High Stakes Testing in the Math Classroom The thought of high stakes testing in mathematics may seem especially intimidating for both teachers and students, but it doesn't have to be. Just keep a few basic guidelines in mind, and you can provide a rich mathematics experience for your students that will leave them well prepared for any challenging math problems – including those on a high stakes math test. Fostering Positive Attitudes There is an important connection between attitude and aptitude, and performance on math tests should be included in this relationship. Make sure your instructional strategies and classroom management practices foster attitudes that are critical to a successful test taking experience. Perseverance under difficult circumstances may be one of the most important traits of a successful math student. It can be guaranteed that your students will be faced with problems on a high stakes math test that will seem intimating and confusing. It is those students who can persevere through these challenging situations who will be more likely to reach a correct solution. Encourage perseverance in your students by fostering a sense of curiosity and exploration when tackling challenging problems. Reward those students who try various strategies and keep trying when initially frustrated. Most importantly, always remember to model a positive attitude and approach – the manner in which you tackle challenging math problems will influence your students. Proper Focus of Curriculum Make sure you are familiar with the specifics of any high stakes tests given in your district and that your mathematics scope and sequence is adequately aligned with the strands and standards that are emphasized in your state tests. Maintain high expectations for your students, and provide the tools and support they need to achieve these expectations. When it comes to high stakes math tests, you can categorize what your students need to know into three broad categories. As you plan your lessons, make sure you cover aspects of each of these: Skills and Procedures—Mastery of grade-level expectations is a given for a strong performance on a high stakes math test. This is the foundation upon which your students' confidence in their mathematical abilities is built. Know the grade-level standards for your students and make sure your scope and sequence covers them sufficiently. Use frequent assessment, both formal and informal, to gauge student mastery. Don't teach the skills in isolation, but rather incorporate them into regular, rich problem solving activities. Depth of Mathematical Understanding—Knowledge of skills and procedures is just the start of a deep mathematical understanding. Performance on high stakes math tests requires students to have more than just the knowledge of the basic skills and procedures; their understanding of math concepts must go deeper. Make sure your students are exposed to interesting math application problems that will stretch and expand their understanding of math concepts. Mathematical Reasoning—The ability to reason mathematically is probably the most important skill for a student to possess in order to do well on a high stakes math test. Your lessons and assignments should focus on mathematical reasoning, which will help your students apply their knowledge to new or unfamiliar applications and problems wherever they may encounter them. Practice, Practice, Practice When it comes to high stakes math tests, the importance of practice cannot be emphasized enough. Just make sure the practice is high quality, and not just a time consumer. Assign problems to your students that mimic the style of problems on high stakes tests. Review previous years' released tests—often available via your state department of education Web site. The more you are aware of the kinds of problems your students will encounter on the test, the more you can make them aware of the kinds of skills and reasoning they will need to be competent in. Incorporate test item practice throughout the year—not just during the weeks devoted to test preparation. The problems your students encounter on tests should be neither new nor intimidating. Assign a "Test Taking Practice Problem of the Week." Once a week assign a challenging problem, similar to what your students should expect to encounter on a high stakes test. You can use released test items from previous years' tests. Spend time discussing the solution, and the reasoning required to reach the solution. Allow time for students to share their solution strategies and procedures. This exposure to other students' thinking is extremely beneficial for students. Sometimes another student can explain something to a fellow student better than a teacher might. Also, analyze how someone may have come up with one of the incorrect answer choices. This can help clarify concepts and processes for students in a non-threatening way. By analyzing incorrect responses, students can get at the meat of the problem, without a narrow focus of getting the right answer. Remember to discuss the wording of the questions as well. Make sure your students are familiar with any of the math terms or vocabulary they may encounter on a high stakes test. Test Taking Tips and Strategies There are four great math habits your students should be encouraged to incorporate automatically into their problem solving strategies. It will then be natural for them to use these as test taking strategies during high stakes testing. Drawing a diagram - Creating a visual representation of a problem will help your students break it down and understand it. This will also help your students determine a plan for solving the problem by helping to identify the critical parts of the problem. Breaking apart problems - An effective technique for attacking a challenging problem is to break it apart and analyze the problem and its parts. This will help students identify any missing or extraneous information, as well as the necessary information. Consider having your students practice just breaking apart and analyzing some problems, and not solving them. Using estimation - Encourage your students to use estimation as a problem solving technique. Your students should always begin tackling a difficult problem by estimating a range of reasonable answers. During high stakes testing this will help your students narrow down possible correct responses, and will help your students identify if they have come up with an incorrect solution. Checking a solution for reasonableness - Checking if a solution is reasonable and checking a solution for reasonableness in the context of the problem is something that should not be overlooked as an important step in the problem solving process. There is no need to feel intimidated by the thought of high stakes math tests when you keep these basic principles in mind. This article was contributed by Heidi Janzen, a former classroom teacher and mathematics specialist. She now works as an educational consultant in the areas of professional development, curriculum, standards, and assessment.