Title One Newsletter
February 2018
Testing Season
Second semester is well underway, so that means state testing is just around the corner. The first of these tests, ISTEP+ Applied Skills, will be given February 26 - March 9. Parents often wonder, “How can I help my child do his/her best without adding any stress or anxiety?”
On Test Day
Make sure your child gets a good night's sleep and eats a healthy breakfast
Many teachers report that students who don't do well on tests haven't gotten enough sleep, and haven't eaten breakfast on the morning of the test. Doing both of these things will ensure that your child is working at full capacity (Narang, 2008).
Remain positive
Staying calm will help your child stay calm. If your child gets nervous about the test or is likely to experience anxiety during the test, help practice some relaxation techniques that your child can try once he/she is taking the test (Narang, 2008).
On a Daily Basis
In addition to these strategies, there are a number of ways that you can maximize your child's learning capabilities throughout the school year, which can lead to confident test-taking. Some of these strategies include:
- Assisting your child with homework and ensuring that your child is completing all homework assignments
- Helping her to develop good study habits, thinking skills, and a positive attitude towards education from an early age
- Ensuring that your child has good attendance at school
- Staying in communication with your child's teacher
- Encouraging your child to read as much as possible, and to increase her vocabulary - even reading magazines, newspapers, and comic books regularly will help improve her reading skills
- Looking for educational games and programs that engage your child
- Helping your child learn how to follow directions carefully
Finally, remember that standardized tests and grading systems are not perfect; each format has its own limitations. As you help your child do his/her best in school, also remind your child that testing is just one part of his/her education. With your support and involvement, your child will be well on the way to his/her own bright future.
Indiana Department of Education Information
https://www.doe.in.gov/assessment/istep-grades-3-8-10
If you’d like to see sample questions, and examples of extended response questions with scoring notes, scroll to the bottom of the page for “Item Samplers” and “Released Part 1 Applied Skills (open-ended) Items and Scoring Notes”.
https://www.doe.in.gov/assessment/iread-3
“Item Samplers” available for the 3rd grade IREAD assessment.
More Great Tips to Help Your Child Succeed from Parents Magazine online:
https://www.parents.com/kids/education/tests/help-kids-ace-tests/
Teaching Children to Love to Read
We celebrate Valentine’s Day in February, so here are some tips to encourage your child to LOVE reading!
- Help your child find reading materials on topics of interest to him/her.
- Choose from a variety of texts. If your child is reluctant to read chapter books, consider magazine or newspaper articles, graphic novels, comic books, etc.
- Visit the library - a wealth of resources and great atmosphere!
- Plan regular reading times with your child.
- For more tips, check out these links:
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/books/how-to-raise-a-reader
https://familyshare.com/27017/7-ways-to-encourage-your-children-to-love-reading