It is that time of year. The ever dreading testing season. Standardized test prep is essential to getting substantial growth from students year after year. I am sharing with you my strategies to plan an effective standardized test prep, to ensure we are giving that last push to students. 

Standardized Test Prep Planning Strategies #1: Using Data to Make Decisions

 

If you are working at a struggling school, like me, then you do not look forward to the “Data Digs,” as much. It is difficult to work so hard all year and sees so much red, when you get the spreadsheet. But honestly it is just a matter of perspective. The goal is GROWTH, when I focus on that throughout the year, it does wonders for not just my attitude about testing but also my students’. I talk more about this in my blog post “Using Data to Drive Instruction.”(coming soon). 

 

So your students take the practice state assessment, and you receive the data, what do you do? 

There are 2 things I focus on. 

1. I take the scores given to me by the state for passing and use those to create 4 groups. 

• Masters
• Proficient
• Approaches
• Developing/ Basic Skills

For Algebra I in Texas the percentages for each category, Master is 85%+, Proficient (67%-84%), Approaches (41%- 66%) and Developing (below 41%). You can use your state standards to come up with your groups. (click on the picture for your FREE Data Tracker)

The reason I group them is because my goal is to grow them to the next level. As I am planning the practice for test prep, I am looking at what they need to move to the next level.

     2. The second thing I look at is what standards were strengths and weaknesses. I analyze this from different perspectives.

• Grade level/ content: I like to look at how our entire school did in each standard. The reason for this is because, if I notice that another teacher did better in a certain standard than I did, then I will make sure I ask during our meeting what they did to teach a certain standard. Sharing ideas is the best professional development. 
• Class: I analyze my classes to see what standards were weaknesses, throughout. These standards I will reteach during warm up time or allocate time within a class period for reteach, before we even get to the standardized test prep time.
• Individual students: When I analyze students, I am looking at their weaknesses but I really am focusing on their strengths. If my goal is to grow them to the next level, then if they have some kind of starting point it is easier for me to clarify any small misconceptions with them to get them to master/ grow  that standard. I have them work on these standards, if they finish early or during workshop.

When looking at data, I am looking at general percentages, but if possible, I am also looking at the actual test to see if I can find any patterns in what the students are doing (like showing no work, or small calculation errors) so that I can address them during reteach and prep time. This helps me plan better

 

Standardized Test Prep Planning Strategies #2: Focus on Essential Standards

Realistically we are not going to be able to reteach every standard again in the 2 weeks (if that) we usually get before a standardized test. So we need to get the most bang for our buck by focusing on essential standards. Essential Standards are standards that are tested more often. I find this information in lead4ward.com for my state. When I plan standardized test prep, I take the data from before and plan a roadmap. A pattern of areas usually appears and then I condense that by focusing on the essential standards and also try to merge non essential standards that I can group with an essential one. I also plan my road map by teaching my most essential standards right before the exam.  

 

 Planning Strategies #3: Testing Strategies

 

Have you ever really watched students take these standardized tests? I know we are “actively monitoring” but the day usually is a blur after awhile. 

My first few years of education I would be asked to give every test you can think of. . . One of the things that I noticed  was how bad testers students are. 

• The moment they receive they receive their exam, they put their head down and sleep for the majority of the time allocated. 
• Then they wake up sleepy and rush through the test, to go back to sleep.
• Do not write anything down.
• They circle whatever answer. 
• They don’t always use their approved resources.

You would think that since students have been testing since elementary, they would be much better at it? 

Because of this, an essential part of test prep has to be teaching students testing strategies. I usually begin this at the beginning of the year and focus on one strategy on the first unit exam and add more strategies every couple of unit exams. I bring it all together during test prep time with a hot potato game. My students love it and it gives them a chance to practice. Get your copy of the strategies I teach here. 

 

A few more things . . . about standardized test prep for secondary math.

My ideal test prep is when I work with a team of teachers and we each work with one of the groups that includes ALL of the students during the class period. This makes it easier for teachers to plan lesson that will help students grow. We do plan together and. split the work. We also rotate what level group we teach each class period, it is exhausting to teach the developing babies al day.

But this is not always possible, so I also use this same model but self-contained.

If you are worried about student engagement,  here is a blog post on setting up your classroom for high student engagement. Check it out.

Make sure you get your Data Tracker Template and a list of testing strategies I teach my students.

 

Are you tired of not finding relevant or great PD for Secondary Math Teachers? Me too

So I decided to begin a Book Club in Ms.Mendoza’s Motivating Math FB Group.  Join Today.

Here is the book we will be reading this month: There is a high school and middle school version.

High school

Middle School

(full disclosure: these are affiliate links)

Let me know in the comments if  this was helpful ? Or if you have any questions