Hello friends! Workshop Wednesday’s topic today is: how do you teach students test-taking strategies, or what are some things you do to prepare for the “BIG” tests?

Our test is April 30-May 6 (five school days) – one test per subject… so we’ve been trying to get in some practice but I’m also still TEACHING CONTENT. We have soooo much to get in (especially in Science, Social Studies, and Math), there has not been a year that I’m not still teaching something the day before the test. It’s a bit stressful to say the least. But I think the BEST thing you can do to prepare the kids is to NOT stress them out. Let them know that as long as they do their best and show everything they’ve learned, they’ll be fine. That’s another reason why this ABC calendar comes in handy- it helps the kids relax and have fun, even during a stressful time.

Some things we do to make practice a little more fun is use SMART Response Clickers.

All of the teachers in the upper grades at my school have a set in their classroom. They are pretty awesome because 1) kids have another way of answering questions besides circling or bubbling, and 2) it is instant- I can see on my screen who did or didn’t get the answer correct, so I know who needs more help with a certain skill.

I also teach them strategies they should use to do their best when taking their test. I got these posters from someone who teaches in my county, and the language really helps the students remember what to do.

I would love to hear your ideas! I know some of you have already tested, so feel free to link up a past post that would help us prepare!