January 26, 2023
By Susan Grant-Suttie
I often taught a lesson in how children went to school back in the ancient Athens days. I would put up a picture of the boys sitting in their places, in rows, with a classroom helper behind the boys holding a switch ready to hit a boy who was not obeying. It appeared as if they were doing a test. It made me wonder if our testing ways have ever changed. Some of my colleagues would say yes, they have for those who require scribes, or headphones reading out loud the test, but that is only for a few and not all. For the majority not much has changed except for the man with the whip sitting in the back.
Once while I taught in Japan as a preservice middle school teacher, I had to test my students. One of the Japanese teachers came by my room and asked me to step outside. Although I found the Japanese style of teaching and learning to be tied to severe and strict rules, there was the odd exception. I stepped outside and the teacher said to me that once in a while, it was good to allow the weaker student to be aided by the stronger student – that is to allow cheating. As our communication was rather stilted, it gave me much to ponder. But, may I make the point here that cheating was permitted. They were not to be caught helping the other student.
A few years later during my first Canadian contract, I found a math colleague of mine standing in the hallway, just leaning against the wall looking at his watch while his students were taking a test. I enquired.
“I am allowing my students to cheat.” He replied.
“Why?”
“My father-in-law was a teacher, and he said that it takes the anxiety away from the kids if they know the teacher has a habit of stepping out of the room for a moment. I know they are cheating, but it really does no harm, and probably more good.”
As the years went on, I recognized that treating each exam time as if it were a university test was wrong. University exams are about as far away from applying what you learned in an authentic way as it is from modelling life on mars while still on earth. That may have been the best way when all persons were expected to be highly independent and mavericks in the business world, but that is not how life truly is. I began to ponder why our testing is not closer to applying the knowledge to authentic situations.
Patients are asked to get second opinions from their doctors, at serious times. A mechanic may pull over a colleague and ask them to look at the break system if there is a question. Even accountants are audited by others to make sure all is in order. So why do we insist on training students as if they can ask no one for help? Who in the world is a walking google engine? As well, the more I read about society’s walk into the future of business, I could see a whole new economic approach called post-capitalism. That is the possession of land, labour, or knowledge will be recognized as the true wealth and that will be bartered rather than cash and assets of common wealth like jewels or gold or cash in the bank. The future will be embracing group work as it will be more advantageous than working alone. If this is our current trajectory, why are we still teaching our students how to be single minded mavericks? And moreso, you are to be sneaky to ask for assistance.
As the famous African proverb states: One can go faster but many can go further. With that as my epiphany, I changed my testing style. For each quiz, test, exam, or any other assessment that I was in charge of, I gave ‘a moment of grace’. It was written at the top of the paper so the students knew they would have a moment to get help if needed at any time throughout the testing period, if the answer did not come to them readily. I explained to the students before the exam why they could lean on or allow someone to lean on them during test time. They should become the best learners because one day, their wisdom will be needed. Some quizzes or assessments are so simple, they should not require any help, some ideas are listed for this as well. Before any assessment happens, I like to spray the room with a scent, that scent is a clue to be more aware and at times it has been sprayed in the room during lessons times as well. At the top of the exams I would explain their moment of grace.
-Your moment of grace is allowing you to look through your notes for five minutes when the teacher announces the time to begin.
-Your moment of grace is being allowed to talk to an elbow partner when the teacher announces the time to begin.
-Your moment of grace is being allowed to use your textbook, an open book test.
-This is an easy test; take four deep breaths with the teacher before you begin.
-This quiz is short. Before you begin, name five things in the classroom you see.
-Your moment of grace is being allowed to walk about the class, no talking, and read what other students have put down as their long answers when the teacher announces the time of grace.
-Your moment of grace is to be allowed to go to recess and return at lunch and change any answers, if you wish, as the marking will not begin until tonight. Remember to talk to your friends during break time about what they put down, think about their answer, and if you wish – change your answer.
-Put at the bottom of test questions such as:
Did you study for this test?___ What did you do to study?____
Do you have a quiet place to study?_____ Did you have resources to study for this test as your textbook or notes or google classroom?___
Do you eat a snack while you are studying?____
For students who are special needs, you can add the following as well:
-Before Provincial Achievement Tests, run around the school before doing the test.
-Turn on music
-Students tap on their sternum.
-Students push four non-moving items, floor – wall – downward on desk, their palms together.
-Allow the students to bring a stuffie with them to their test.
-During PATs, provide snacks that crunch and encourage water bottles.
-Self hugging with tapping at each side.
There were more benefits than I imagined. When a parent complained that their child did not do well and questioned what I was doing to support their child, I was happy to explain the ‘above and beyond’ with the testing. 99% of the time, the parents became quiet. As well, students began to believe in themselves as a go-to person and wanted to do better so they could be the reference student in the class. As well, although the marks only raised minimally, the marks did go up because the students actually did study more for these tests than they did for the maverick style testing. Most times the students only needed a trigger to access the memory.
“Would a brain surgeon not ask for a second opinion if they found a purple wire in your head instead of a blue or pink wire?” I joked. “Would a mechanic not ask their garage buddy why the grease coming out was florencite blue instead of yellow?” The students were shaking their heads yes again. “And would you not ask your parents about how the average mortgage works before you sign one with a bank for your new house?” Again, a lot of head shaking. “So why do we insist that you know everything and never ask for assistance? Even our government has a shadow government to question the direction of the nation, just to make sure that all angles are reviewed. That is being Canadian. Allow yourself to be edited, audited, and questioned. Be open to change, then make your final decision.”
I would say it may not be conventional, but it is more ethical. I hated the old way of testing, but I always followed the directions that the government would demand when giving government tests. I never expect non-teacher trained politicians to understand but to follow what they were taught as if it was the only educational model out there. Archaic politicians. Hopefully our current students will change the system as we teach them compassion, mutual assistance, and that old African proverb.
