The Tests are Coming! The Tests are Coming!
It just doesn’t seem fair, right? At this time of the school year, we’ve already passed the 100 days hurdle and so many of us are feeling the struggle to hang in there. There used to be a donut commercial which featured an employee who would roll out of bed early every morning and utter, “It’s time to make the donuts.” Sometimes we can feel that way at this time of the year. “It’s time to go teach.” And then just when we’re battling to stay focused and passionate about teaching, that tiny season called Testing emerges between Winter and Spring and forces us to rethink our strategies.
Yes. The Tests are Coming. But let’s get ready NOW.
We’re going to explore some practical strategies that you can put in place to help your students feel prepared for testing. Some of these are just common sense, but we all need simple reminders!
1. Your Students are Special, Unique Individuals with Intrinsic Worth that is not tied to test results or even grades. REMIND THEM OFTEN. Many kids suffer from test anxiety every year and so many of them have inferred that since there is so much hype about Testing, then surely their test results must be a reflection of their worth. They need trusted adults to help them think rightly about the tests. These tests are just tools that help educators determine how teachers and curriculum are working towards our shared goals of educating.
2. Introduce your Students to the Common Test Vocabulary. Make sure that your students regularly see and more importantly, UNDERSTAND the common test vocabulary. Deliberately define and explain words like: Choose, Define, Compare, Contrast, Summarize, Describe, Explain, Conclude/Conclusion, Infer, and even Most Likely and give them lots of practice answering questions with them.
3. Provide lots of opportunities for Test Practice! Everyone does better with practice. Practicing different types of questions will allow your students to feel more at ease when they sit down to take their tests. (If you’re looking for an easy way to practice, check out my Test Prep Task Cards over at my TpT store!)
4. Equip your Students with Practical Tactics for Tackling Multiple Choice Problems! These simple steps help students feel equipped to tackle each problem!
* Reread the question. Make sure that you know what it is asking.
*Try to silently answer the question on your own before you look through the choices provided.
* Read through ALL of the answers given and (if allowed to mark on the test), cross out the answers that you know aren’t right.
*(If you’re allowed to mark on the test booklet), underline the part in the text that seems to support your choice of answer. If you can't mark on the test booklet, or your students take their tests digitally, make sure to teach them how to use the highlighting tools and other functions of your testing site.
*Watch out for similar-sounding answers! Read them through and select the one that is the best answer.
*Choose “All of the Above” if it’s an option and you feel that 2 or 3 answers are correct.
I hope that these strategies have you excited to start some test prep NOW! We’re going to continue to provide more strategies for test prep and for rallying our best so that we can finish the year strong in the coming weeks! Don’t miss out! Don’t forget that St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner! You don’t need the luck of the Irish to grab my FREE St. Patrick’s Day Mystery Picture resource! While you’re there, check out my other super St. Patrick’s Day downloads!
Take A Deep Breath! We’re in this Together!
Let’s Chat Again Soon,
Martha
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