Well, friends, we are in the heart of testing season. I know the pressure put on teachers and students can be nearly unbearable, but I have some ideas and tips that can hopefully ease the pain of end-of-the-year testing.
Tip 1:
Don't wait for the last minute to prep for end-of-the-year testing. I use daily warm-ups that rotate between grammar skills, test prep questions, and academic vocabulary. (I commonly share my warm-up of the day on my Instagram account in my stories, if you are interested in seeing them you can follow me by clicking here.) I find that it gets students used to the types of questions they will see on end-of-the-year testing without having a last minute cram session. As a first year teacher, I made the mistake of trying to cram a bunch of test prep the last two weeks before testing started. It did not help improve scores. It probably did the exact opposite. I was stressed. The kids were stressed and bored out of their minds. I learned a great lesson that year, and I will never repeat that rookie mistake.
Tip 2:
Get your kids involved in the lesson. The most successful test prep units or lessons are going to be engaging. (I know huge shock right?) I love using digital escape rooms with my students as they get to work with a small group and it gets them thinking critically. I find that my kids get so wrapped up in the "game" of the activity that they do not even realize they are working on a test prep lesson! Win, win!
It's an added bonus if you can get them moving!If you need help adding movement into your end-of-the-year review, I highly recommend trying a question loop or question trail. Even better than getting kids moving, these activities also get kids CHECKING THEIR OWN WORK!!!! I will say that again, they get kids checking their own work! How amazing is that?! Students start at a question and based on their answer are directed to a different question. (usually they do not go from question 1 to question 2 and etc.) If kids notice that they end up a question a second time, they will know that they got an answer incorrect somewhere along the line. They will need to pause and check their answers before continuing through the loop. I love the conversations I hear during these activities!
Tip 3:
Keep Calm and Carry On.
No matter what at the end of the day, the most important thing is letting your kids know that you care about them and believe in them. Kids will only care about their scores if they know that you care about them. Enjoy your kids and talk to them!
Do you have a tip that should be on my list? Comment with it below! I'd love to add to this list.
Tip 3:
Keep Calm and Carry On.
No matter what at the end of the day, the most important thing is letting your kids know that you care about them and believe in them. Kids will only care about their scores if they know that you care about them. Enjoy your kids and talk to them!
Do you have a tip that should be on my list? Comment with it below! I'd love to add to this list.
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