Author: TCR Staff

Teaching Tips

Standardized Test-Taking Tips & Strategies: Part I – Introduction

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Standardized tests have not only been the subject of intense controversy among educators, but also the cause of much teeth-gnashing among students. And it’s understandable. If individuals are unique and learning styles and ways of understanding varied, how then can a standardized test accurately measure what a student knows?

There is a story of a first grade teacher, who held up a red apple to her class of 30 eager students and asked, “What color is this apple?” Twenty-nine of the students replied, “It’s red,” while one brave soul countered, “It’s red and white.” “Oh,” the teacher responded, “I don’t see any white,” to which the student replied, “That’s because you have to bite it!”

A cautionary tale to be sure and one that demonstrates that there are multiple ways in which to know and that they can all potentially be correct. For this reason, it’s critical that both educators and students understand what standardized tests seek to measure and the best strategies to prepare for and take these kinds of tests.

The vast majority of standardized tests that students encounter during their academic careers, including the California Achievement Test, the Iowa Test, and the Stanford Achievement Test are norm-referenced tests. Norm-referenced tests compare and rank students in a particular grade with other students in that same grade. By doing this, educators can get a quick snapshot of where their students stand and to what extent their scores deviate from the average or the norm.

The content contained on standardized tests is aligned with statewide curriculum standards and vice versa. If a skill set appears in your content standards, it is reasonable to expect that it may appear on a standardized test. To put it another way, you will never find this on a fourth grade standardized test:

(4x – 2×2 – 7xy) + (2×2 + 5xy)

. . . and if you do, it probably means that you are having a nightmare! (By the way, the answer is
4x – 2xy.) However, this is a different story:

63
x 59
_____

And the reason is clear. The addition and subtraction of polynomials is not part of the fourth grade core content for math, while the multiplication of two-digit numbers is.

It is imperative that students understand how standardized tests are scored, what they measure and the kinds of material they will encounter. By sharing this behind-the-scenes aspect of standardized tests with your students you will help to empower them by demystifying the tests themselves, and reducing the high anxiety often associated with them.

Standardized tests can be effective measurement tools. Over the years great steps have been taken to improve standardized testing; for instance, paying particular attention to bias in order to create tests that are not only more equitable, but also to provide students with an array of strategies that they can use in test-taking situations.

The next few upcoming posts will be aimed at helping educators and students prepare for standardized tests by providing general information on test-taking strategies, tips on stress and anxiety reduction, and recommended resources for successful test-taking, so stay tuned!

Teaching Tips

School Year Lesson Reminder Binders

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Reminder Binders

Sometimes we wonder where the school year goes. Time seems to fly. Teachers start to think, “Are the children even aware of all they have learned and experienced by January, or even June for that matter?” To aid their memory, have a reminder binder to browse through throughout the year and especially at the end of the year. It is fun and triggers a lot of memories.

There are several ways of implementing a reminder binder.

1. At the end of each week or day, pick one or two students who will be responsible for choosing one particular event, activity, or lesson. Have them write a brief description and illustrate it. These are then filed in one main binder titled “The Reminder Binder.” They should share with the class their choice when they finish.

2. At the end of each month, students brainstorm the month’s important events, activities, and lessons. Try to get at least one per student. Write them on the whiteboard. Each student picks one and describes and illustrates it in “The Reminder Binder.” Students who finish early can do a second one. This repeats monthly. Both ways get students thinking about what they have learned and experienced, either daily, weekly, or monthly. At the end of the school year, it is exciting to go back and remember all the great learning that took place.

Behavior Management

Tips for Encouraging Good Student Behavior

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Red Pen Reversal
Teachers often use a red pen to mark answers that are incorrect. Instead of using a red pen to check all wrong answers, use a red pen to check all right answers! Write “okay” on all correct answers. Leave answers that are wrong untouched. This is another silent message to students to go back and correct the wrong answers. They know, without you saying, that the problems are wrong, and they know which problems to correct. Be sure to use a red pen or pencil. Students have learned to associate red marks with the word, “wrong.” Using a red mark for the right answers is a way of using reverse psychology on them.

Tattle-Box
Tattling can be a big problem in a classroom. This type of behavior usually occurs when a student is trying to gain teacher attention. Students can tattle for the following reasons:

  • to get others in trouble
  • to hopefully get an award
  • to gain attention
  • to feel superior over others

Try using a tattle box. Cover a shoebox with paper. Label it, “The Tattle Box.” When a student tries to tattle, have the students write the problem down on paper and drop it in the box. Be sure to keep paper and pencil handy beside the box and be sure to read the papers!

Another tactic to curb tattling is when a student comes to tattle, ask a question: “Is it in or out?” In other words, you are asking the student “Are you tattling to get someone in trouble or out of trouble?” Only listen to those who say “out of trouble.” Students catch on quickly that you are not going to listen to their negative tattling.

Sticker Praise
Mark extra good work with a smiley sticker and watch the smiles on students’ faces. It is simple, but it works. Stickers with words of encouragement are also great for rewarding and motivating good work.

Behavior Management

More Ideas for Rewarding Good Behavior

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Classroom Coupons
Why not create coupons to give as rewards for good behavior, special efforts, good work? Coupons could be for eating with the teacher, a night off from homework, having lunch with another class, moving one’s desk to a preferred spot, etc. Coupons are a fun way to reward.

Compliment Box
Have a special box for just compliments. Encourage students to write a compliment when they catch a classmate doing something nice. At the end of each day, read each note aloud and then, give the notes to each student who was complimented. This tactic can build up students’ self-esteem. You might want to keep a list of those who receive notes in order to make sure that each student gets a note from time to time.

Payday
To make this technique work, you must have a pocket folder for each student. On the first day of a two-week period, students are given a set of homemade money, cut and stapled in a durable envelope with their names on the front. Students will, initially, write their names on the back of the money. Set up a system of values.

Students can lose money for the following reasons:
$ ___ no pencil
$ ___ no homework
$ ___ chewing gum
$ ___ eating in class
$ ___ running in the hall

Students can earn money for the following reasons:
$ ___ a clean desk
$ ___ a good grade
$ ___ bringing homework
$ ___ being helpful

Adjust rules as you wish. Have an end-of-the-period sale. Provide small items that the students can purchase such as stickers, books, pencils, etc., or even a no-homework night.

Rewards at No Cost
If you do not want to always buy things as rewards, here are a few reward ideas that do not cost anything.

  • be first in line
  • draw on the board
  • use the computer
  • no-homework-night pass
  • go to the library
  • be the teacher helper
  • do work at the teacher’s desk
  • move desk to another place
  • read to a younger class or student
  • have extra center time
  • go to another room for lunch

Zip the Lips
Make a large set of lips, complete with zipper. Cue in your students that when you make a zip motion over the lips, the meaning is the following: “Zip your lips.” In other words, get quiet!

Fishing on Friday
Want to have good behavior during the week? One way to encourage following rules is to have a special surprise. First, obtain a small fish bowl. Place the students’ names in the bowl if a student was good for the week and followed all the rules. At the end of the week, have a drawing. Have some type of special treat or prize for the week’s winner.

Smile Face Reminder
Sometimes it is hard to remember to smile. Make a large smiley face and suspend it from the ceiling. When you notice it, it will be a great reminder to stay positive.

Be Human
Students need to know that teachers are human, too. Everyone makes mistakes, even the teacher. Sometimes it is effective to deliberately make a mistake in order to let the students react and correct! When using this approach, be careful that you do not let students get away with being disrespectful. Students respect is a necessary component of good teaching.

Silent Signals and Signs
Silent signaling to your class is always a plus. To silently signal to students that they should stop talking, create a signal light. Put up the red signal when they are too noisy and need to be quiet. Put up the yellow signal when they can talk and share in low voices. Use the green signal for saying talking is all right. If money is no problem, purchase a small stoplight through a teacher supply company.

Other proven methods involve using hand signals. A thumbs up can mean “excellent” or “I’m proud of you.” Work with your students to develop signs. This can be a fun way to talk about people who are deaf and how they communicate with each other.