(I'm taking a brief break from the challenge to delve into nebulous areas of thought.)
Yesterday
at a staff meeting I was reminded of ACT scores and future test dates. I must confess: this year I'm doing overt ACT preparation with my students. My state requires and pays
for all juniors to take the ACT in the spring and the students at my school have tremendously underperformed. Honestly, initially, I felt kind of like a
sellout, like I’ve knuckled under the pressure and have begun teaching to the
test. However, in my defense, I do have several reasons why I’m doing a daily
ACT review.
One thing I’ve
discovered teaching at-risk and nontraditional students is that most lack
self-confidence. I know, I know, what teen isn’t filled with angst and
self-doubts during these turbulent years? I realize that. However, take that
angst times 10 and that is how most of my students feel when faced with
standardized testing. By exposing them to test questions, I think I can assuage
some of those fears by exploring the unknown with them. I liken what I’m doing
to showing a child there’s no need to be afraid of the dark. There are no
monsters on the ACT exam. Just questions that they can answer.
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photo courtesy of Fort Worth Squatch |
Another
reason for the review is to teach them how to think logically through
questions. How to reduce the viable answers, what key words to look for, how to
analyze a passage—these are all things I go over and over. I think out loud so
students can hear my reasoning process. Then I invite them to join me in answering
a question. Finally, they step out and do one on their own. All the while, they
know the environment is safe in my room. They can vocally fail without snickers
or snide comments. They gain confidence in seeing themselves arrive at the
correct answer.
Finally
I’m reviewing the ACT with my students because I want them to have strategies
in how to take the test. How to manage their time, how to look for key words, and how to approach the writing portion of the test?
We review questions, look at sample papers and analyze those papers, looking at
the strengths and weaknesses of them. Then we write. Students, again, flail a
bit here, saying they can’t do it, it’s too hard. Once I’ve calmed them down
and reduced the number of scared deer-in-the-headlights looks, we can start
writing. In this process they gain confidence and start to believe in
themselves. That’s half the battle in taking standardized tests.
My
hope is that my students won’t grow as frustrated as quickly, just answering
randomly, when they’re taking the test. My hope is that they will realize they are
just as capable as their counterparts in the traditional high schools in town.
My hope is that they will recognize their abilities and start to believe in
themselves. So for all the reasons not to “teach to the test,” I’m doing so
this year. My hope? That it makes all the difference to them, giving them a
confidence not just in taking tests but in their whole self-image.
Life
is short. Tests aren’t the end of the world. As Aaron Rodgers would say to
fans, “Relax…” Everything really will be okay.
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