Standardized testing – There I said it, and went and blew all of your fun this summer! Standardized testing, with its great intentions and purpose of bringing all students up to an identified goal level, has become a beast for many teachers to face. We feel constrained by a need to “teach to the test” and frustrated with the long hours our students must invest in state-wide testing, with little incentive for the test-taker to do their best. While standardized tests vary by state and subject matter, we can likely agree on the unique challenges they present to educators. So how can we wrangle this beast? The next 2 Tips of the Week will focus on specific strategies you can employ from the start to help prepare your students for standardized assessment.

First, familiarize yourself with local/state standards. Check out your State Department of Education and review specific standards. Even if you have been teaching for years, it is helpful to quickly review expectations each year. You may be thinking, “I teach an elective! I’m not bound by these tests!” Even if you teach an elective, you can benefit by preparing your students for tests in their other classes through teaching across the curriculum. Teach your kids to be great test-takers, and they will find success!

Next, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the national standards. The Common Core State Standards  are currently in draft form, and strive to, “provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn” in English Language Arts and Mathematics. These Common Core Standards are a hot topic right now, and it will be of benefit to you to have a working knowledge of their content. Visit Education World for National Standards in all other major content areas. These standards are easy to quickly read through and provide great guidance. Some states have also adopted standards for career technical courses as well so use your Google power to find valuable resources. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Finally, familiarize yourself with the standardized tests your students will be asked to take. This may seem like a no-brainer, but I went several years before I realized that sample tests in my state were available! Look at how the tests are worded, and be conscious of how much time is spent on various concepts. You may realize that you spend a lot of time on an area that doesn’t have much emphasis on the test, or the opposite!