It Only Makes Sense--Re-dos and Re-takes

“What do you mean, you can’t cross the white line of a crosswalk at a stop sign?!”

I couldn’t believe it.  I’d waited for years (it seemed), taken boring driver’s ed classes, crashed my way through the driving simulation videos, and finally the day of the test to earn my driver’s license had arrived.

I paid my dues.  I did my time.  And then, sadly, during the driving portion of my test for my license I crossed the white crosswalk line as I pulled up to a stop at an intersection.  That cost me three more points from my score, which dropped me below the “passing” mark by one point.

No license for me.

Yet, those of you who know me have seen me drive that ugly brown pickup of mine around town--how can this be?  I failed my driver’s test!  Why am I driving today?

Because every day, in the real world, we have the opportunity to take tests over again until we get it right.  I went back two weeks later, passed the test the second time around, and now have my driver’s license.

A similar scenario could play out in the classroom:  the chapter test is on Friday.  I take the test, and when I get back to school on Monday I learn that I failed the test.  I got an F.  Traditionally, that is the grade that would be recorded in my teacher’s grade book.

But, what if I told the teacher that I’d like a second crack at that test, and that this time I would prepare for it differently?  If you were that teacher, what would you say?

Thankfully, modern educational thought supports my request to take the test again (a different version, of course), for a number of reasons:

• I want to improve my results, which means I’ll need to do an even better job of learning the material.  That’s a good thing, right?
• It will take hard work on my part, since I’ll be preparing for the test again AND keeping up on the work that’s already occurring.  Working hard is good, too, isn’t it?
• I’m focused on what’s most important:  learning and improvement.  That’s much better than having to live with an F and trying to raise my grade with subsequent assignments.

Just like when I re-took my driving test to eventually earn my license, more and more teachers are providing the opportunity for re-dos and re-takes for their students.  It only makes sense.