We can all agree that students are a key stakeholder in their own education. When they are involved in the assessment process and in their own learning, the result is an improvement in achievement. So while reviewing test results with them after the fact is important, communicating with students – as a class or individually – before they test is equally important. Here are seven things to consider discussing with your students before testing:
Explain where the test fits in the bigger picture.Any given test or assessment is just one piece of their overall progress as students. This one test on this one day is not the sole measure of their potential or their future. A better understanding of context will help them better understand how it all fits together.
Share how the test results will affect their overall class grade.Often, students are unaware of why they are being tested or why the teachers need the data they are looking for. Is it going to be used for setting student or class goals, establishing a grade, or for placement purposes? Share this information with your students before the test so that they are aware of exactly what the score of the test will mean to them. If it does not affect their class grade, let them know that, too.
Pre-empt questions about what their data will look like and who will be seeing it.Depending on the age of your students, you should consider sharing with them what results you’ll be receiving after the test, what results they as students will receive, and what will be shared with their parents.
Take the fear out of the testing jargon.Words like evaluate, criteria, evidence, and scores can be scary for some students. While they may seem obvious and interchangeable to you as a teacher, it’s helpful to students to explain these definitions to them and set their minds at ease.
Clarify the testing environment.Some students are less familiar than others when it comes to testing and how testing schedules can interrupt a given week. Providing better clarification can help alleviate student stress. Let them know if it will be a one-day test or if it will happen over a period of days. Provide insights into breaks, whether they can use the restrooms, and what they should bring with them on testing days.
Make any transition to computers or tablets easy.If there is a computer lab being used as part of the testing process, be sure they know where the lab is, how the computer will be used as part of the test, and how to log in.
Provide the dates of the next assessment.When you explain growth over time to students, it helps to share a basic schedule of how the assessments will be administered. Let them know when the next one will occur and whether it will be similar to the one they are preparing for now. This is a great way to emphasize a focus on growth.
Getting students on the same page before an assessment or test can really help settle nerves and reduce stress. If you have time, consider one-on-one meetings with your students to allay individual concerns or answer specific questions. If your students are taking the MAP® Growth™ assessment, you should consult this post in particular – 11 Talking Points for Teachers Preparing Students for the MAP Test. And stay tuned here on the blog, where every Tuesday we will feature some of our best tips and resources as you head back to school.
The MAP® test is a growth assessment given to K–12 students that provides data to help teachers teach, students learn, and administrators lead. As students approach the spring MAP test, their teachers are helping them prepare. Parents can also play a role in helping their child get ready for the test and this post provides some tips.
First, if parents have questions about the MAP test, what it is, and how it works, we’ve posted a couple of blogs that can answer many of their questions:
To help your child prepare for the MAP test, here are 20 things parents can do:
To Prepare for Testing
Meet with your child’s teacher as often as needed to discuss his or her progress. Ask about activities you and your child can do at home to help prepare for tests and improve your child’s understanding of schoolwork. Parents and teachers working together benefits students.
Provide a quiet, comfortable place for studying at home without distractions from TV or electronic devices.
Make sure that your child is well rested on school days and especially the day of a test. Children who are tired are less able to pay attention in class or handle the demands of a test.
Give your child a well-rounded diet. A healthy body leads to a healthy, active mind.
To Prepare for Language
Talk to your child and encourage him or her to join in conversation during family activities.
Give your child a journal or diary as a gift.
Help your child write a letter to a friend or family member. Offer assistance with correct grammar usage and content.
Select a “word of the week” and encourage your child to use the new word throughout the week.
Plan a special snack or meal and have your child write the menu.
After finishing a chapter in a book or a magazine article, have your child explain his or her favorite event.
To Prepare for Reading
Provide many opportunities for your child to read a wide variety of books, magazines, and other materials. By reading new materials, a child learns new words that might appear on a test. Read aloud to your child, even when your child can read independently. Research shows that this is the most important activity parents can do to increase their child’s chance of reading success.
Make time for frequent visits to the library, and let your child explore books that interest him or her.
Ask your child’s school about a suggested outside reading list or get suggestions from the public library.
Play games like Scrabble® , Spill and Spell™, Scattergories® , and Balderdash™ together.
Work crossword and word search puzzles with your child
To Prepare for Math
Spend time with kids on simple board games, puzzles, and activities that encourage better attitudes and stronger math skills. Even everyday activities such as playing with toys in a sandbox or in a tub at bath time can teach children math concepts such as weight, density, and volume.
Encourage children to solve problems. Provide assistance, but let them figure it out themselves. Problem solving is a lifetime skill.
The kitchen is filled with tasty opportunities to teach fractional measurements, such as doubling and dividing cookie recipes.
Point out ways that people use math every day to pay bills, balance their checkbooks, figure out their net earnings, make change, and tip at restaurants. Involve older children in projects that incorporate geometric and algebraic concepts such as planting a garden, building a bookshelf, or figuring out how long it will take to drive to your family vacation destination.
Children can learn to read and interpret charts and graphs such as those found in daily newspapers. Collecting and analyzing data will help your child draw conclusions and become discriminating a reader of numerical information.
We can all agree that students are a key stakeholder in their own education. When they are involved in the assessment process and in their own learning, the result is an improvement in achievement. So while reviewing test results with them after the fact is important, communicating with students – as a class or individually – before they test is equally important. Here are seven things to consider discussing with your students before testing: