Teacher Tips for Improving Test Scores
Short Efficient Activities That Encourage Active Learning
Sep 16, 2009
There are certain strategies that teachers can employ which will help students perform better on state mandated tests. These “bell” activities will ensure students’ active learning and focused attention.
Nationwide, students are required to take and pass subject area tests to graduate from high school. In addition, schools, principals, and even teachers are held accountable for the results of those scores. In some instances teachers are even being evaluated based on their students’ test results. These simple strategies will help teachers make the most of their classroom time and increase student test scores.
Importance of Bell Work
Ordinarily, most students socialize with their peers and classmates in between classes. Therefore, it’s often difficult to draw students’ attention back into the classroom when the bell rings. That’s why a teacher should have bell work ready for students when they come into the classroom. Plus, students in general, have a hard time staying focused on one subject for long periods of time. By utilizing bell work, teachers will be using small snippets of material, and they may find that this will be their most effective teaching tool.
Keeping a Journal
Particularly, teachers can have students write in a journal as soon as they come into the room. While some teachers may consider this “busy” work, it does have many benefits. Journaling will get students focused on education, and the teacher can choose topics that will stimulate creativity, imagination, and problem solving skills. This is a teacher’s chance to really incorporate critical thinking skills. Teachers have the opportunity to mix it up daily, providing various topics that utilize different skills. For example, one day students can write creatively, describing a “Martian.” Another day, students could write about how they would handle finding a purse in a grocery cart, which contains $250. These topics will prepare their minds for that day’s class. Teachers can use this as a grade and check journals once every 2 weeks.
Word of the Day
Another important strategy involves using a “Word of the Day.” Teachers can have students copy a word off the board or overhead projector. The word’s description should include the word’s definition, its part of speech, and its proper use in a sentence. To ensure comprehension, students can take a weekly quiz on their “Words of the Day.” By requiring students to learn one new word a day, the teacher will not be overstressing students, and by the end of the semester, they’ll have increased their vocabulary significantly. It’s important for the teacher to choose words that students will be exposed to on achievement tests. These words can be found on sample practice tests. Teachers can simply read through the test and highlight all words that may be unfamiliar to students.
Bell Ringer
As stated earlier, a student’s attention span may dwindle over the course of a class. Therefore, it’s important to include test-taking curriculum into bell work. Teachers can give students a sample test question to answer, even if they haven’t gone over the material yet. This will show teachers what skills students have already mastered, and teachers may even find that they can spend less time on specific objectives. Allowing students to try to figure out the question will give them analytical skills. Then, the teachers can present the answer and explain how the answer was derived. Bell ringer questions make great material for pop quizzes.
Both teachers and students feel the pressures of performing well on state mandated tests. Employing short, simple, object driven activities will make the most of classroom time. Students will be more receptive in the first 20 minutes of class, and as a result, they will learn the material more successfully. These simple strategies encourage active learning, critical thinking, and focused attention. In turn, students will be more confident during achievement tests.
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