NWEA MAP Test approaching

Hello,

The testing is coming.  Next Monday afternoon, the class will go to the computer lab to take the NWEA MAP reading test.  It is not one of my favorites, but hope everyone will be rested and present.  The math portion of the test will be taken with your child's math class.  My math class will be taking it next Monday morning.  That means three students will get tested twice in one day.  Everyone else will have the tests split up on different days. 

My philosophy on most tests is the same.  If I do my job well, your child should do well on the tests.  The NWEA is a little different in that it doesn't match our curriculum.  It is a multiple choice test that is supposed to get harder as your child does well, (or easier if your child is doing poorly).  I have seen the tests enough to know many of the types of questions that they are likely to see.  Unfortunately, I'm not going to disrupt the order of things to cram for these tests.  For example, I told my math class this morning that they will probably see two or three metric measurement and volume questions, but we're not going to get into those subjects yet.  It is a tough position to be in: to know what could help them score well on the test, but knowing that it doesn't fit into where we are at this point.  It will get harder knowing that our class will be put under more of a microscope as a looping class.  I feel like we can't lose sight of the big picture, and the results of this particular test is more of a distraction for me than anything.  That is my personal opinion.  I welcome yours.

We worked on Lego gear kits in science today.  Some kids from the Lego club got to work on the K'nex simple machine kits instead.  I'm still working with another class in science and the contrast is astounding.  I can't say it any plainer then saying that I really appreciate how well our class works together. 

We tried to add more figurative language to our poetry today.  Literally.  We are working on our similes, metaphors, personification and idioms.  They make for a confusing language to learn. 

We are starting to read books by Andrew Clements.  Report Card, Frindle and Landry News were the choices.  The assignment was to start reading tonight and write a little description of the main character. 

What a gorgeous day.  Have a good night.

Mr. Shea