irish Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 (edited) Some of you in here know that I'm a teacher and other than teaching my kids based on the curriculum, I've also been focusing on addressing specific areas when it comes to proctoring state tests such as the NJASK. So for months now I've been trying to teach my kids specific styles, types, forms of writing, such as creative writing-which is more entertaining and free to use many of the writer's techniques/tools like; onomatopoeia, personification, alliteration, sensory details, dialogue, similes, metaphors and other figurative language as well as paragragh and sentence structure and how to write good openings and endings. Then you switch gears and try to teach them how to write more of a persuasive writing, like responses to Open-Ended questions. This is a completely different type of writing and if the kids confuse the two they will get almost no credit for their work on the test. Anywho, I'm drilling away with the techniques and different styles for months now, 115 days, and one of my kids has really taken to writing and is quickly becoming fantastic at it. So today was the first day of the NJASK-3 and he has to write a creative story from a picture prompt and an Open-Ended response after reading a tall-tale. Well he's all confident going into the test and absolutely flops during it. I mean he couldn't even think straight, put a sentence together let alone a paragraph. It was as if he had never learned anything. No figurative language, no details, poor sentence structure and he didn't have more than 4-5 sentences. He starts balling his eyes out telling me he's stupid, slow, a terrible writer, etc. And I'm just trying to explain to him, so the others don't hear, that he's my best writer and all he needs to do is relax and he has all the talent in the world to write great pieces and that he shouldn't be scared, don't worry about the stupid test just write like it's any other day. No dice, he told me that he felt frozen and it was as if his mind went blank. What a rough day and I/we still have 2 more to get through. So anyone else ever freeze up or have problems performing well on tests you've taken either as an adult now or when you were a child? Do you remember it vividly? How did you cope? Do any of you have school age kids from 3rd grade and up that go through the fears of test taking? Edited March 20, 2007 by irish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabuffbills Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 i never really like standardized tests. I always did well in school, but sometimes on tests, i would freeze up and forget everything, even if I studied. I think if you want to judge a students success in school, you should judge it over a longer period of time and it should be based on everything they do, not just a single test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Then you switch gears and try to teach them how to right more of a persuasive writing, like responses to Open-Ended questions. Your students are doomed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 (edited) Your students are doomed. You know I knew I was going to do that and I corrected myself twice and wouldn't you know it whoops!! one got by. Actually it was a test and I'm glad you caught it. You get an A+!!! Edited March 20, 2007 by irish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 (edited) You know I knew I was going to do that and I corrected myself twice and wouldn't you know it whoops!! one got by. I normally make mistakes like that multiple times a day. Actually it was a test and I'm glad you caught it. You get an A+!!! I always was good at standardized tests. Edited March 20, 2007 by wiegie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 (edited) I normally make mistakes like that multiple times a day. there are so many instances like that where you confuse the words that sound alike but have different spellings/meanings. Like there-their, two-too-to, etc. Edited March 20, 2007 by irish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 I normally make mistakes like that multiple times a day. I always was good at standardized tests. Didn't you mean- I was always good at standardized tests. or I always did well on standardized tests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boat_hacked Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 they're our sum many instants like that wear ewe confuse the words that sound alike but have different spellings/meanings. Like there-their, two-too-to, etc. fixed most of us call them momophones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 I think the whole standardized testing process has turned into a joke that does not truely measure one's ability based on school history and what was actually learned and recallable in the future. SATs and all these other measuring sticks are about as broad brush anymore as your credit score. Move four times in a year and miss a payment, nobody cares, you suck, freeze on a standardized test and you are a momotard. It is BS that these things are given so much weight, but in a lazy society where people have lost the ability to research, evaluate and think for themselves, it is the easy way out. "Hey, his/her score was this, so that is who they are!" So many of these kids take these prep classes for SATs and the like. I think those should be illegal! Performance on these tests now comes down to who has the most $$$ for these seminars. Once the test is over, the information is forgotten, just like cramming for a test in school... You don't remember, long term, any of the information. What the kid actually learned in school and can be drawn on in a given situation is no longer the focus. THAT was the original intent of these tests. These tests are supposed to be a measure of your cumulative learning experience and how well you apply what you have already learned. The cramming, test prep crap only scews the reality of who really knows what. Due to the already mentioned "lazyness", this won't happen, but a kid with an "A" average in school and questionable test scores just may of had a bad day and the truth should be found in other ways. A "C" average student with superb test scores may have crammed 'cause mom and dad had the cash to get through it, OR really learned the basics of everything faced in school and knows how to apply it. I was a High School teacher for a couple of years and learned that the best letter grade students were not always the smartest . Tests should be no more than a starting point in tghe evaluation of an individual, but unfortunately they are a tag that classifies us for a long time. This probably doesn't help, but just my Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 No Child Left Behind means it buster! Everyone will be successful! Or does it mean noone ever leaves? Good luck, Irish. Motivating students is key, especially after they think they've failed. Sounds to me like you've done the right things as far as teaching how to write. Can they chew gum or have something to drink during the test? This works a lot of times for my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 No Child Left Behind means it buster! Everyone will be successful! Or does it mean noone ever leaves? Good luck, Irish. Motivating students is key, especially after they think they've failed. Sounds to me like you've done the right things as far as teaching how to write. Can they chew gum or have something to drink during the test? This works a lot of times for my kids. I read or learned something somewhere that said mints make kids feel more active and alert. I don't know if it's because of the refreshing flavor of the mint or the action of breaking it down that keeps them alert or if it's true at all. However, before they start and during their 5 minute breaks I give them each a small piece and then let it be what it's going to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 I did relatively well on standardized tests, but was never in the 99th percentile or anything. Agreed that standardized tests don't measure everything, but they do given an indication of a student's ability to "think on his/her feet" in a pressure situation and that's what most employers are looking for. Given the ever-growing disparity in our public schools (and even universities), I'd say that they're probably more valuable now than ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabuffbills Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 I read or learned something somewhere that said mints make kids feel more active and alert. I don't know if it's because of the refreshing flavor of the mint or the action of breaking it down that keeps them alert or if it's true at all. However, before they start and during their 5 minute breaks I give them each a small piece and then let it be what it's going to be. I've learned that chewing gum can help reduce the stress of taking a test. Whenever i have a test, i just chew some and i seem to become less nervous and i'm able to concentrate better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 I agree with McBoog that you forget much of what you cram for. Now, trick yor mind into remembering thingsm and there you have it. I still remember the Kingdom/Phylum/Class/Order/Family/Genus/Species classifications because of the way my 10th grade Bilology teacher taught it to us. His name was Mr. Kozik. And he said if we could remember a simple sentence we would never forget it. Kozik Plays Chess On Friday Getting Stoned ..... close to 15 years later since I have had a practical need for that and I still remember it. He also had another fun thing he did for tests.... for the multiple choice tests we had, if you could submit an answer sheet with all wrong answers, you would get a 100% on the test. Get any answer right and that was your score. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 I agree with McBoog that you forget much of what you cram for. Now, trick yor mind into remembering thingsm and there you have it. I still remember the Kingdom/Phylum/Class/Order/Family/Genus/Species classifications because of the way my 10th grade Bilology teacher taught it to us. His name was Mr. Kozik. And he said if we could remember a simple sentence we would never forget it. Kozik Plays Chess On Friday Getting Stoned ..... close to 15 years later since I have had a practical need for that and I still remember it. He also had another fun thing he did for tests.... for the multiple choice tests we had, if you could submit an answer sheet with all wrong answers, you would get a 100% on the test. Get any answer right and that was your score. Sort of like My very educated mother just served us nine pizzas. What do you think that stood for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Sort of like My very educated mother just served us nine pizzas. What do you think that stood for? It's the planets.... but it doesn't work anymore as Pluto is no longer considered a planet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoMan Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Oh Oh Oh To Touch And Feel Various Girls Vagina And Hymen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yukon Cornelius Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 i am the test coordinator at my school... standardized test are a fracken joke .... some of my kids have 7 different test throughout the year.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefjay Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Sort of like My very educated mother just served us nine pizzas. What do you think that stood for? That's easy but do you know who quarterbacked his team to a 15-13-1 record in Division II but was a first round pick...a high first rounder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 That's easy but do you know who quarterbacked his team to a 15-13-1 record in Division II but was a first round pick...a high first rounder? Pi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Testing is at best an average method of measuring a person's grasp of a topic. However it has been ingrained into our society that we must measure a person's progress/mastery of a subject by objectifying the knowledge through assignment of an arbitrary number of points to each arbitrary facets of a subject. Thankfully, the days of grading on the bell curve have for the most part, been left behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 i am the test coordinator at my school... standardized test are a fracken joke .... some of my kids have 7 different test throughout the year.... I'd say that public education is more of a "fracken joke" than standardized testing these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 It's the planets.... but it doesn't work anymore as Pluto is no longer considered a planet. I didn't want to be the geek, thanks for stepping up and filling the role. That's easy but do you know who quarterbacked his team to a 15-13-1 record in Division II but was a first round pick...a high first rounder? Pi Was that a hint as in his last name begins and ends with these two letters. I'd say that public education is more of a "fracken joke" than standardized testing these days. Agreed but standardized testing isn't far behind. Better yet if I have a Sp. Ed. child who's too low to take the tests I have to APA assess him. Complete a portfolio assessment on only one area of the curriculum and just have in there like 100 worksheets of him/her doing work in this area, take pictures and videos of him/her as well. Brutally time consuming, it does nothing for the kid and is just an utter waste of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 Oh and by the way as an update from the poor kid who flopped yesterday...he was absent today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Agreed but standardized testing isn't far behind. Better yet if I have a Sp. Ed. child who's too low to take the tests I have to APA assess him. Complete a portfolio assessment on only one area of the curriculum and just have in there like 100 worksheets of him/her doing work in this area, take pictures and videos of him/her as well. Brutally time consuming, it does nothing for the kid and is just an utter waste of time. Given that the vast majority our society were never in Special Ed, I don't see what that has to do with this discussion. As much as we all hated taking standardized tests, they're necessary. A 3.8 GPA from a gang-ridden public high school in Compton isn't equivalent to a 3.8 GPA from an elite New England Boarding School. A 3.8 GPA from Northeast Montana State University isn't equivalent to a 3.8 GPA from Cal Tech. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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