In elementary school, I remember one of my teachers saying that April showers bring May flowers. That saying resonated with me because I never enjoyed rainy days (or Mondays--as the song by the popular brother/sister duo, the Carpenters, accurately expressed in their 1970's hit song). My teacher's words gave me hope that the rain would not last forever. And it gives me hope now.
As we near the April 24th date for the start of CAASP testing, I feel a change in the atmosphere--just like you do when your senses tell you it's about to start raining. This year after Spring Break, the school atmosphere at my site changed drastically. Our focus is now on preparing students for the state test. Don't get me wrong. We are not teaching to the test; rather, we are ensuring that our students are prepared to "show what they know" on the assessment.
In the same way that I made certain I was ready for the rainy season, I am also making sure that my students are as prepared as possible for testing season. Every day of instruction matters. In my ELA instruction over the next two weeks, I will be reviewing:
- the RACE Strategy for answering constructed-response questions. I've linked an example of a worksheet I created for Wonders Unit 3, Week 5.
- how to determine the meaning of unknown words by using context clues.
- how to use my "Plug It In" strategy. If students see a blank line or an empty box, they need to "plug in" the choices. Here is an example.
In my math instruction over the next two weeks, I will be reviewing:
- the importance of working out each problem on scratch paper.
- math terms and phrases such as perimeter, area, and equivalent fractions. I've linked a helpful handout.
Lola E. Jollie
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