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Encouraging Student Engagement STANDARDIZED TESTING:

You’ve got testing coming up and your students are not excited.

Neither are you, for that matter. It’s hard to get behind a day in which your students are

miserable, you don’t get to teach them anything, and the results of their bored labor can and will be used against you.

The Problem

Invite students to nominate a class pump-up theme song as a homework assignment.

Have them choose a song and explain why it will help the class get ready for the test.

Let the class vote on which song to use. Play it leading up to testing and as students walk in for the test.

Solut ion #1: Class Theme Song

Song Ideas

“Golden”byMika

“Don’tStopBelieving”byJourney

“YaBe;erBelieve”byMaxMorgan

Create a daily game for your students to play leading up to the testing that engages the test content in a fun way.

Solut ion #2: Game Prep

Might I recommend… KAHOOT

for building games.

Manystudentsrespondtotheideaofachallenge,andwhodoesn’tliketowinaprize?

AstesKnggetsclose,letstudentsbrainstormwithyoutocomeupwithwaystheycanearnpointsthroughoutthetesKng.Makecardstoshowwhatearnspointsandtheprizestheycanwinwiththosepoints.

Solut ion #3: Challenge Cards

For Example: Ways to Earn Points 10 Points Keeping a positive attitude about the test.

10 Points Going to bed by 10 pm on the night before the test

10  Points Eating a good breakfast on the day of the test

10 Points Making a pump-up playlist and listening to it before the test

10 Points Trying to stay focused during the test, writing or re-reading your answers the whole time (you decide how many points you earn)

Make students test-taking kits. Put in gum and lifesavers, a fun pencil, a printed card from you.

Add whatever you want, whatever you think will make the arduous process of standardized testing just a bit nicer for them. It doesn’t have to cost much.

Solut ion #4: Test-Taking Ki ts

Good Luck Cards are EASYANDFREE

Choose a color to wear on test day. Hand out wristbands. Brainstorm a slogan and bring in a hilarious stuffed animal to be the team mascot.

Make t-shirts. Bring pom poms – why not? Help students feel they are part of the class team and you are their coach and cheerleader every bit of the way.

Solut ion #5: Make i t a Team Ef fort

Slogan Ideas

“OurHouse”

“WhatWouldHermioneDo?”

“MakeitHappen.”

“Intensity.”

As students get nervous about testing, lighten the mood a bit by letting them think about it in a funny and creative way. Offer journal prompts relating to testing in the days preceding it.

Solut ion #6: Lighten the Mood

Prompt Idea: Writeastorybeginningwiththeline…“IknewthetestdaywasgoingtogowellwhenIopenedthepacketandsawthewords:Youhavebeenchosen.Quietlyputdownyourpencilandwalkthroughthebluedoorthathasjustappearedinthewall.”

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Fonts from Brittney Murphy Photos from Pixabay

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