It also is familiarizing students with the format of standardized tests. Once a week, in every class, students spend 20 minutes reading and answering questions about passages that are four to five paragraphs in length. The questions and answer sheets resemble TAP tests. In every math class, students spend 5 to 10 minutes completing math worksheets that contain problems like those found on standardized tests. The school also is opening a reading lab where computers will be used to teach reading, especially to freshmen.
Teachers can assign homework more easily now, too.
The purchase of new textbooks allows students to take books home for reading and homework assignments. In the past, teachers generally had to restrict lessons to completion in class, or spend a great deal of time duplicating worksheets for homework assignments. This practice continues, but not in core subjects. Breashears complains that efforts to fortify students' math performance have been deterred by the school's lack of personnel. I've found it difficult to free Deberah Perkins, our math coordinator, to work within the school and not keep her in class, where she is also needed.