Schools pump up pupils for exams - Palladium-Item

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Highland Heights Elementary School students prepared for ISTEP testing this week by watching their teachers sing, dance and act like "goofballs."

"The test has such a negative feeling about it," Highland Heights teacher Tiffany Climer said of the statewide exam that largely determines whether schools are meeting state and federal accountability standards.

"Everybody gets stressed out," she said. "We wanted them to enjoy it."

So students had an opportunity to get out of the classroom and be entertained by Climers' own rendition of the song "Bust A Move," which she turned into a music video with help from her colleagues.

"The lyrics were all about going to bed early, thinking through your questions and what your teacher had taught you," Climer said.

Students also watched a skit that demonstrated what not to do before taking the test, which featured characters aptly named "Betty Bad Breakfast," Miss Sleepy," and "Dory Dressed Uncomfortably."

"They (the characters) talked about how they weren't ready for the test," said teacher Pam Barr, who wrote the skit. "There were a lot of teachers that participated in it. That was really exciting."

The testing window runs from Monday through March 10 with students in the third through eighth grades taking the test. All grades are tested in English/language arts and math. Fourth- and sixth-graders are also tested in science and fifth-and seventh-graders are tested in social studies.

The exam includes essay and short-answer questions, but a second round of testing, which is given from April 27 to May 6, includes multiple choice questions as well.

Educators say the test weighs heavily on students, and the teachers who have to prepare them.

"We asked all the schools to have some kind of focusing activity," said Susie Hively, the director of Richmond Community Schools Office of Student Achievement. "Just to set a positive tone and be upbeat about it. It's also an excellent time to remind the students that they can't miss school this week."

This year's exam is only the second year it has been administered in the spring, instead of the fall. The first year of spring testing was a shock to many, with reports of students across the state crying because of the difficulty of the exam.

"There were a couple of things that happened," Hively said. "For a fourth-grade teacher, the test had (previously) been over third-grade standards. The test felt like it was a lot harder, and it was because it was the next year's standard. There was kind of culture shock with that.

"I think it will be a lot smoother this time, because people have experienced it once," she said.

At Highland, students who won't be taking the test were also involved in the preparation.

"We went and videotaped each class sending an encouraging message to the older class," Barr said.

Highland's students were sent home with a copy of Climer's song, too -- just in case they forgot the motivating words.

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