OUR TURN: Teachers must play part in raising TAKS scores

The low Texas Assessment of Skills and Knowledge scores for ninth and 10th grade math and 10th grade science at Marble Falls High School are a cause for concern.

Education experts say the low scores are attributed to students who don’t see the relevance of math and science to their world.

That’s probably partially true. But teachers need to shoulder some of the burden, too, because it’s their job to show students that math and science do play an important part in their lives.

Educators are supposed to make their subjects interesting, to spark a thirst for knowledge and to make the educational material exciting.

It’s just too easy to say the students don’t care. Instead, the teachers need to find ways to make them care more.

Perhaps the new superintendent finalist, Robert O’Connor, who has a history of improving school districts’ accountability ratings, will help play a role in rekindling an interest in math and science among the high schoolers.

There’s no question science and math play a vital role in our lives. Teachers must simply figure out a way to show the practical applications of those subjects when it comes to everyday existence.

After all, anyone who wants to build something that won’t fall apart must learn the rudiments of geometry. In other words, math has real-world applications for the construction industry, whether it’s a skyscraper or a deer blind. And, where do the students think their smartphones and online video games come from? Math plays a part in figuring out how to transmit messages, videos and texts.

Recent surveys indicate that U.S. students as a whole lag behind their counterparts in other developed nations in math and science. Marble Falls needs to break the mold.

The Texas Education Agency released the preliminary TAKS results to the district May 26. The agency is still compiling data before releasing the final results in August.

The scores determine the academic rankings of schools and are based on several factors, including attendance.

The accountability ratings are exemplary, recognized, acceptable and unacceptable.

Last school year, TEA ranked MFISD schools as: Colt Elementary School, Marble Falls Elementary and Spicewood Elementary — exemplary; Highland Lakes Elementary and Marble Falls Middle — recognized; and Marble Falls High and Falls Career High — academically acceptable.

These rankings should make all students and parents proud.

But lagging scores paint an unflattering portrait of the true potential of Marble Falls High students. After all, this school  is part of a district that recently helped send four teachers to a NASA program to conduct an aquaculture experiment in zero gravity — a project students helped design.

Educators must find out what students are interested in and then use those interests to help teach the subject. Teachers who link students’ interests with a common application in the real world will not only help students get more out of the subjects, but will increase their appreciation for math and science.

After all, it really is rocket science.