What About Bob?

Tomorrow will be our first adventure as 3rd graders with the MAP test.

MAP is a standardized test that the district uses to attempt to pinpoint where a child is academically, identify strengths and growth areas, and predict how much progress could be made within a specific time frame.

The key word here is attempt. Sometimes it is accurate, but other times it is inaccurate. I have seen students struggle with MAP in the fall only to shoot up an unforeseen amount in the Spring; I have seen the opposite happen as well.

While these tests are important and are to be taken seriously, it is equally important to remember that these tests are a "snapshot of a day". Kids could be feeling ill, anxious, upset about something before or during testing, struggle with test-taking stamina, unfamiliar test directions, rushing to complete the test, accidentally choosing the wrong answer choice, etc. I have seen all of these take place before. On the other hand, students can come to school prepared and ready to try their very best.

So what does preparation for this type of test look like?

Since there is no way to know exactly what types of questions your child will be asked, and some questions they will be asked are beyond what they typically see in 3rd grade, the best way to prepare is simply by minimizing stress and sticking to routine. Going to bed at a decent hour, having a healthy breakfast, and not rushing in the morning will help your child to come to school fresh and ready for the day. In addition, reminding your child that this is just "another way to show what you know" helps them know that you've got their back no matter what. We don't want them to fear testing, but approach each one confidently.

In the classroom, we prepared by looking over some of the sample questions on the MAP website. In our discussion we highlighted valuable strategies for:

• using context to figure out what an unfamiliar word might mean.
• reading all the answer choices first.
• how to find the best or most likely answer.
• how to locate specific information.
• where to usually find the main or central idea in a passage.
• how to use the process of elimination to find "bogus" answers.

We also had a classroom discussion about this guy:

This is Bob, what the kiddos named the testmaker. We talked about how he wants to see if students are using their heads and solid strategies, so he's not going to make everything super easy. They might have to sit with some questions for awhile and then make best decisions.

Going through the sample questions, we were able to see ways that Bob was trying to trick us or see if we would take the question seriously or even finish answering the question altogether. I think we got wise to Bob's game.

I hope this information helps you as you prepare at home for the MAP test and I also hope it gives you a snapshot into how we prepared this morning.

By the way, here's our first photo from Anna, our class historian:

I think that's of me reading Indian in the Cupboard. But I can't be sure. I don't even remember her taking this picture. She's like a Ninja Historian.