Noblesville West Middle School offers students ‘retakes’

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Noblesville West Middle School Principal Ryan Haughey and eighth-grade science teacher Miranda Pattison provided a school update during the Aug. 19 Noblesville School Board meeting.

Haughey
Haughey

The topic revolved around allowing students to retake tests.

“One of the big things we have done this year that we started last year is, we have taken a huge step as a building, along with (Noblesville) East Middle School, about the idea of redos and retakes and things like that, shifting that focus of what traditional school has always been to more meeting kids where they’re at, focused on learning and closing the learning gaps,” Haughey said. “We have really worked hard over the last year and had this mindset/philosophy in education that kids don’t learn in the same way. At West, we have taken another step in that kids don’t learn in the same way or on the same day.”

Pattison led a professional development event with fellow teachers, and Haughey noticed many of the teachers were more engaged than he had seen at previous professional development events.

Pattison
Pattison

Pattison acknowledged she wasn’t always a fan of allowing kids to retake a test.

“About 15 years ago, I would’ve thought a redo would enable kids to not try their best and that they weren’t necessary in the classroom. My perspective on that has changed a lot,” Pattison said.  “Redos are a part of everyday life, so why weren’t they a part of my classroom?”

To retake a test, students are required to tell their teacher their plan on relearning what they missed on the first test, in conjunction with parent communication so parents are alerted of the retake. Students are required to take an entirely new test/

Pattinson said the success rate on retakes has been high.

“Seeing this grassroots effort grow, and as time went on, we start getting into more and more classrooms and start to see these (redo) signs pop-up. Talking about redos and what kids needed to do to improve learning and redo the assignment or assessment wasn’t just individual teachers, but an entire team policy,” Haughey said. “We got to a point by (the) end of the year where we reached this tipping point where this had grown so much. I’ve never seen something grassroots grow this much.
“It’s rewarding to watch it grow and be embraced, and I’m proud of the leadership Miranda and (eighth-grade science teacher) Lindsay (Clark) showed.”

For more, visit noblesvilleschools.org.


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