The
AN EYE FOR IMAGE
Tiger HI-LINE
Friday, March 3, 2017
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Volume 57 Edition 20
Peet ninth grade teachers wrestling with advantages, abuses of providing student allowances for retaking assessments In ninth grade, teachers are struggling with deciding whether retakes are good for the students learning or just creating bad habits for the future. The district is making a push to emphasize that learning is an ongoing process, but currently, some students take advantage of the opportunity to retake while others abuse it, and teachers are having a hard time finding the balance between whether retakes should be acceptable or not. Most teachers see it as a better learning opportunity, and most students see it as a way to improve their grades. Peet Principal Bill Boevers said he believes that retakes are helpful and may even help students as they continue into high school, potentially college and even in their careers. “I believe it will be helpful for kids to learn the essentials. This will put them in a position to be successful in other courses,” he said. While Boevers knows that there may be some who abuse the ability to retake tests, he said that, “most kids know it is easier to just learn it the first
“... not every student understands every part of a topic on the first try. Retakes stress the importance of continuing to learn even after an assessment.”
—Mary Watson Peet ninth grade math teacher
time and not make more work for themselves.” Peet ninth grade history teacher Sarah Carlson sees only the positives of the retake policy. “I think retakes are beneficial because student grades are based on their learning. I do not assign assessed work for no reason. I feel it is important and essential. If a student shows learning isn’t happening on an assessment or formative work, then that student may need more support, had something disrupt their learning, need feedback, need a new way of presenting information, etc. As collaborative teams, we decide what is essential for all students, so my job is to ensure students learn all the es-
sentials,” Carlson said. Carlson allows students to retake any work except for the end of the quarter summative assessments. “I think retakes are beneficial because it helps me understand student deficiencies in the learning process and helps me evaluate my teaching practice. It also ensures students are meeting proficiency and are able to move on to new skills or continue practicing skills,” Carlson said. Many students and teachers worry that with the retake policy, a student’s sophomore year could come as a shock. Carlson disagrees and has faith that the students will still be able to adjust. “I think students
adapt to the situations they are in, just like you do when you get a new job or you move to a new city or country. As ninth graders become 10th graders and enter the high school, they will learn about the expectations from their teachers and adapt to the situation,” Carlson said. Peet ninth grade math teacher Mary Watson said she thinks that the retake policy will definitely help kids in the long run. “Yes, not every student understands every part of a topic on the first try. Retakes stress the importance of continuing to learn even after an assessment. If students aren’t allowed to do retakes and they fail an assessment, in the past they would just move on and never need to go back and learn that material. They could potentially pass a class having little to no understanding of an entire unit. This can be a problem long term for concepts that are necessary later on,” Watson said. Watson said she understands that many students abuse their ability to retake tests. “Absolutely, some stu-
dents have the attitude that they don’t need to study or work hard to understand the first time because they can just retake an assessment. I think we need to have a better system for designating when a student has shown that they put in appropriate work prior to the test before they are allowed a retake,” Watson said. Watson said that some students have certain habits in place when it comes to being able to retake tests that may give them struggles at the high school. “However, the research shows that allowing retakes improves students learning, so I don’t think we should discard the idea just because that isn’t the current policy at the high school,” Watson said. “I think policies at the high school will be changing, so that teachers at all levels will be allowing retakes. In which case, our retake policies here will set students on the right path to focus on their learning and making sure that they are continuing to work to be successful even af-
“The moral of the show is kind of the same as ‘To Kill A Mockingbird.’ it’s about everybody,” Frenna said. “It’s really a show about refugees. These are all people who are living lives of desperation because they are thrown out.” In the show, the fairytale creatures are the outsiders. They struggle with being themselves, and they feel as if they are not good enough for being who they are, and they wish they were different. “There are lots of characters in the show. Even if you have a small role, there are fun costumes,” Frenna said. With around 50 people cast, not including tech and makeup crew, each character has his or her own little moment in the show. “All the characters are struggling with the same unifying action, and that is to somehow connect with the greater world around them,” Frenna said. “They were told who they should be, and should is a very dangerous word. We get down on ourselves for be-
ing who we are, and we have this expectation of ourselves that we should be something else.” This theme is shown throughout the musical. “Fiona, one character in particular, is stuck in her tower, and she is fed this hope that her story is going to end with a handsome knight coming to get her. She is told she needs the knight and that everything will be perfect once he comes and gets her.” Not everything in the story she has been told goes according to plan. “Something better happens to her, something that is better than a happy ending, which is finding her true love,” Frenna said. “In the end we’re not bound to what we have been told we have to be. We can make the world a better place by loving ourselves, embracing ourselves and embracing each other for our differences.”
By Staff Writer Alayna
YATES
With cast of around 50 students, ‘Shrek the Musical’ opens Friday Featuring a wide variety of characters, including fairytale creatures, ogres and a dragon, “Shrek the Musical” takes the stage in the auditorium this Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 for students and $9 for adults. Activity passes are not accepted. Joe Frenna, an English teacher who is also the director of the show, has high hopes for this production. “At first I didn’t want to do this show,” Frenna said. His wife suggested “Shrek the Musical,” and he shut down the idea at first. “It’s really hard to get something that is appropriate for high school productions,” he said. Frenna said he thought about picking “Grease,” but it just wasn’t appropriate for a production being put on at the high school. “I finally sat down and watched “Shrek the Musical,” and I was impressed,” he said. “The show has great music, a great script and a great message. I see a lot in the show. That’s why I picked it.” The show follows the film, but
Tana Gam-Ad Photo
Senior Ellie Haan gets ready for a dress rehearsal for the musical on Monday, Feb. 27. it has it’s differences. “The lyrics to the songs really add some power to it. The music is just really beautiful,” Frenna said.
The playwrights took the message of the movie and expanded on it and made the musical something everyone can relate to.
By Staff Writer Emma
GRAENING