At the end of this year, I shared with another teacher that I felt a student did well on their test. She told me that she watched him test and asked what strategy he used. He told her, and when she told me, I just smiled. He was paying attention.

When it comes to ELA tests, there are usually many pages of text for the students to read. My tip is to tell them to read the question, and skim for the answer. Only read if it is absolutely necessary. Or read a small section. Some questions ask them to look at context clues. This is a simple question that can point them in the direction of finding those clues. Reading an entire two pages of text is unnecessary.

Students are so used to reading the text, then reading the question, and then reading the text. This leads to testing burnout quickly. If they read the question first, it provides them with their focus for reading. Then, as they read, they can highlight or make notes if it is a question that they just can’t skim for.

What test taking strategies do you teach in your classroom? Share in the comments below.

The post Test Taking Strategies appeared first on Teaching ELA in the Middle.

On Friday, our school had a testing pep rally. I get it. Motivate these students to do well. The only problem is that while the elementary students were excited, our middle school students were not enthused. In fact, they laughed at the students receiving awards. They made fun of the dances and cheers. They rolled their eyes at the prizes for doing well. –> “Why would we want air pods? Most all of us own them.”

Of course, I was very proud of my students. A third of those receiving awards for met or exceeds ELA last year were my students. As I contemplate signing my contract in the next few days, I thought about those students: the ones that I taught that did well. Those who improved. I did that. That was me! But my students this year have made me feel like such a failure. Maybe it was because I was out on medical leave at the beginning of the year that made me feel that way. I missed the opportunity to connect with my students. I missed those important first lessons. I missed settling into my teaching groove. Instead, I spent the rest of the year trying to find it, and then just trying to survive. But I’m so much better than that!

This week is also the actual teacher appreciation week (the first full week in May). They have a lot of treats planned for us. Personally, I’m just looking forward to the end of the month. I’m just tired. I’m ready to find a good groove to get my personal goals accomplished. In fact, I almost have my house set up after 2 weeks. It may be completely finished by the time school rolls around, although I doubt it.

As for the students?

They act like they have lost their minds. They don’t want to do anything. They only want to play games on the computer. They have already sent their brains on summer break. And the behavior that I’m seeing makes me not want to teach this same group again next year. In fact, I may be teaching one student for the 3rd time because he won’t do any of his work! His sister was the same way, and I taught her twice in the 7th grade.

Maybe we are just losing our minds due to this year. It will only become more insane next year with the new schedule. We will start August 1st. We have a short summer. Ten day break between quarters. I wonder if it will work? Time will only tell.

The post Storytime Sunday: State Testing, Teacher Appreciation, and End of the Year Craziness appeared first on Teaching ELA in the Middle.

There’s always a downside to testing, whether it is MAP testing or state standardized testing. The one thing that I have enjoyed about our standardized testing is the ability to take the kids out to the ballfield and let them run around after sitting so quietly for so long. MAP testing isn’t like that.

Our MAP testing is treated much like the state testing. We hold our homerooms in one contained space until everyone on our hallway has completed testing. Some kids read faster than others. Some just like to take their sweet time and eat the clock up.

When you have an honors class for homeroom, you know that the kids are going to take the entire time. You may have a few exceptions. Very few. Then you have those who do not care about their score, and those are the ones who finish in 15 minutes before driving you slowly insane.

Imagine my surprise when those particular students show in my 3rd period class. We actually still saw all of our classes, but for 37 minutes each. Except 3rd period. 3rd period I also had for lunch which was an extra hour. These students came into the classroom at full speed, and when I looked back into the classroom, I saw several running across the tops of the desks. The tops!

Several apologized because they stated they had “run out of my medicine” which is code for I’m about to act stupid and I don’t think I can control it.

They were loud.

They couldn’t sit still.

They couldn’t remember anything past 15 seconds (if that much).

One student who has a farm is planning to bring me a cowbell tomorrow because my little bell doesn’t get over the din.

At lunch, we all hurried up and ate, and I took them outside and told them to run around the courtyard to burn off some energy.

It still wasn’t enough.

After today, I’m tired. Dog tired. I’m glad that they decided to space it out, but that means another round of this on a Monday. Oh. My. Goodness!

I think I’ll need nerves of steel on Monday.

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