3 tips to make the most after state testing!
Alright, let’s land this preverbal school-year airplane like we prime Sully (or at the very least Tom Hanks in a uniform)!
If you're a teacher, you know that state testing is a beast. But once it's finally over, it's time to party like it's an old Prince song racing back up the charts in the late 90s.
Here are 3 tips for making the most of your newfound (classroom teaching) freedom:
1. Ask your students for feedback. Not just for those lessons, but on the whole year!! They've been through this stressful time with you and probably have some opinions about what worked (and what flopped like Green Lantern). Just be prepared when they recommend “more pizza parties, less homework.”
FREE RESOURCE RELATED TO #2: End-of-Course Evaluation
2. Take some risks. If there's ever a time to try something new and daring, it's now. Think outside the box and get creative with your teaching methods. Take a chance on that lesson you wanted to try for the first time. Take risks and let the students help you reflect on the effectiveness of the lesson. Who knows, an experimental lesson may make its way into your repertoire for the regular season!
FREE RESOURCE RELATED TO #3: Quote of the Day Bell Ringer Digital Notebook
3. Stay positive, even though you’re exhausted. Remember, your students feed off your energy. Put on some Beyoncé, eat some chocolate, and enjoy the time you have left with your students!!!
Non-Digital Idea: I always stapled some blank papers together and had students write their favorite memory of the class in it. Always fun to look back on a remember the good times!
In summary, state testing is not going to win a popularity contest, but it still matters what you and your students have accomplished!
Maximize your time, be open to new ideas, and stay positive!!
Never stop learning,
Dr. Tyler Tarver
P.S. Speaking of trying new things…have you tried ChatGPT yet? Any students that improved their writing 100x in the last two months of school definitely did! I’m doing a 3-hour summer PD training on it virtually if you want to join, or better yet, your principal wants to give your whole building access to it!