Since the students were struggling with completing the test on Tuesday, I decided to allow them to study more over the break and complete the test on Monday.
Many students are still struggling with the vocabulary and roots and some were so nervous that it took them over ten minutes to become calm enough to attempt the test.
As I watched them work on the test and answered their questions, I noticed that the class is still mired in passive learning. They are still waiting for the material to be spoon-fed to them and do not engage their minds to try to figure the answers on their own. They then assume they will be able to memorize the notes from class and regurgitate the notes, when the expectation is for them to understand the material and demonstrate that knowledge. While we will complete this section in the old method, we will begin a shift next week towards putting the onus of learning on them. The students will be required to work in pairs or triplets and translate the key words, identify the shorashim and teach the narrative context to the rest of the class. Each pair or triplet will be assigned a passage of text to work on, and I will circulate through the classroom giving them guidance and support where necessary.