Indiana's Teachers Preparing for New ISTEP ~ UGH! Slaying the Testing Monster....

​ Preparing students for the yearly statewide assessment is always stressful and not enjoyable for anyone involved, but great teachers always try to make the best of it.  We try to encourage students through games, prizes, pep rallies, etc...but it is definitely not an enjoyable time of the school year.  Proving to the state that our students are learning, even though we haven't finished all of the instruction for the year is how we do education these days. (Testing starts in March ~ with over 2 months of instruction time left in the year.) 

     I'm trying to model/demonstrate the new TEI (technology enhanced items) with my students during lab time even though our computers are old.  I put a smile on my face and keep trying to motivate and empower my students to feel at ease with all this testing. 
  
      Here are some links to help my parents and fellow teachers that follow my blog:

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Click on link above to practice Indiana CCRA released items. ~ TEI - Technology Enhanced Items

Blendspace ~ Collection of Resources ~ Created by Mrs. Gilkison

​   Testing causes anxiety for students, teachers, and parents.  We all want our students to do well and excel on these standardized tests...but at what cost?  We test students in all content areas along with DIBELS (timed fluency, accuracy, and retell one minute assessments) and DAZE (timed comprehension cloze reading assessments).  Now we will be administering a more rigorous and extensive state-wide test in the state of Indiana. 
     I try to help encourage my students to feel confident and relaxed during all of this testing by practicing released items, so they have a since of what it will be like.

Cause for Concern ~ How can we help our students?

Click on photo to read article.

​Click on the picture to the left to read about the rigor and instructional time needed to take this year's ISTEP for the students in the state of Indiana. 
*over 10 hours for regular students
Students with special learning plans are given extended time, so....
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~Journal Review, Jan. 29, 2015
  Crawfordsville, IN