Relax. Just Relax.
If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a million times. You’re students are gifted. Of course they do well on standardized tests.
But the truth is gifted doesn’t equal intelligence. It doesn’t equal smart. Gifted means they think and reason differently. Being gifted certainly doesn’t give a student a pass. They need to work hard, just like every other learner. And in Arizona, they may have to work extra hard when it comes to standardized State testing. The law states that gifted learners must take grade level tests in mathematics and language arts, even though in our district students are consistently working at least one grade level ahead. Therefore, student performance often relies on the (quality of) their previous teachers.
For years, I would start worrying about State testing somewhere around the start of the second semester. I would spend time reviewing the previous grade’s material, and hand out test prep worksheets and homework. We would spend weeks focusing on test-taking strategies. And you know what? My students did pretty well.
About eight years ago (I’ve been teaching gifted learners for 13 years), I just stopped worrying about State testing. By that, I don’t mean that I stopped caring. I get the point of assessments. They have a place in education. But really what I’ve come to learn is the value I place on testing.
In Arizona, elementary State testing takes place over the course of three days (four if your students take the science test). This amounts to just under 2% of the time I have with students in a year. These days, this 2%, can’t consume more than they are worth.
Fast forward to the past three years and my feelings about State testing and how it impacts my teaching have not changed. In fact, my students’ performance have helped place Knox Gifted Academy as the top elementary school in Arizona two out of the past three years. So apparently I’m doing something well. Something like not placing too much emphasis on State testing.
