Testing...testing...we're reading for standardized testing

First and foremost, I can't think of any teacher who truly enjoys standardized testing.  

Do I like analyzing data to see trends and how my students have improved? Of course.  Do I spend days doing "test prep" and "teach to the test"? Nope.  I offer quality instruction every day of the school year, not just right before exams.

I start by sharing this image with my students and their families:

Yes, testing is important.  Yes, testing needs to be taken seriously and their scores can impact their placement in sixth grade classes.  But do their fifth grade standardized tests determine the rest of their lives?  

No.

But they've got lots of feelings regarding testing.  We even have a big {pep assembly} to get them all pumped up (but honestly, it leaves some of them feeling even more anxious).

So, about a week before testing, I send home a request to families.  This year, it conveniently coincided with progress reports so I was able to send home this notice and colorful stationary without arousing too much suspicion from my students.

I also sent out class dojo reminders to parents to return the letters.  Some sent back beautiful notes like this:

While others never returned the letters (things happen) or sent back blank stationary.  That was kind of a bummer because I ended up writing nineteen letters the night before testing started.  (Yes, 19/36 of my kiddos needed a letter.  Each one was hand written and slightly different, so they knew it was personalized and I care.)

I didn't want my students to not have something to open the morning of the test.  Every table had letters:

After breakfast (because all our students get free universal breakfast), my students opened their letters.

There were tears.  It was a sweet, beautiful moment.  They went into the test feeling loved, supported, and encouraged.  That's what all students need.

During the test, they got fruit snacks (bad choice with the computers) on the first day.  

Things went relatively smoothly the first day.  I did have to write my first citation (during testing) for a student not listening.  I can't stress enough to this student that listening to directions during testing is kind of a big deal.

After the test, they got some indoor recess (due to the weather) and played games.  They have no homework (besides reading) on testing nights.  I also don't expect much from them academically on testing days because the hope is they've used all their mental capacities to do amazing on their test and have nothing left to give.  So we do some brain breaks, read for pleasure, watch some science videos (thank you Discovery Education!), and we work on logic puzzles.

The second day was a little more frustrating.  There were some major computer issues with the server (not on our end), so students got a lot of extra reading time.  They did an amazing job with being quiet (because they basically had to be quiet the entire day).

My last one finished testing a few minutes before the bell.  I spent almost six hours actively monitoring standardized testing.  For those of you not in the teaching realm, it means I walked in a circle, watching them type.  I pretend I'm in NASCAR, silently making my hundreds of laps around the computer lab. I can't read the test or the questions, I can't help them in any way, I just have to smile and encourage them.

I did get to rock this sweet testing shirt that a fellow teacher made:

They didn't find it funny. I thought it was hysterical (but that's usually how things go.  They don't always appreciate my delightful sense of humor.)

Due to all the computer glitches and their best efforts, we didn't even get a fun reward on Friday (day 2 of the first round of testing).  To show them that I was proud of them, I bought a bunch of rice krispie treats (something no one is allergic to in my room) and told them I appreciated them "sticking" with testing.  We enjoyed those snacks the following Monday and tried to take an outdoor recess, but instead dealt with a sudden thunder storm.  We set a timer and played games inside the classroom instead. 

Tomorrow we start the second round of testing with science.  Two days of testing (hopefully we'll be done before lunch), then afternoon specials and some reading time.  Friday is field day in the afternoon and we'll be doing games in the morning.  Next week is Spring Break (HALLELUJAH) and our last round of standardized testing (math) will take place in May.

We'll be "adopted" by primary classes for the last round of testing. I can't wait to see what cute cards and treats my kiddos get from the little ones.  While I don't love testing, I can say that the sense of community and support my students feel is amazing.

I did see this cute idea on pinterest and if I can find 3 dozen oranges at Costco, this may happen:

How do you motivate your students for standardized testing?

For additional chuckles on how to deal with standardized testing, this {article} always provides a laugh!

A state of emergency

This past week, my fifth graders were supposed to take the SBAC test, which is an online version that replaces the traditional paper and pencil standardized test.

Since we were testing in the classroom, we spent weeks going over laptop procedures to get them ready. We talked about how to properly plug in the mice and headphones, how to carry the laptop, how to remove the laptop from the charging cart, how to tell if you need to plug the laptop in, how to set up the splitter and ethernet cords since we didn't want all the laptops pulling from the school's wifi.  My students were assigned cart-wrangling jobs and everyone knew their testing number, since it corresponded with the bag of mice, headphones, and laptops.  We went over the procedures for logging into laptops, logging into the test, all the web 2.0 tools (highlighting, clicking, hovering, typing, etc) that are imbedded in the test and necessary to pass.  We went over all these procedures more than once until every child knew what to expect.

I spent hours of instructional time practicing for THE TEST.

We read Testing Miss Malarkey and were adopted by another class, who provided us with cute treats the morning of the test.  

We had a pep assembly at the local high school to talk about test anxiety and get them ready.

I spent several hours after school covering all my anchor charts, since my room was the testing zone and had to be within protocol.  And as a friendly reminder, teachers aren't paid over time, so all this necessary prep was done on my time since I can't climb on desks while teaching--that's rather frowned upon.

 
We, almost painfully, problem solved every possible "what if" scenario...except for the big one.  

What if the test doesn't work?

We used splitters to problem solve for the wifi bandwidth.  The rest of the school was asked not to use the pod computers during testing time.  We did a practice run as teachers to create the testing window  and select all the various buttons we'd need to click in order to properly set up the test for the students.

We created a schedule, rearranged preps and lunches for the entire school.  We have three grades that need to test, but only three classes can be testing at a time (two on the laptops, one in the lab).  Some of our students need smaller groups or accomodations, but all that was worked into our perfect schedule.  There was time for make ups and no tests were scheduled for Mondays.

However, none of that matters.  Tuesday, the morning of the test, the SBAC server failed.

Not just for our school.  Not just for our district.  For the entire state.

Correction, for three states.

On a side note, system issues also briefly took out curriculum engine (where we have our online lesson plans) and interact (our email server).  Good times!

 

To say I'm disappointed with the SBAC corporation would be an understatement.  They had years to hype this test and get it ready.  We asked, time and again, for practice runs.  They failed to adequately deliver the standardized test.

The line from the media report is that they experienced technical difficulties due to a "spike in student participation."  

Students logged in, during the testing window, to take the test...shocker.  This in no way should have been a surprise.

We lost the entire week. Testing is "scheduled to resume on Monday" but we'll see.

So the tough decision was made to rearrange some of the other testing...which means my students had twenty four hours notice that they'd be taking the science component of the old CRTs (paper pencil version of the standardized test) on Friday.  Both sections of the test.

This component of testing was originally scheduled for the middle of May.  

They weren't ready.  We weren't ready.  We have a guest chemist coming in next week to talk about mixtures and solutions.  We have a whole force and motion unit planned, since we put our instruction on hold to prepare for the SBAC.  We stopped teaching to prepare for a test that through no fault of our own, and despite our best efforts to prepare them, still didn't happen.

My students did amazing, despite the circumstances.  With grit and determination, they spent the entire day struggling through a test of concepts we hadn't taught.  Some were more prepared then others.  They did their best and I can't ask for more than that.

I'd like there to be some accountability from SBAC.  This situation was ridiculous and unfair to both students and teachers.  There are now discussions at a federal level about repercussions because what happens if Nevada doesn't test? Will we lose federal funding?  What if the test doesn't work on Monday, then what?

I, as an educator, uphold my end of the deal.  I show up to work each day with an optimistic attitude and a desire to inspire, teach, lead, and challenge students to help them become the leaders of tomorrow.  I juggle state mandates and curriculum with the very real emotional and social needs of thirty young individuals.  I provide rigorous, challenging, engaging lessons that lead to connections and real-world applications.  I work tirelessly to make sure my students' needs are met.  Sometimes, I brave this battle with heels.

I did my job. Test makers, do yours.

SBAC practice

During our intervention block we've been working on testing strategies and math.

We pulled practice SBAC questions.  Students work independently on the problem(s) before sharing their strategies with a partner. 

We also work through the problem together:

I love how much they're getting into the math review!  They don't see it as pointless math problems, but rather real world puzzles which adds an element of fun.  They like these meaningful math challenges and I like hearing them share their strategies with one another.