I'm sure every teacher has testing woes and can understand the sheer agony of helplessly watching a child that you've taught all year make a(many) ridiculously bone-headed mistake(s) on a high-stakes test. I've been feeling it this week for sure! My kiddos are subjected to an hour plus of silent, sit-straight-in-your-desk-and-listen-to-the-teacher testing every day this week! It is excruciating. No matter how hard I try to hype it up... it still stinks. Gum, prizes, chants, candy, snacks, promises of recess time - none of them are helping to quell the anxiety. I had two kids crying today half-way through and one threw up and told the school nurse it was because she was nervous about the big test. Sigh.
High-stakes testing makes me feel like the WORST kind of teacher.
On the bright side, tomorrow is Friday and I have big plans for the remaining weeks of school! I have already begun creating an elaborate tracking chart with end of the year goals (personalized for each student). I have been working on mini-units on fun topics associated with enjoying the great outdoors (one of my favorite pastimes) and making plans for incorporating more informational reading and writing into my plans! Ever since we read a story about Frog and Toad called "The Kite" my kids have been obsessed. Tomorrow after our last hour of testing we will be reading a story about flying a kite, looking at a real kite, building our own kites, going outside to fly our kites, and writing and drawing about our kites. Can't wait to go fly a kite!
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