Dear Pauling
Pride Community,
When my
extended family joins together, I will occasionally hear my nieces and nephews
talking about school. With
representation of different grades and school systems in Oregon, I can’t help
but jump in on their conversation.
Careful to avoid any appearance of an unsolicited “Uncle Eric (the
principal) focus group,” I listen and prompt enough to keep the conversation
from steering elsewhere. While
intrigued at how changes in education are viewed, I mostly enjoy hearing about
what they are excited to learn about in school. Creative learning opportunities seem to be the favorite
especially authentic simulations connected to “the real world.” As examples, my 4th grade nephew was completely engaged in the
Oregon Trail experience and my high school niece was quite successful with her
stock exchange project!
Of course I
also hear the moaning and groaning toward less favorable aspects of school such
as tests ranging from learning multiplication facts, vocabulary, or high stakes
assessments such as the SAT, which is part of the college entrance
process. As you hopefully know, education
reform in recent decades has included adoption of performance standards and
assessment of student growth toward learning standards. While accountability measures have
increased, it is not unique to the K-12 education system. For example, testing is required to drive
a car, become a certified mechanic, sell real estate, or pass “the bar” to
practice law. Demonstrating
a proficiency of standards is critical in order to move forward in many paths.
As we move into
spring, our students at LPMS will take a benchmark assessment called the OAKS
(Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) in the areas of math and reading
(also science for 8th grade).
This is the final year for OAKS (reading and math) as we transition to
an assessment called Smarter Balanced, which is aligned to the state adopted
Common Core Standards. Unlike the
multiple-choice only format of the OAKS, Smarter Balanced challenges students
by assessing students in a variety of ways. To learn more about the Smarter Balanced assessment, there
is a wealth of information online at www.smarterbalanced.org.
As with most
things in life, taking a test is a learned skill. We would be remiss to not give our students exposure as we
prepare for the OAKS assessment. That
said, we also believe that an emphasis on the whole child with engaging
instruction are incredibly important to prepare our students to succeed. These are the rigorous, yet
student-centered memorable experiences that are most enriching. If like my family, your children
may have expressed a range of emotion from uneasiness to anxiety regarding
tests, here are a few tips to consider:
-Preparation
for tests should begin on the first day of class; this includes paying
attention during class, taking good notes, studying, completing assignments and
reviewing study materials on a regular basis
-Get plenty of rest and eat
at regular meals (breakfast, lunch, etc.). Having food in your stomach will give you energy and help
you focus. Try to avoid heavy
foods, which can make you groggy.
-Use
the restroom before your test. You don't want to waste time worrying about your
bodily needs during the test.
-Stay relaxed and confident. Keep a good attitude and remind yourself that
you are going to do your best and make growth! If you find yourself panicking, take a few deep breaths.
-Read directions carefully to avoid careless errors. Review and check to see that you have
not made any errors or mis-marked any answers.
Thank
you for taking time to read communications from school and partnering with us
in helping your child not only prepare for college and career, but a contributing
citizen, future leader, and life-long learner.
Go
Pride and Go Beavs,
Eric
