Competency Controversy
by Jillian Collins'18
Competencies are a highly discussed topic here at Bedford High School, with many students being against the idea. Contrary to what many students believe about the uselessness of competencies, multiple staff members think the work ethic of students has improved tremendously at BHS compared to schools without them.
Competencies are used to break up different classes’ grades, meaning instead of having one grade for a specific class, there are multiple. Thus causing students to fail a course because of one competency, and not because of a whole class. Teachers favor this approach because they’re able to see where the student is struggling, yet students are not fans because they could understand everything in a class, and still fail because they didn’t do their homework.
In past years, at middle and intermediate school, you could not fully understand a topic, but understand it enough to bring up your grade from things you didn’t know. Now tests are separated into many different sections, meaning it’s completely obvious if you don’t know something.
Mr. Salche, an 8 year gym teacher at BHS has taught at schools with and without competencies and certainly has a favorite. “ (It's) something new and exciting, and prepares the students a lot for colleges and the real world outside of high school.”
Some students appreciate competencies, because they feel that they are being more prepared for college, in the sense that you fully understand everything in a course. Sophomore, Charles Redmond says, “I think it’s great because it shows you are competent in all parts of the class.” Similarly, Kyle Drapeau thinks “they are helpful because it makes sure you know everything.”
Salche also discusses that when he first came to work at BHS the hardest part about competencies was the fact that many parents and students did not fully understand the concept. “Families had no idea why their students were failing a course when they technically had an 80.” After interviewing both freshmen and seniors, the consensus showed that students without older siblings, ie students that didn’t have family members already attending BHS, were very confused when they first stepped through the halls. “I think they’re so dumb” senior Paul Toscano argues, “I’ve been at this school for four years and I still don’t understand the need for something like this. They’re (the school board) is just complicating everything.”
Ms. Chris O’Hara, the Dean of Humanities here at Bedford High School, shares that when the school first opened, in 2007, it was thought by 2010 that competencies would be required in all schools across New Hampshire, with a new program they called 21st Learning Expectations. With that in mind, the school board and administration decided that starting with competencies could be better that eventually having to change. Ms. O’Hara also explained that within the next two years, competencies will begin to trickle down to lower grades, at schools such as Lurgio, but will probably have a less complicated structure. “I don’t think they would make the decision for schools with younger students to have competencies if they weren't working so well. I’ve been a part of many schools, but wherever life takes me, I hope I never have to work at a school without competencies again.”
As grades go, the Dean does agree that a student's GPA at BHS may be slightly lower than a student's somewhere else, but the work ethic and preparedness at this high school will definitely be more relevant and useful in the long run. “Competencies raise the bar for kids...and help them comprehend all aspects of learning, which I think is very helpful for not only students, but parents and teachers as well.”
Competencies are very controversial because many schools in New Hampshire don’t use them, or use different ideals, even though it was expected that the state would completely convert to the use of competencies over five years ago. At Souhegan High School, where students from Mount Vernon and Amherst attend, their schools use what are called Academic Learning Explanations (ALE’s).
Freshman Maggie Smith explained to me that “ALE’s are divided into seven sections, Knowledgeable person, Skilled information processor, Complex thinker, Effective communicator, Self directed learner, Collaborative Worker, and Responsible Citizen. Different ALE’s weigh heavier in different classes, for example, Knowledgeable person is more important in math but Effective communicator is more important in English.”
Maggie also discusses how she too was very confused coming from her middle school to her high school not knowing what competencies were, and how that was a challenge for her and her friends alike. Interviews show that almost all students at Souhegan appreciate competencies “because the ALE’s make everyone feel like they have to try harder so they end up getting better grades.”
Through the halls of BHS, there walk many students with different opinions on competencies, yet Mr. Salche was able to wrap up both sides of the argument wonderfully by saying, “With whatever the school board chooses to do, I must say that Bedford does a wonderful job preparing their students for the future outside of these doors.”
Competencies are used to break up different classes’ grades, meaning instead of having one grade for a specific class, there are multiple. Thus causing students to fail a course because of one competency, and not because of a whole class. Teachers favor this approach because they’re able to see where the student is struggling, yet students are not fans because they could understand everything in a class, and still fail because they didn’t do their homework.
In past years, at middle and intermediate school, you could not fully understand a topic, but understand it enough to bring up your grade from things you didn’t know. Now tests are separated into many different sections, meaning it’s completely obvious if you don’t know something.
Mr. Salche, an 8 year gym teacher at BHS has taught at schools with and without competencies and certainly has a favorite. “ (It's) something new and exciting, and prepares the students a lot for colleges and the real world outside of high school.”
Some students appreciate competencies, because they feel that they are being more prepared for college, in the sense that you fully understand everything in a course. Sophomore, Charles Redmond says, “I think it’s great because it shows you are competent in all parts of the class.” Similarly, Kyle Drapeau thinks “they are helpful because it makes sure you know everything.”
Salche also discusses that when he first came to work at BHS the hardest part about competencies was the fact that many parents and students did not fully understand the concept. “Families had no idea why their students were failing a course when they technically had an 80.” After interviewing both freshmen and seniors, the consensus showed that students without older siblings, ie students that didn’t have family members already attending BHS, were very confused when they first stepped through the halls. “I think they’re so dumb” senior Paul Toscano argues, “I’ve been at this school for four years and I still don’t understand the need for something like this. They’re (the school board) is just complicating everything.”
Ms. Chris O’Hara, the Dean of Humanities here at Bedford High School, shares that when the school first opened, in 2007, it was thought by 2010 that competencies would be required in all schools across New Hampshire, with a new program they called 21st Learning Expectations. With that in mind, the school board and administration decided that starting with competencies could be better that eventually having to change. Ms. O’Hara also explained that within the next two years, competencies will begin to trickle down to lower grades, at schools such as Lurgio, but will probably have a less complicated structure. “I don’t think they would make the decision for schools with younger students to have competencies if they weren't working so well. I’ve been a part of many schools, but wherever life takes me, I hope I never have to work at a school without competencies again.”
As grades go, the Dean does agree that a student's GPA at BHS may be slightly lower than a student's somewhere else, but the work ethic and preparedness at this high school will definitely be more relevant and useful in the long run. “Competencies raise the bar for kids...and help them comprehend all aspects of learning, which I think is very helpful for not only students, but parents and teachers as well.”
Competencies are very controversial because many schools in New Hampshire don’t use them, or use different ideals, even though it was expected that the state would completely convert to the use of competencies over five years ago. At Souhegan High School, where students from Mount Vernon and Amherst attend, their schools use what are called Academic Learning Explanations (ALE’s).
Freshman Maggie Smith explained to me that “ALE’s are divided into seven sections, Knowledgeable person, Skilled information processor, Complex thinker, Effective communicator, Self directed learner, Collaborative Worker, and Responsible Citizen. Different ALE’s weigh heavier in different classes, for example, Knowledgeable person is more important in math but Effective communicator is more important in English.”
Maggie also discusses how she too was very confused coming from her middle school to her high school not knowing what competencies were, and how that was a challenge for her and her friends alike. Interviews show that almost all students at Souhegan appreciate competencies “because the ALE’s make everyone feel like they have to try harder so they end up getting better grades.”
Through the halls of BHS, there walk many students with different opinions on competencies, yet Mr. Salche was able to wrap up both sides of the argument wonderfully by saying, “With whatever the school board chooses to do, I must say that Bedford does a wonderful job preparing their students for the future outside of these doors.”