Standardized test prep does not need to be like this! Last-minute cramming, piles of review packets, tons of practice tests…sound familiar? Preparing for standardized tests is something we all must face in upper elementary, but it doesn’t have to be a horrible experience for everyone involved!
Years ago, I used to spend a good two to three months (at least) before the test reviewing and cramming as much content as I could into every second of the day. Over time, I found ways to reduce this stress in my classroom and eliminate the need for so much test prep. If you start early enough, test-prep stress can be a thing of the past in your classroom, too. Here are the strategies that have worked year after year in my classroom.
1. Teach Test-Taking Strategies Now, Not Later
As early as I can each year, I begin teaching testing strategies. I don’t cram them all into one lesson. Instead, I take my time and teach them just like I would anything else: model, guide, practice. By the middle of the year, my students use test-taking strategies naturally. It isn’t something I have to continue to remind them to do…they do it.
Here is a fun “Testing Strategies Rap” I use to teach my students throughout the year. If you begin incorporating these strategies into your instruction now, your students will master them in no time!
2. Promote Independence
There are always a handful of students who seem to need your help with everything they do. They are the same students who have multiple questions each time they take a test. From now on, don’t be so quick to answer their questions. Encourage them to stay seated and figure it out for themselves. If necessary, give them some encouraging words like, “I know you can solve this problem on your own. Just use what you know.” This will get your students used to the idea that you will not always be able to help them, and they will start to depend on their own thinking more.
3. Get Your Review On
No matter how well you taught fractions two months ago, you are always going to have students who seem to forget everything you have already taught. Am I right, or am I right? Incorporating review activities into your daily routine is such a CRITICAL component of preparing for standardized tests without all the stress. This is something I recommend doing from day 1, but it is never too late to start. Here are some tips for getting in extra review without your students even knowing it.
Spiral Homework
This is by far my favorite tip! Spiral homework gives students a daily dose of review practice as well as practice with the latest concept being taught. I start this homework for math and language the second week of school, but it is perfect for starting in January as well.
Spiral math homework is a different way of thinking in regards to homework. The idea is, you don’t need to give a ton of practice problems each night to gain mastery of a skill. What tends to happen is teachers give homework that relates to the skill being taught at that time. What happens when you are not teaching that skill anymore? Students forget it! Plain and simple! The spiral homework I made is designed to review already-taught concepts while providing practice of new skills at the same time. That’s why it is PERFECT for reducing “test prep madness”! You can read more about it in my post on math spiral review.
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Morning Work
This is the perfect time of day to throw a few review problems on the front board for your students to complete. I try to have 4-6 problems each day, with a majority of them being review.
Reading Centers
You may be teaching about main idea in your lessons that week, but there is no reason you can’t put out some reading activities that focus on inferencing during reading centers! Don’t be afraid to mix it up. All of your centers don’t have to relate to the skill being taught.
4. Make Test Prep Fun!
I always try to mix up my math centers. Some of my centers focus on the current skill being taught, while others, such as Calendar Math and math games, focus on reviewing older concepts. These options are great review and FUN!
I find that when I continuously review standards during math centers ALL YEAR LONG, my students are way more likely to retain what I have taught them! You can do this simply by including a review game as one of your math center rotations each week. I am constantly changing out my review game center to ensure my students are always practicing.
To help me accomplish this goal, I created a series of I CAN math games that allow my students to practice testing strategies while reviewing the concepts they are responsible for knowing on test day! Each math game contains 40 “test-like” questions (some multiple choice and some short answer; both options available). To make it more fun, they also have QR codes for self-checking!
How I Use These Math Games
Math Centers: Most of my students play these games in groups during math center time. I leave out the CAN, and I place the answer key in a folder. One at a time, my students pull a card from inside the can. If they get the problem right, they keep the card. If they get it wrong, the other player(s) can try to solve it and keep it. There are also “I CAN” cards that act like bonus cards. If a student pulls a bonus card, they can add it to their pile of cards without solving a problem. The player with the most cards WINS!
Progress Monitoring: A few of my struggling students have completed these cards on their own. They pull a card, solve it, record their answer on the student response paper, and check to see if they got it correct (sometimes I check for them). They can then record if they got the answer CORRECT or INCORRECT on the progress monitoring sheet. This handy tool breaks down the questions so I can see exactly where they need more help!
Whole Group: I have found these cards are great in a whole group setting. I have split my class into groups, and they compete against each other to solve the problems. I project a card onto the screen, and all students solve the problem. Whichever team’s turn it is gets to answer the problem first. If they get it wrong, another team can steal the point. The team with the most points WINS! This is a class favorite.
Task Cards: When I originally made these games, I did not have the intention of making task cards. I wanted something more. However, I have found these cards can be used just the same as task cards in your classroom!
While these games can easily be used to help with test prep, if used ALL YEAR, they can eliminate the need for test prep altogether. Be sure to grab my free math games and resources, too.
5. Start Building Stamina
Most of my class assessments are short…maybe 10-15 questions. This is the perfect time of year to start incorporating longer tests. Increase the number of items your students are required to answer in one sitting until it is similar in length to a typical standardized test. This strategy will help your students practice their focusing skills and give them the confidence to know they CAN do it! Just be careful not to overdo it.
I hope these tips will help you prepare for the “big test” without the stress of traditional test prep. The bottom line is…don’t let test prep sneak up on you! Incorporate review activities all year so you don’t go crazy with test prep. My most significant piece of advice is, “Don’t panic!” Trust your teaching and know that you are doing the best you can. Stressing out over one test is not a good thing for you or your students.
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