There was an interesting article I read recently that caught my eye; since this week is the STAAR Testing in our local schools. The first part is basically what the article is about then I will explain what I think. I hope you will enjoy!
There is so much wrong with standardized testing: they destroy their creativity, it discourages their ability to critical think, and it is very expensive. The most one that distresses teachers the most ist that the ability to actively monitor the test. Actively monitoring is an tediousness task that is designed by the State to prevent students (and teachers) from cheating on the standardized test.
Teachers may not :
- Grade papers
- Talk
- Write
- Draw
- Read
- Use technology of ANY kind
- Or do ANYTHING that could distract the students
In fact, the only things teachers can do in some cases, in full school days are:
- Walk around the room
- Watch the students take the test
Here are the 17 things to do while you actively monitor the standardized testing...after all you have nothing but time!
1) Memorize all the students’ first, middle, and last names from your roster.
2) Keep a small amount of Silly Putty in your hand and challenge yourself to make various shapes without looking.
3) Think about how you would describe the color red (or any color) to a person who cannot see.
4) Think about your responses to these “Would You Rather” questions or create some of your own.
5) Pretend to be a car.
6) Pretend to be a spider making a web.
7) Pretend to be a ninja.
8) Think about what you would want your last words to be.
9) Put ice cream in a nondescript cup or mug in the back corner of the room just before testing.
10) Find things in the room that rhyme or almost rhyme.
11) Print out a sheet of riddles in a small font and put it somewhere only you will be able to see it.
12) Listen to the soundtrack of a musical just before testing and enjoy every single song being in your head for the next 8 hours.
13) Send each child positive vibes one at a time.
14) Arrange to have a specific treat after each day of testing.
14) Arrange to have a specific treat after each day of testing.
16) Do something healthy.
17) Think about what you would get on a vanity license plate.
There are probably a lot more ideas that this article clearly did not mention. Some of these are truly silly but would make having to do this taunting job more bearable. I would mention that with all of these you would have to be as quiet as possible. So when you are pretending to be a ninja be a fiercely quiet one! There is one in my opinion that was not mentioned and you might agree with me and that is okay, it is to pray each student. I will try to use these methods when I monitor the standardized testing. I hope you will use some of these methods too!
http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2015/01/29/17-more-things-you-can-do-while-actively-monitoring-a-standardized-test
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