Get ready for spring testing

With spring comes standardized testing. The results of these tests are used at the student level to determine promotion or graduation, and at the school level to meet requirements under the No Child Left Behind Act. That's a lot of pressure on students and their teachers. Many teachers and parents report that the pressure is intense, resulting in excessive test preparation that takes away from learning and may even eliminate subjects like music, art and social studies.

These tests do provide useful information, but they shouldn't be the only source of information. What happens in the classroom is more important and shouldn’t be shoved on the back burner. Instead, standardized tests should reflect the rich instruction students receive every day.

Here are several strategies to help students perform their best on standardized tests while keeping the main focus on content and skills.

Teach to content, not test items. Emphasize what students are expected to learn as described in the state content standards and curriculum. The state test should reflect this content. By concentrating on the state standards, you will be less likely to feel that you have to "stop everything" to drill kids on test prep.

By teaching to the standards, not only are you preparing students for the test, you also are ensuring that they're exposed to the content and skills they need to progress to more advanced material. Ultimately, it is about what students should learn, not how they perform on a test.

Make kids comfortable with test methods. Besides focusing on content and skills, familiarize your students with the different ways they will be assessed. If the state test includes short constructed-response items, give your students this type of question in their homework, worksheets or teacher-developed tests. These should be a regular part of your instruction and not sprung on kids a week or two before the state test.

Consider how the state test will be delivered. If part or all of it is administered via computer, get your students comfortable with online testing by giving them chances to use it for worksheets and quizzes.

Preparing students for different types of testing does not mean that all of your classroom activities should be multiple choice just because your state test has only multiple-choice questions. On the contrary, your classroom provides many opportunities for students to show mastery. Don’t limit those opportunities. What's important is that students already are familiar with how questions are presented when the time comes to sit down and take the state test.

Breathe. Most state tests are used in determining high-stakes decisions for schools, administrators, teachers and/or students. It’s only natural to be nervous when so much is riding on a single test. If you are anxious or stressed about the test, your kids will be, too, and this may hurt their performance.

Emphasize the importance of students doing their best on the test, and let them know the work they’ve done throughout the year has been good preparation. There isn’t anything on the test they haven’t already learned.

Likewise, encourage your colleagues and parents to stay relaxed and confident. When all do their part to help make sure students are ready—that is, educated, rested and fed—then the test will be a chance for them to strut their stuff.

Use classroom work to track progress. Some students may perform poorly on tests because of factors outside your control: Maybe they aren't feeling well, maybe their family life is awful, maybe they are afraid of what a test means. A poor performance may not have anything to do with whether the child knows the material. As the teacher, you know that the student is competent. What do you do?

By keeping track of your students' progress through high-quality assignments and saving samples of their work, you can provide evidence that a particular student does know the material. State accountability systems may not allow for these types of measures, but such evidence may be vital if the test has high-stakes consequences for the student. In many cases, teacher judgment can be used with other factors to apply for a waiver. For the teacher's judgment to be valued, the student's projects, worksheets and tasks must be focused on the content standards.

Evaluate your instruction. By the time you get the results of standardized tests, students are either on summer vacation or already back in school. However, their test results can offer some insight into your instruction. Look at the test results in their entirety. Were there specific concepts and skills that your students found difficult? If so, scour your instructional materials for ways to strengthen the unit.

By taking a diagnostic look at test results, you can enhance your instruction from year to year, which will help your students and your own teaching. Ultimately, that deeper understanding will be reflected on the state test results.

ANY TIPS FOR TEST PREP?
We'd like to hear your experiences. Have you been required to do test prep? Do you have any tips for juggling it with content-rich instruction? Share your stories with fellow union members by e-mailing hglidden@aft.org. Be sure to include your name and the name of your local union.