5. Benchmark Testing

5. Benchmark Testing

This we believe (NMSA, 2010).

*Varied and ongoing assessments advance learning as well as measure it. Varied Assessments.

This week my students have been testing... three days of it! Our team was directed as far as testing procedures and which groups of students were being tested. We found that our students were good sports about the whole process. The tests were delivered on Chromebooks. I had the data the next day, the entire data set complete with what they did right and the projections of how they will do at the end of the year. It was impressive.

The administrators and support personnel were present troubleshooting, making sure everyone had what they needed, checking in. It was great knowing that if I picked up the phone and called our front desk hero, she was in touch with someone to come to our aid! My team mates were veterans of testing and fearless in flexibility and support. I never felt like I was having to figure out something on my own. I believe the evidence of a strong team is that no one is ever alone.

But the behaviors of the students, after testing, reminded me that when they come back to class, after testing all morning, they are not always the same students we previously had; the anxiety kind of surfaced (: . I found my students a little wound up ('A little' is an understatement, especially on day 3). I asked my team leader, 'How do you think they will be tomorrow?' She thinks they will be fine. (I love her optimism!)

On day 1, our team decided to conduct a team-wide Paideia (a discussion process that addresses the impact of texting on formal writing), wrote thank you notes to the agencies who provided the Kids in the Creek training (Our students participated in science and math in the local creek, run by community partners, that allowed them to test water quality, flow rate, and examine specimens in the creek), and had them create banners for Red Ribbon (drug and alcohol awareness) Week. We then split our afternoons so that the next two days allowed us to see all of our students.

Working as a team we were able to troubleshoot problems with technology, exercise flexibility in grouping, and work together to adjust the students' schedule. Within my classroom I used the time to introduce them to "real numbers" using a skit about rational and irrational numbers. I found that having something that allowed them to move and act, and talk was very positive. Think about how you can move students forward with content by breathing a different mindset into the classroom.

Advice

1)     Be sure that your students have their own "place" to test. My classroom is usually set up in pairs or trios. However, for testing I make sure they have their own desk in an area they are comfortable. I call their desk their apartment. I want them to be comfortable and to get used to a testing "place."

2)     Be sure the Chroomebooks are charged. There is a device on the charging cart that I didn’t know I needed to push. Ut oh… yep, we got in and my computers were not charged. Fortunately our team had decided to keep our homerooms for research and projects so I was able to do a little of that while the computers received enough “juice” to get them through an hour of testing.

3)     After they test, it is unlikely they will be allowed to get on their computers. (Oh yes, we had students trying to video/chat with students in other classes. That was bad... especially since some classes were still testing. (Not a good thing.) So on day three, after testing, I had puzzles and board games for them to participate in. It was positive and good for critical thinking and socialization.

4)     Know that when they come to you there is a chance they will want to either create something or participate in something novel. Give them opportunities to express their knowledge in art, music, drama forms.