For many of us, especially in Texas, once the STAAR test is done we struggle to keep students interested in classroom activities. They have had so many years of standardized testing that for many of them it seems to be ingrained that the only important thing during spring semester is THE TEST. We teachers know differently. If you are like me, this is the time of year you have saved for the more creative and active lessons, like reading classical plays and pushing kids (in my case even further) to think and support their thoughts. The reality of the struggle is tough, especially when it comes time to give a unit test.
This time of year, I expect that my students have learned to think for themselves, question a text and are able to explain themselves. Since that is my expectation, I have been known to give them non-multiple choice tests. For instance, one of my favorites is called a Responsibility Pie Chart. I got this from one of my master's classes years ago and it has never disappointed me. The chart was created by the great Kelley Gallagher in his book Deeper Reading, and I have watched students sit and scratch their heads for the majority of a period to make a decision.
I used it with Oedipus Rex and my sophomores this week and it is always interesting to see who or what they feel is responsible for the outcome of the play. The best part is that they have to justify themselves too, so they are actually thinking about the play and not just which letter to choose!
If I could give every test all year long this way, I think I would. For an English class it is one of the best assessment tools I've ever seen!
