Prepping for the Big Test!!

We all know those dreaded days in the spring.  They come around every year.  Sleepless nights..  or if you do get to sleep then you have nightmares about accidentally giving answers to students or everyone failing!!  So awful!!!  And as a teacher - we NEVER want to 'teach to the test'.  We hope that what we teach them through the year will prepare them for what's on the test.  But that can't always be just it.  There does need to be some getting ready - some pumping them up!  Here are just a few things I try to do to get them ready.  :)

In writing, we use the acronym of SLAMS.  I know there are different ones out there (RACE, etc).  I find this one to be the most helpful.

Each letter in SLAMS stands for something important that can be applied to either an extended response or a constructed response on any type of open ended question.  I teach the kids to say "A good answer SLAMS the question".  We use this starting in January to help make sure our answers are the best they can be.  You can download this free poster by clicking on the picture.

We also do some test prep activities twice a week.  Just enough to where we are practicing but not overwhelmingly so!  I incorporate 'cold read' passages every week as well so I can focus on their independent comprehension.  These are SO important.  We so often 'prep' our students on their weekly comprehension stories - even by just reading it to them.  We need to see what they can do on their own.

These are the test prep pages I use.  10 questions.  I model the first 2, we practice 3-8 together and then the last 2 are on their own.  They are great for a quick mini lesson/review.  This packet includes different skills like phonics, prefix/suffix, rhyming, synonyms/antonyms, and syllables.  A lot of those 'word work' skills that sometimes even the more advance readers need.  I've had a lot of success with these!

The other piece that's critical that I do is teach my students important 'testing' vocabulary.  We do a program all year long called "Vocabulary Voyage".  It teaches the students a variety of words they might see on a standardized test.  We learn 5 words every two weeks.  The first week we learn the definitions of those 5 words.  The 2nd week we learn how to answer questions with those words in them.  I have found that a lot of time when students are presented with the 'test' they have the knowledge but the questions are worded in a way that they just don't understand.  This program is designed to help them with that!  They also learn how to sight read the words as well.  The words hang outside the door and we say the word of the day as we enter the classroom each time.  

Other than those components, I really don't 'prep' them that much.  I try throughout the year to use best practices that will give them as much firepower for the test as I can.  We can then only hope for the best.  I wish you all the best of luck with your upcoming testing.  :)  Let me know if you have any questions!  

-Ciera Harris

How can we nurture young readers?

Hello Friends! 

It's Kimberly from Loving Kinders.  I am very excited to be the guest blogger this week.  

I wanted to talk about...

As a kinder-teacher, I find it difficult to find developmentally appropriate guided reading texts. I find that there are a plethora of “ A leveled readers” but do they nurture young readers? Do they offer interaction with print concepts? Can they keep the book and re-read it for fluency practice or sight word retention? In most cases, no. they. don’t. 

As another option, I wanted to share with you what I use and how I support developing readers in my classroom.

I LOVE using Interactive Emergent Readers with my kinders as part of their guided reading curriculum especially, as they develop into confident readers and writers.  By using these texts, kinders are able to develop into self-assured readers with valuable literacy tools that promote and assist them as growing readers.

I’ve found that kinder learners learn best with a GUIDED, Supportive and interactive approach to reading.  There is a reason that “with support” is within our standards!!    Everything we do as instructors is meant to guide and develop our young kinders into self-sustained, confident readers.

This is my simple approach.  I focus on three things.

#1  Identify Conventions

#2  Identify Sight Words

#3  Touch Read and Echoing

In a small group I use a booklet emergent reader.  I make sure that the reader does not have more than 4-5 words per page and that all words are appropriate for my reading group.  I am not too picky with the emergent reader, I just want to make sure that we can write on it and that they can take it home.  Many times I make my own booklet.  For this post, I am sharing my weather reader that I used during my weather week.

We begin with step #1- Identify Conventions. These are the RULES for writing.  I LOVE to color-code. (I REALLY DO!)  I thoroughly believe that color-coding assists students with skill retention and maintains consistency when working with standard specific skills.

I ask my kinders to use colored pencils or crayons to underline the capital letters green and circle the end marks red.  I don’t know where or why I thought of this?  I think it came to me on one of those AMAZING teacher waves that just hits you~ Smack in the face!  Utter teacher genius.  Well, at least for me. Also, I am not sure why it works…but it DOES WORK, and it looks great!  Lastly, I would have to agree that it helps my kinders 100% remember the WHY in the rules when writing and developing sentences.

#2 Identify Sight Words

I l-o-v-e to use color-coding! Did I tell you that already?  Well, in addition to the red and green, my students circle their sight words YELLOW with MARKERS.  First, please know, that I never EVER let my students use markers!!! Why?  Because I don’t like markers, that’s why.  They are fat, they don’t allow for detailed drawings, and lastly, because they bleed through the paper. YUCK!  So... I don't like markers.... So when I read with my kinders in guided reading and they can use a marker to circle their words, it’s like LIQUID GOLD. 

Literally, it is a piece of GOLD!!

It's GOLD I tell you!

 #3 Touch Read and Echoing

This is something that I am sure that you use when you are guiding and supporting young readers.  In our small group each student is required to touch each word and we either read it or tap it out.  After each of the words are read on the page, most likely from one of my readers, we ALL echo the entire sentences ONCE, or TWICE, or however many times we might need.  

This 3-Step Approach supports, guides, and assists readers in their quest and journey to become successful, confident, and sustainable readers and writers. 

I hope these ideas help you nurture our dearest and developing kinders.  Watching young readers and writers begin to read is a priceless gift that we are given as teachers.  There is nothing better than watching a kinder read for the first time. 

Enjoy your kinders.

If you are interested in my weather unit please visit my store and/or my blog.