Test Booklets en masse
This is the last year for the boxes upon boxes of test booklets. We’re not done testing, by any means, but the tests themselves are changing. Next year, when we’re all set up, I’m sure I’ll post an overview. In the meantime, I guess we’ll just reminisce about The Way Testing Was.
I teach in a public virtual charter school, an online school, and my students live all over the state of Wisconsin. Since we can’t expect all of them to come to us, we go to them for the required tests. After a day of laundry and raking leaves, I put on my test season sweatshirt (above), packed my bags, and got ready to go.
In the morning, students armed with number 2 pencils will arrive, ready to attack their test booklets.
I hope they all remember that multiple choice items have only one answer, and they should make their marks heavy and dark.
This year was slightly different for me. Instead of being a proctor and reciting directions all day long, I gave a presentation for learning coaches (usually parents) called Tips for Teaching Reading. We had a small turnout, but the parents were attentive and asked thoughtful questions. After that, I assisted with benchmark reading assessments. Now and then I supervised students in between test sessions or made sure they connected with their parents as they finished. And once in a while…
Yoga Break!
…I watched as my colleague led the high school students in a few sun salutations. Now that’s a test break!