Usually around this time of year, I am writing newsletters about preparing 3rd graders for MCAS. MCAS has been a reality for students in my class since I began teaching third grade 9 years ago. Though the content has adapted to align to state frameworks and standards, the format of the tests has remained pretty much the same:
Reading Comprehension: Students are required to read passages ranging from fiction to non-fiction, including poetry. Multiple choice questions and written responses are required to demonstrate understanding.
Mathematics: Students demonstrate mathematical understanding through multiple choice, short answer and open response questions.
Preparation for these tests has always been integrated throughout the school year, as we solve similar problems in our daily curriculum. Some targeted instruction has been adapted to better answer open response questions, as we have found those to be most challenging for 8 and 9 year olds. Your students will take the MCAS this spring – the reading exam is in March, and the mathematics exam is in May.
As part of the new Common Core State Standards, a new generation of assessment systems are being developed to better measure what students know, understand and are able to do. There are a few consortiums developing exams (i.e. PARCC and Smarter Balanced). In Massachusetts, we will be taking the PARCC exam, but all assessment systems are rather similar. Questions require students to access higher-order thinking skills and problem solve in new ways. The questions are very different from what we have faced in years’ past, and they are administered online several times during a school year.
My advice to teachers for the last year has been to explore these new assessments themselves. Experiencing the uniqueness of these exams give us a clearer view of how we will need to support our students moving forward. Students will need to work independently, attend to precision, think creatively, persevere through challenges and rely on technology skills. A tall order for our youngest test takers. The more prepared we are as adults, the more we can support children as we circumnavigate the anxiety these tests can create.
I encourage my 3rd grade parents to visit the PARCC site to see their example questions. To take it one step farther and interact with an online exam, I also suggest visiting the Smarter Balanced site where there is a interactive practice assessment. Don’t just view the 3rd grade test – be sure to explore exams all the way up to the 11th grade level. I am blown away by what students will be required to do by the time they graduate from high school. As a teacher, I am considering what skills I can encourage in 3rd graders that will serve them well later down the challenging road.
I have mixed emotions about the future… At first glance, I imagined these tests were beyond what all 3rd graders could access. After thinking about it more, I considered how these students will face assessments their whole lives… As a society, we are tested all the time – for licenses, for certifications, for placement, for careers… I want my students to feel well-prepared and take this testing all in stride when the time comes. They are bright and capable problem solvers, and we need to give them new, meaningful opportunities to shine in the classroom. These tests will ultimately reflect their amazing progress if they are learning in amazing ways.
Information about our upcoming Book Talks will go home this week. Read the entire packet and be sure to ask questions if you have any. One night per week will be dedicated to book talk preparation.
Welcome back! Let’s get back to work!!!
Dream Big,
