of 27.9%, reaching 77.60%. To see the full report, click here.

Enhance your students' learning with Open Door.

Open Door has made both students and teachers better thinkers. Each Science and Math topic is now explored more than before. Much of the classroom teaching has changed from monologues into dialogues. Earlier, the teachers were constrained to teaching for the exam. Now, there is a focus on thinking and understanding.

Impact on teachers        

• There has been an improvement in classroom teaching. There is more questioning and dialogue in classrooms. Teachers have also been making better lesson plans.
• Better appreciation of science and math concepts. Open Door’s questions have helped teachers see regular concepts in a new light.
• More confidence in their own teaching due to an improvement in their students.

Impact on students

• An average of 10% improvement in the understanding of core concepts.
• More willingness to improve and learn.
• The students have started seeing concepts in a completely new light.

To know more about Thinking Assessments, click here.