Giving the keys to the palace or a post modern vision: Students taking and administering student composed exams

The writing prompts on chapter 5 are complete. Students have gained a greater understanding about inevitability, midnight, and colonial anger and resistance. Now, we commence second trimester by continuing our study of the American Revolution. Naturally, our assessment of chapter 6 will be challenging. One such aspect is that students will be creating the exam portion of the chapter 6 assessment.

The notion of test writing has always remained in the domain of the professional educator. When students reflect on one of the most powerful aspects of being a teacher, the idea of administering and grading tests is a hallmark of the profession. It has always intrigued me to see what would happen to students if they were given “the keys” and asked to write a test that they and their colleagues would have to take. Each year, I have created some type of activity where students write an exam and have to assist one another in preparation for their portion of such an assessment. There is a spirit of collaboration, healthy competition, and academic discourse that results from such an experience. Students ask questions such as “What would make a good test question?” or “Is this fair to ask students on a test?” We see students of all ability levels learn from and teach one another because everyone has “the keys.” All are actively learning and partaking in what is being taught because when students write the exam, they are all stakeholders in the process. As students finish reading chapter 6, completing their reciprocal reading tasks for each section, they should be keeping in mind potential areas of the material that could serve as topical areas for test questions. Their completed work on their reciprocal reading tasks will not only serve as good study guides, but also as excellent surveys of the terrain that students will map out through their exam questions. I believe that students have to work well within their own settings and with their colleagues for the writing tasks on chapter 6 will be even more demanding than their counterparts on chapter 5. I am reminded of a great coach’s challenge: “Is this fun or what?” (Extra credit if you can name the football coach who coined this phrase.)

One trimester has been completed. I believe that the second installment of our journey will yield more treasure, more challenge, and more work. I believe that students will have to give more of their hearts and souls in accomplishing the tasks that lie ahead. They will demand more commitment, more focus, and more of “those things that are best” if success is to be achieved.

The nightingale who sings the song of academic scholarship continues on where only the great ones dare to tread. Who knew that some of our students will begin to join this song in this learned garden of “the good, the true, and the beautiful”?

Yours in song,

Mr. Kannan