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Kathleen - Welcome all to a Professional Development Meeting about Test Anxiety. Beth Bruno, school psychologist and columnist is moderator. Hi, Beth. I'm being tested by pre-holiday anxiety!
Beth Bruno - Is teaching to the tests part of every curriculum?
Bev - It seems like it today - but it doesn't have to be that way
Beth Bruno - I'd also like to talk about fair testing practices vs. multiple choice standardized tests. ok?
Beth Bruno - How do you help students conquer anxiety about testing?
Kathleen - pretend it's a game for the youngest ones
Barb/2/NE - We all do deep breathing exercises
Bev - I start by letting them know what they are responsible for knowing, provide instruction & practice and hopefully build confidence
teach4fun - Beth, I define the content of the test clearly and use study guides
Beth Bruno - I used to tell my kids that tests were for the teacher as well as the student, to help a teacher know what students had mastered.
Beth Bruno - Also to help teachers plan follow-up lessons that reteach skills or concepts students had obviously not mastered.
Kathleen - Here is an article about the causes of test anxiety and how to combat it (read after the meeting of course:-) http://www.kish.cc.il.us/campus-centers/lsc/test-anxiety.html
teach4fun - I like the follow-up, too!
teach4fun - Beth, I sometimes have trouble with parents over testing.
Kathleen - One pointer is not to make THE TEST the only way you evaluate. When the test is the only form of assessment, it puts unreasonable pressure on both teacher and student
Bev - I use to do that but now my students report cards gr
Beth Bruno - What kind of trouble do parents cause about testing, Teach4fun?
teach4fun - the parents do put the primary focus on the tests
Bev - Sorry but the student's grades are determined by district mandated assessments
Kathleen - Parents look at grades and test scores as THE measure of their children's performance. Maybe we have to offer them more than that
Beth Bruno - It's true that test results are important to parents, but when we teach parents about a variety of testing methods, they prefer that to one set of numbers or grades.
Bev - We need to evaluate progress instead of always focusing on whether or not a child is 'at grade level
teach4fun - They want good tests scores but don't always make sure the student is applying himself to the daily work
Beth Bruno - That's so true, Bev. The progress each child has made speaks volumes.
Kathleen - Beth Bruno's columns #19 and #20 are on the topic of testing. Read them, along with the other interesting articles at http://www.teachers.net/FAQ/schoolhouse/bruno_index.html
teach4fun - Yes, Bev..
Beth Bruno - Thanks for the plug, Kathleen. By the way, I'm open to suggestions about chatroom topics and article topics - anytime.
Bev - I teach in a 2nd & 3rd grade classroom and I have a couple of gate kids who seem to stress more over testing than the rest of the class. Is this an usual occurrence?
Beth Bruno - Do any of you have students in your classes who "freeze" during testing?
teach4fun - In our regular unit testing, we allow our students to "re-exam" if they do not achieve at least a 70%...a few extra days for some is all it takes...of-course it is a 70% on the books
Barb/2/NE - I also teach 2nd grade and I have some little ones crying before/and during tests
teach4fun - Beth, I have one girl that goes blank...as if she never heard the material before...
Kathleen - barb, that's too sad.
Beth Bruno - Bev, yes, gifted and talented children and their parents often set very high expectations for themselves and each other, making the testing process a highly charged one for them.
teach4fun - I have started breaking down the material into sections...over several days....
Beth Bruno - I've worked with parents who have already decided what Ivy League colleges they want their preschoolers to get into!
Barb/2/NE - Kathleen, I have a very laid back room, they seem to put it on themselves.
teach4fun - father is one that is always pushing and cramming with her
Bev - These same boys do not produce very much in day-to day writing but when given a prompt that they knew was for a grade produced more in ten minutes than they usually do in a week or two
Kathleen - Barb, I'm sure it's the test, not you. I just feel awful for the pressures on our students these days.
Beth Bruno - Barb, it really helped my daughter when I told her that she was helping her teacher out by showing her teacher not only what she had learned but what she had not. Teachers need to know what their students don't know, too.
Beth Bruno - s what learning is all about, after all.
Barb/2/NE - Beth, If a child is crying now, is this an indicator of the child needing to see a counselor?
Kathleen - Good point, test as a measure of the teaching. That would help the student old enough to understand
Beth Bruno - Barb, have you met with the crying child's parents?
Beth Bruno - Also, when this child cries, does she tell you why?
Barb/2/NE - Yes, and I recommended that her child see the counselor, but she wasn't to open about it. Was I jumping the gun?
Beth Bruno - I wrote an article called "high school pressure cooker" about the pressure put on high school students to build their resumes, pressure that begins in middle school. I was swamped with mail - from the students!
Kathleen - That article, High School Pressure Cooker is also available at http://www.teachers.net/FAQ/schoolhouse/bruno_index.html
Beth Bruno - I think we need to find ways to resist turning our learning environments into competitive places.
Barb/2/NE - Beth, Amen to that! Competition can get so fierce!
Bev - I've always assessed and was able to use those assessments to guide my instruction. The thing that is making my job harder is being mandated by our district of what to teach, how to teach it, when to teach it and given a "test" to administer, record, and submit (along with the other 'multiple measures'. ) This assumes that each child is at the same place developmentally and academically.
teach4fun - yes, but they only have to apply for college admission or take SAT and its competition!
Beth Bruno - I recommend caution about recommending counseling to a parent, unless the parent specifically asks for a referral. Even then, I think it best to bring in the school psychologist or social worker to be part of the discussion.
Kathleen - That reminds me about a 6/9/99 session we had here on Non-Competitive Games (available in the Focus Sessions section of the Archives http://teachers.net/archive
Kathleen - Beth, would a school counselor see a child like that regularly over a long period, say weekly to provide counseling?
Bev - In our school the principals put pressure on the teachers to raise test scores and the teachers put undue pressure on the students.
Barb/2/NE - Beth, I had only recommended that her child see the school counselor. Was I wrong to do that?
Beth Bruno - Bev, that's so upsetting. Teachers need latitude to use their skills and creativity. Also to teach each student differently if necessary, while also meeting curriculum guidelines.
Kathleen - Bev, is the format of the test these days different from the past? more bubble filling?
teach4fun - yes, I see the most anxiety, both sides, when we take the annual CTBS
Beth Bruno - Barb, No, it wasn't wrong to recommend the school counselor. That's an excellent resource for a parent to turn to.
Bev - Yes - before I could use authentic assessments as my tool to measure progress
Beth Bruno - I recommend caution because parents can get a little jumpy about the subject of counseling, for any number of reasons.
Kathleen - Authentic assessment would be less stressful for the children, right?
Kathleen - They wouldn't even recognize that they are being evaluated
Beth Bruno - In the schools where I work, I provide non-special ed class observations and consultations and short-term counseling if parents and teachers want it. in groups or with individual students. Anything longer term usually goes through the special ed referral
Kathleen - What vibes do we send out that could cause test anxiety in students?
Barb/2/NE - Beth, when you work with children in groups that have test anxiety, what skills do you teach them?
Beth Bruno - Bev, can you do authentic assessments for daily/weekly work - then more standardized ones for end-of-the-unit?
Bev - Is it true that the 50 percentile on standardized test keeps being moved up. I mean what students need to know to be at the 50% ten years ago would only get them to 40% now?
Kathleen - Some advocate pep rallies before testing to get kids pumped up about it, but I would think that could raise the level of concern and tension for some kids
Barb/2/NE - Oh Kathleen, That would get my kids pumped up! *LOL*
Beth Bruno - With young children, I introduce cooperative learning projects and educational games. Often at the root of anxiety is low self-confidence.
Bev - Yes, I do as many as I can. The problem is that with the 2/3 I have different assessments that need to be given from two different curriculums- leave me little precious time to teach like I like.
Beth Bruno - As a child grows in self-confidence, the test anxiety diminishes and disappears.
teach4fun - I find with my sixth graders if I allow a few relaxed moments, perhaps breaking up into small groups for informal review, it helps
Barb/2/NE - teach4fun, I like that idea! Thanks
Beth Bruno - Standardized tests have to be continuously rewritten and restandardized to fit present knowledge expectations for students today.
Bev - You know, I can't believe more people are not here.
Beth Bruno - I'm surprised at the low turnout, too. But it is the shopping season- and people are very, very busy.
Kathleen - Bev, it's the season
teach4fun - today, they knew a social studies test was scheduled after lunch, but when we returned..I said find a partner and talk about the subject, and they all laughed with relief...
Beth Bruno - Maybe we can schedule this topic again in the spring. It's a very important one, don't you think?
teach4fun - 15 minutes later, we were ready...
Beth Bruno - Great idea, Teach4fun.
Barb/2/NE - Teach4fun, did you walk around and listen to what they were studying?
teach4fun - Beth, do you see higher expectations all around as you visit schools, then let's say, 4 years ago?
Linda/2/CA - I find in Calif that the anxiety felt by the teachers regarding the rest is transmitted to the students--which in turn causes them anxiety.
Bev - I guess I am just frustrated because in Ca. we are being pressure to retain students who don't meet grade level standards and in most cases I don't believe retention is the answer. I have little second graders who are working and making progress but because they are disadvantaged in some way they are made to feel less than ok.
Beth Bruno - My kids always loved to test me before they took their tests. It made them feel really smart!
Kathleen - http://ericae.net/edo/ED315432.htm Integrating Testing with Teaching. ERIC Digest by Herbert Rudman
teach4fun - Barb, yes, that is important or they will pick up where they left off at lineup LOL
Kathleen - So how can we avoid transferring our anxiety to the kids?
teach4fun - That's a good idea, Beth.
Linda/2/CA - I agree with you there Bev--also I am finding that I am now teaching 2nd graders what used to be taught in late 3rd and even in 4th.
Beth Bruno - Level of expectations varies widely from teacher to teacher, parent to parent and school to school. Very tough to generalize on that point.
Linda/2/CA - We are trying to downplay the anxiety level of the students by spreading the (blasted) SAT 9 out over a 2 week period instead of cramming the whole test into 3 days as we did last year--this for 2nd grade!!!
teach4fun - Thanks Beth, I know here in California...teachers feel pressured more than ever
Beth Bruno - Retention is a conundrum. I don't think it makes much sense, but giving kids diplomas who can't read and write doesn't make sense either.
Linda/2/CA - Also the fact that the test is often given in an unfamiliar format doesn't help any either--we never have required them to sit and read and answer 14 pages of stories and questions all at one time.
Barb/2/NE - Oh my Linda, you must be drained! I think my children get more anxious on standardized tests from their parents comments.
teach4fun - so true, Linda
Beth Bruno - Not only do we transfer our anxiety to the kids sometimes, but our anger as well.
Linda/2/CA - There was a political cartoon in our paper here today titled "End of Social Promotion"--it showed the grad class of 2002--Ed!
Linda/2/CA - Yes--Beth--here in CA many teachers feel that they are treated like criminals what with the affidavits and the secrecy and all.
teach4fun - On our year testing days, I bring in boxes of donuts and fruit....I do half days,
Beth Bruno - Do administrators compare test results by teacher and by room?
Linda/2/CA - definitely!!
teach4fun - yes
Bev - Yes - and they track how grade levels are doing? For instance how did my third graders do compared to how they did last year?
Linda/2/CA - You can't really compare them this way--I have many LEP students and because I have a CLAD, I tend to get students who are lower because of prim lang problems than the teacher next door who does not have a CLAD
Beth Bruno - Linda, what do you mean that you're treated like criminals?
Linda/2/CA - You have to sign an affidavit that you will not discuss, copy or anything the test in any way. And in many cases, the test booklets are delivered to you 5 minutes before the test begins---
Linda/2/CA - and collected 5 minutes after the tests ends and you MUST turn in all scrap papers used, etc.
Kathleen - no stress there, eh, Linda?
Linda/2/CA - Understatement kat!!!
Linda/2/CA - The thing is that after teaching primary for almost 30 years, I can pretty much tell what is going to be tested on a standardized test.
Beth Bruno - I wonder what kinds of tests students would devise if they wrote them.
Linda/2/CA - I also don't think it is quite fair to give a NORM referenced test to a group of students who are so far from the norm group that it is not even laughable.
Barb/2/NE - Kids would give oral tests, they are doing that now quizzing each other on their Pokemon cards! *LOL*
Kathleen - Linda, does seem cruel
Beth Bruno - I agree, Linda. I've always thought we should figure out ways to find out what each student knows and take his or her education from there.
Kathleen - Kids would devise tests similar to the ones they've been exposed to
Linda/2/CA - Yep--for instance, the norm group had 1.4% LEP students--we have 87% LEP students in our grade.
Kathleen - You mean like John Dewey's: Start where the learner is ?? Makes a lot of sense
Beth Bruno - An individual student who makes huge progress from where he started should be recognized for that, even if the end point isn't at grade level. Otherwise his or her confidence and motivation gets squashed.
Beth Bruno - Yes, Kathleen. Exactly.
Bev - I think kids That's why praise is so important. That can be given often and can come with a pat or a hug.
Linda/2/CA - Instead of comparing 2nd grade (or any grade or school) from year to year--I think it would be better to track each student individually from year to year and see if their %ile went up
Beth Bruno - I think we've figured it out. Now we have to get principals and superintendents to back us up.
Bev - Yes Linda that helps track the student but, administrators want ways to track teachers
Kathleen - We make so much sense, how can they not agree? ;-)
Linda/2/CA - And get the bureaucrats out of the testing business--personally I would like to see the members of the CA legislature have to take these tests--I would love to see their scores!!!
Kathleen - The author of The Big Test will be appearing here early in 2000
Linda/2/CA - Excuse me kat--but what is The Big Test?
Beth Bruno - Thanks for the excellent discussion everybody. Hard to believe the hour's up.
teach4fun - Thank you Beth for your insights
Linda/2/CA - thanks for letting us vent about these tests
Bev - Thanks and g'night
Barb/2/NE - Thanks all! Good night!
Kathleen - Nicholas Lemann wrote The Big Test http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0374299846/teachersnet
Kathleen - Thank you Beth and all participants! Happy holidays!
Beth Bruno - Happy holidays, all!
