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The First Three Years PodcastIn this episode of The First Three Years, we talk about test anxiety and how it can affect teachers and students. We interview Brooke Anderson, JSD Evaluation, Research, and Accountability Teacher Specialist, about how teachers should view end of year testing and ways to help calm any anxiety about the tests. We also interview McKinley Withers, JSD Administrative Specialist Health & Wellness, about how teachers can support their students through testing.

Both Brooke and McKinley are happy to help you if you have questions.

Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

End of year testing will give information to help with planning for the next year.  Here are some resources that present a positive approach to testing.

  1.  Ideas to relieve test anxiety:
  • Have class meeting prior to testing
  • Allow students to ask questions about testing
  • Review test-taking strategies
  • Elementary—plan fun activities for rest of the day
  • Secondary—Encourage teachers in non-testing classes to have a relaxed day

Relieve test anxiety

  1.    When assessment works best, it does the following:
  • Provides diagnostic feedback
  • Helps educators set standards
  • Evaluates progress
  • Relates to a student's progress
  • Self-evaluation motivates performance

Why Is Assessment Important?

  1.   Ethics:
  • No talking during the test.
  • No leaving the room by teacher or student while tests are being administered.
  • No assistance provided to students.
  • Tests may not be reproduced or reviewed by the students or teacher.
  • Reference materials, texts, notes, etc., may not be used unless specified.
  • Students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) may have special accommodations.
  • The teacher is responsible for the security of the tests.

Test Administration 

 

One of the most challenging components of teaching a quality lesson is the ability to format and ask questions.  Below are listed some areas in the lesson when questions can be used to promote student learning and understanding.

WHEN TO ASK QUESTIONS

We use questions at the beginning of learning experiences:
 To initiate a discussion
 To pique student curiosity
 To focus students on a new concept or a different aspect of a concept
 To access prior knowledge and experience
 To consolidate previous learning
 To surface misconceptions

We use questions during and following learning experiences:
 To break down complex tasks and issues
 To promote transfer and retention
 To control shifts in discussion
 To keep discussions on track
 To invite student questions
 To elicit student opinions
 To promote student interaction
 To facilitate flexible thinking
 To challenge the obvious
 To check for student understanding
 To help students confront their misconceptions and reframe their thinking
 To focus on process
 To promote student evaluation of credibility of sources and strength of evidence
 To cause students to consider alternative viewpoints
 To help students make connections

“The test will come and the test will go. Let’s focus on students.”


Try to keep these points in mind:

testing tipsYou’re in charge of your performance

Don’t forget that of the many factors that affect success on standardized tests, the one you can control the most is your teaching performance — regardless of the attitude of your students, their support at home or the role of the school administration. Will good teaching be the sole decider in your students’ success? No, but it will play a major role.

Focus on what you can influence

When issues are swirling and people are choosing sides, the best thing to do is to focus on what you can control. For a teacher, that means honing the quality of your instruction in the classroom, understanding of the curriculum and designing lessons that help students the most.  Try not to spend time spinning in circles over something that’s either beyond your control or hasn’t yet been firmly established.

Set a constructive, professional tone

Regardless of your feelings on the quality or necessity of testing, remember to keep a professional tone when discussing the tests. Your primary responsibility is to ensure the learning of your students, so don’t get caught up criticizing a test that has yet to be administered. Be judicious in your comments about the testing. Never involve students into the middle of these debates.

Deconstruct the test

There is nothing wrong with spending time teaching your students the best way to take the test. Breaking the test down into smaller pieces, practicing the computer-based interface and highlighting the important parts of the test are all reasonable uses of your time. Focusing too greatly on the test, shutting down instruction in other areas due to the upcoming tests, or sending home worksheet after worksheet isn’t a good use of your time. It’s OK to analyze, just don’t obsess.

Recognize the benefits

One point that many supporters of standardized tests bring up during these discussions is that formal “sit-down” tests are a part of life — most professions require formal tests of some sort, and the testing will become more frequent as jobs become more highly skilled and demanding. Putting the standardized-testing discussion in that context supports the idea of taking the test.

While the test plays a larger role in both the child’s school evaluation and the teacher’s overall performance, it is not a major player in the overall school experience of the student.

“The test will come and the test will go. Let’s focus on students.”

 

MC header1Mastery Connect Basics and Mastery Connect Intermediate training classes are now open for registration in JPLS.

You must be a Jordan District teacher contracted for the 2015-16 school year to attend these trainings and receive a stipend.

Mastery Connect Basics Training (2 hrs stipend)
Below are the training dates for the Basics class.  Register in JPLS for the one training session that works best for your schedule.

  • June: 10, 11, 12, 16, 22, 23, 24
  • July: 6, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 27, 28
  • August: 3, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18

Mastery Connect Intermediate Training (2 hrs stipend)
Below are the training dates for the Intermediate class.  Register in JPLS for the one training session that works best for your schedule.

  • June: 10, 11, 12, 17, 22, 23, 24
  • July: 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 27, 29
  • August: 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18

Mastery Connect Basics training will cover

  • The reason/purpose for MasteryConnect.
  • Log into the MasteryConnect.
  • Access and edit your profile and reset your password if necessary.
  • Find and use the MasteryConnect “Help Section” to answer your questions.
  • Create a Mastery Tracker.
  • Add students to a Mastery Tracker individually, through SIS integration, and/or copying students from another Tracker.
  • Navigate all the drop-down menus in a Mastery Tracker.
  • Find a common assessment and add it to a tracker.
  • Create an assessment in your Mastery Tracker.
  • Assess student learning by using a printed bubble sheet, the MasteryConnect app, a rubric, or the performance grader.
  • Export assessment scores to Skyward Gradebook.
  • Archive and delete Mastery Trackers.

Mastery Connect Intermediate training will cover:

  • Create and/or copy a Curriculum Map.
  • Customize a Curriculum Map.
  • Collaborate with others on a Curriculum Map.
  • Organize standards in a Curriculum Map.
  • Add resources to a Curriculum Map.
  • Create a Mastery Tracker from a Curriculum Map.
  • Identify District benchmarks and SLO Assessments. (Student Learning Objectives Assessments)
  • Interpret data in a Mastery Tracker.
  • Access reports in a Mastery Tracker.
  • Create, add, and use a rubric assessment in Mastery Tracker.
  • Use the performance grader to assess students.
  • Archive/delete a Mastery Tracker.

Mastery Connect Intermediate training will cover:

  • Create and/or copy a Curriculum Map.
  • Customize a Curriculum Map.
  • Collaborate with others on a Curriculum Map.
  • Organize standards in a Curriculum Map.
  • Add resources to a Curriculum Map.
  • Create a Mastery Tracker from a Curriculum Map.
  • Identify District benchmarks and SLO Assessments. (Student Learning Objectives Assessments)
  • Interpret data in a Mastery Tracker.
  • Access reports in a Mastery Tracker.
  • Create, add, and use a rubric assessment in Mastery Tracker.
  • Use the performance grader to assess students.
  • Archive/delete a Mastery Tracker.