When it comes time to start prepping for standardized testing, I like to plan a variety of activities to review the materials we've spent all semester covering. We all want students to show what they know and do their best on the tests that mean so much, and if you are like me, you are always looking for new test prep ideas and strategies. Thus, to make your job easier, I've curated this list of the Best Test Prep Ideas and Strategies for middle and high school students for any subject.Classroom Decor for Test PrepDuring the … [Read more...]
End-of-Year Reflection: Top Five Classroom Success Stories of 2018
It seems to me that 2018 has been quite the long year... but then again it does feel like I was just rounding the corner of 2018 not too long ago, and here we are already at 2019. One of the most important things we can do as teachers is reflect, and so that's why I love this annual blog post. It's been my new year tradition for the past several years (2015, 2016, 2017), and choosing only five moments is always so hard, but here goes: My top five classroom success stories of 2018! This year in review... 1) Read-o-Lution: Reading is the … [Read more...]
What I Learned About Test Prep from My Handgun Permit Class
Last week I took a handgun safety/permit class. My husband had accidentally let his permit expire, so we decided to take the class together this time around. I wasn’t super sure it was something I wanted to do, but I accepted the challenge. While I was taking the class, it dawned on me that I really hadn’t been a student in a really, really long time, so I'm glad that I had this opportunity. As a result, after the second day of class, which was the performance test, my head was swimming with ideas for this blog post – super fitting for … [Read more...]
Tips Teaching Grammar in Just 10 Minutes a Day
Teaching grammar and getting it all in no matter what schedule you have is a challenge because time is limited... and grammar is difficult to teach. Nonetheless, there are standards we middle and high school English teachers must cover before the end of course exams or standardized tests roll around. Plus, if you are a writing teacher like me, you really just want to see your students' grammar, usage, and mechanics improve. Grammar is one standard that must be taught, but it’s a huge umbrella encompassing so many … [Read more...]
