A shot at redemption.

Some students now have the privilege to correct their mistakes by retaking tests and getting a better understanding of material taught in class.

“Test retakes send the message to students that it’s the learning that’s most important,” says Marcus Campbell, principal. “When teachers signal that to students, it makes learning that much more meaningful.”

Just like riding a bike, or tying your shoe, it takes practice and multiple trials to master. Retaking a test is an opportunity to fully master and comprehend concepts learned in class.

“Seeing material more than once is always helpful to me,” says Andrew Primous, sophomore. “After seeing what is on the test and seeing my mistakes, I go to A.M. Support or Wildkit Academy to talk to my teacher about what I got wrong.”

According to Campbell, The goal of a test retake is simply not just to copy down the right answers again after seeing your mistakes, it is about mastering the material and learning the concepts. Although the grade is important, teachers really want their students to learn all of the information before moving on.

The majority of teachers at ETHS do provide extra credit and test retake options.

“There has been a trend of more teachers giving these options, and that is by design,” says Campbell. “As a school we have been trying to create a more learning orientation among students.”

Teachers all have their own unique way of how they think a test retake should be given.
Spanish teacher Ms. Delgado’s policy is that if students correct their answers on tests and quizzes and explain why they got them wrong, an extra 3% is added back on to the grade.

Fellow Spanish teacher Ms. Sulejmani lets her students correct the section of the test that they got the most points off, and rewards half of the points missed back. So if a student missed six points, a corrected test will earn them three points back. However, she does allow full retakes for all quizzes.

Math teacher Ms. Mancini allows students to fully retake any test as long as each quiz for that test is corrected, the chapter review packet is corrected, and all the homework problems are checked online. The student then has to meet with her one on one to discuss if they are ready.

According to author Rick Wormeli, teachers should be on their student’s side and make sure that they are up to speed with material in order for them to buy into what they are saying and listen. Without retake opportunities, students are on their own and can feel like the teacher doesn’t care about what they understand.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it is a time to think about what you are thankful for. The majority of ETHS teachers provide opportunities for students to get another shot at taking a test to improve their grade. So, the next time you retake a test think about how lucky you are to go to a school that gives you a second chance.

Test retakes aren’t just a grade rescuer. They allow students to grasp the information that they have learned in its entirety so that they can stay up to speed with the class. Again, it is the not just the grade that is most important, it the quality of learning that trumps all.