Test scores are causing concern for the Thames Valley District School Board.
EQAO results show that although reading and writing skills have improved slightly in elementary students, math skills have dropped. Michelle Deman, the Superintendent of Student Achievement at the TVDSB, says there are several factors that pose a challenge in improving math results.
“There’s the perception in a lot of people of ‘I don’t do well in math,’ or they’re afraid of math,” Deman says. “It’s [about creating] a math program that has a really good balance between facts, operationalizing math, but also around problem-solving, thinking, and communication.”
Overall, the EQAO results show the school board’s averages are significantly below the provincial standard. Still, Deman says the school board is sticking by its teachers.
“Our teachers are working really hard, and our teachers are really doing the best they know to do for students,” Deman says. “We have work to do for our students in the area of math, because we want what’s best for our students.”
The Superintendent acknowledges that while historically, there has been a significant difference between the board’s and the province’s test scores, the trends show that Thames Valley has mirrored the provincial results.
Deman adds, “a school may not have done very well on one test, but it doesn’t mean good things aren’t happening.”
From 2013-2014 EQAO report on Thames Valley District School Board
