5 Steps for Navigating Achievement Testing Week

It's Achievement Testing Week!  Yay! Yikes! Boo! Argh! Grrr!

Something about achievement testing just makes your emotions run the gamut, doesn't it?  And, definitely, depending on the age of the students you teach, you see it plays an emotional role in them as well, in varying degrees.

Having administered these tests many times, I have found a few things to help me navigate the week in a better way.  I share them in hope you will find some respite during your time.  My school has yet to move to all electronic testing, but I suppose that the same tips will apply there as well.  (Let me know if they don't, and we can develop some tips for you in the e-realm.)

  1. Rejoice in the change of pace!    I consider achievement testing week like a paid vacation.  It is a complete change of pace for me and for my students.  Try using the time to refresh your mind.  This is the time I use to consider what I will do differently next year and what I will do to customize my decor to the upcoming group.  I also encourage my students to rejoice in their change of pace.  They love that there will be no homework.  When they are done, they will often tell me that the tests are easier than what we do in class.
  2. Ignore any high stakes pressure you may feel.  Mistakes get made when one feels the situation is "do or die".  Whatever you have taught and whatever has been learned is already on the table.  Therefore, any worry, concern or stress is wasted effort.  It is what it is.  For students, I tell them to do their best.  If they were to find the test outside the knowledge they had, I remind them that it is on me.  Relax!
  3. Communicate in effective ways.  Is your school or district too data driven?  Fussing about it, fomenting about it can be very helpful or a complete waste of time.  Voice your concerns where they can make an actual difference.  The staff lounge is generally not the center of educational power.  Make clear to the parents and to the students what your expectation might be, and what their expectations should be.  For example, we don't give homework so students can get a good night's rest and eat a healthy breakfast.  We don't excuse homework for the purpose of staying up late to play Fortnight or watch YouTube.  We let parents know when they can reasonably expect results. (My least favorite post-test comment?  "How did he do?", as though I am a living Scantron and was able to detect their child's answers and summarize the data.)  We communicate to students what we expect as well.  I expect students to keep a test environment free from noise and disruptions.  I expect there will be no whining.
  4. Create a list of things that you can accomplish with the time you normally would grade papers.  We have no grading for the testing time, whereas we would normally have products that require assessments.  Use that time to complete something from your list.   For me, I have some rubrics I need to develop and some files I need to clear.  For you it could be something altogether different.  For students, encourage them to redeem their time.  Since they have no homework, try using the time to study or to read a great book or to write a story.
  5. Exhale.  You've done a great job this year!  It has nothing to do with the numbers.  Your success is measured in the contributions you made to the life of each student.  That measurement does not come in the form of data, it comes in the form a children doing things successfully that they couldn't do before.  Maturation and independence, character and kindness don't show up on achievement tests, but they do show up in class.  Use a little of this week to reflect on that.

Whatever the week brings, make it a good one!


First published 4/20/18

Comments