Educational Leadership - November 2011

a single, snapshot test and convince
to treat a child’s future or conduct our
analysis of arguments before litigating
ourselves that the score earned is an
profession.

real cases. Teachers become much more
accurate measure of the student’s long-
term capacity.

By some estimates, 1 it would take to grade 22 to teach the curriculum

Preparing Students
for the Real Adult World

The teacher who claims to be prepar-
competent and effective by teaching the
same content multiple times, reflecting
on what worked and what didn’t work
each time.

currently listed for grades K– 12 in the
ing students for the working world
LSAT. MCAT. Praxis. SAT. Bar exam.

United States. Anxious about this cur-
by disallowing all redos forgets that
CPA exam. Driver’s licensure. Pilot’s
riculum overload, we run our classes by adult professionals actually flour-
licensure. Auto mechanic certification
alternating between admonishments:
ish through redos, retakes, and do-
exam. Every one of these assessments
“Here’s a bunch of stuff you have to
overs. Surgeons practice on cadavers
reflects the adult-level, working-world
learn; now take a test. Here’s the next
before doing surgeries on live patients.

responsibilities our students will one
bunch of stuff you have to learn; now
Architects redesign building plans until day face. Many of them are high stakes:
take the next test.” When students fail
they meet all the specifications listed.

People’s lives depend on these tests’
to learn content on this conveyor belt,
Pilots rehearse landings and take-offs
validity as accurate measures of indi-
we tell them, “We don’t have time to
hundreds of times in simulators and
vidual competence. All of them can
go back and teach it to you. Take the
in solo flights before flying with real
be redone over and over for full credit.

low grade and move on.” This is no way passengers. Lawyers practice debate and Lawyers who finally pass the bar exam

1. Ask students who redo assignments to submit the original attempt with the new one and to write a brief letter comparing the two. What is different, and the work?

2. Reserve the right to give alternative versions of the assessment if you think Don’t be afraid to make the redone versions more demanding.

This means that students and parents

4. Require students to submit a plan of 14 Practical Tips for Managing Redos in the Classroom

what did they learn as a result of redoing students will simply memorize a correct answer pattern or set of math answers.

3. Announce to students and parents that redos are permitted at teacher discretion.

may not take the redo option for granted.

© HIll S TRee T STuDIoS/BlenD ImAgeS/CoRBIS relearning and to provide evidence of that relearning before work can be redone. This includes creating a calendar in which students list day-by-day what they will do to prepare.