Next week, we will begin "state test season". Third and fourth graders test in the subjects of English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. For each of these subjects, they'll take two tests, both computer-based:
We will ease into testing with a couple of days of practice, where we'll familiarize the kids with the Smarter Balanced interface, practice using the "tools", and go through some sample questions together. You can learn more about the Smarter Balanced tests here: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/parents/ Although we will go over the practice test as a class, most kids find it helpful to also take a look at it at home, with the purpose of building familiarity, comfort, and confidence: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/assessments/practice-and-training-tests/ Blue Heron Test Schedule (subject to change) Week of:
Please do all you can to make sure your child is at school during the testing window. Avoid scheduling vacations and doctors' appointments if at all possible. You can also help your children do their best on the state tests by sending them to school well-rested, well fed with “brain food" for breakfast, and plenty of encouragement fresh in their minds. Third and fourth graders tend to worry about the tests, which can negatively impact their experience and scores. So keep it positive and focus on success as trying your best. This "testing tips" slide show may be helpful to watch together at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2UZYz_MCv4 Springwater’s philosophy has always been that standardized tests do not meet all students’ needs and gives us a limited view of academic achievement. The state test is just one of many assessment tools we use to capture student understanding. As a result, we don't teach to the test. We do try to help kids know what to expect and foster a positive attitude so that they can have a positive testing experience. We are happy to answer any questions you have about testing at our upcoming conferences. Conferences are student-ledMaking the most of your conferenceWe're eager to see you at conferences. We always enjoy hearing the kids reflect upon their own learning, and we appreciate the opportunity to connect and collaborate with parents. This is your conference. We have an agenda for our time together, but our most important goal is to discuss whatever is most pressing for you regarding your child's learning this year. Come with questions and comments! We plan to use conference time to compare the child's, parents' and teachers' views of strengths and challenges so that we can work as a team to support your child's learning. In class, we use Growth Mindset language. We talk about "strengths/challenges" or "comfort/risk/panic zone" instead of "good at/bad at" or "behind". Check out this infographic for a basic explanation of growth mindset here: http://www.supersmartguy.com/growth-vs-fixed-mindset-episode-9/ Keep in mind that one of the developmental hallmarks of 3rd and 4th graders is sensitivity to criticism. A group of adults sitting around a table discussing your challenges while the spotlight is aimed directly at you can feel overwhelming. We can send the child out of the room the last 5 or 10 minutes of the conference if there is something you want to discuss privately that might be too much for him or her. Just say so. Please be on time for your conference. If you're running late, kindly text Jen (503) 867-2012 or Kathy (503) 314-2055. Feel free knock on the door at your scheduled time. For those waiting outside of Jen/Jon's classroom, the computer lab next door is available for you to wait in out of the rain. If possible, leave younger children at home as they can be distracting. If you need to bring younger siblings, consider having a movie or something else to watch or play with that will engage them the full 30 minutes without interruption. We look forward to making the most of our time together! |
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