The Realities of State Testing

Episode Transcript

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:00:00]:
Last time on Year one, Jenna had her first meeting with the school principal. After a surprise classroom observation, she was like.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:00:08]:
And I can tell that all of these behavior problems are taking a toll on you. Like, the way you're talking about it, I can see that it's, like, weighing you down. And I'm so embarrassed, but I started to cry in front of my principal. I thought I was putting on a brave face about it, but, you know, she knows me. She knows that I was having a hard time.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:00:26]:
On this episode, Jenna navigates the state testing process for the very first time and experiences the intense pressure this creates for both students and teachers. This is Year One from Carnegie Learning, a podcast that chronicles all the ups and downs of one teacher's first year in the classroom. I'm your host, Kanika Chadda Gupta. With the arrival of spring, teachers across the country face a familiar challenge. State testing. There's a lot of pressure surrounding these tests, and for Jenna, it's intensified by the fact that it's her first time administering them. These assessments are designed to gauge whether students are meeting the educational standards set by the state. And while they are meant to assess student progress, there are concerns about their impact on teaching and learning.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:01:15]:
Many argue that state testing creates excessive stress for both students and teachers, often pushing educators to prioritize test preparation over fostering a richer learning experience. This was something Jenna found particularly frustrating as she began preparing her class for the upcoming exam.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:01:34]:
It's always so hard because kids show their learning and understanding in such different ways. And it's so frustrating because that was something that in college, like, our professors would pound into us. Like, they would teach us all the different modes of learning and all of these different ways that these students can show what they're doing and how we can implement all these different strategies to reach every type of learner in our classroom. And then when we actually get into the field, we're essentially teaching towards a test. Like, obviously, we are hitting our standards and we're following our curriculum, and we're doing things along the way that are beneficial for our kids. But at the end of the day, like, we just spent a lot of our time doing review packets for this test. Did we make it fun? Did we make it engaging? Yes. But, like, that's what we're forced to do.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:02:18]:
But there's just such a difference between your ideal classroom where you're picturing all these different modes of learning happening and all these students out of their seats and working together and whatever, and then you get into the actual classroom and it's like, one, they can't handle that. Two, you can't reach all of the types of learners in one setting, like, in one time. I don't know. There's just such a difference between what your perception of what your, like, fluid, engaging classroom is going to look like versus what. What the reality is. And the reality is that you have to set those structured routines. And unfortunately, our education system forces us to stick to our standardized tests, so that's what we're teaching towards, which is unfortunate, but it's kind of the reality.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:03:05]:
Balancing effective test preparation with an inclusive learning atmosphere can be really challenging. But for Jenna, the goal is clear. With so much riding on the performance of her students, both for their futures and her evaluation as a teacher, success is important.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:03:22]:
I'm feeling scared because, like, just as a teacher in general, I feel if a couple of my kids don't do well, if it's like the kids that I know struggle with reading or like, I know they struggle with this skill, then, like, yes, that makes sense. But if my whole class as a group struggles or doesn't score as well as the other third grade classes, then, like, that's on me as a teacher. And I think that's what's starting to stress me out is, like, it's not just, how are your kids going to do individually, it's how is your class going to do, and how is that going to compare to the other classes, not only in this elementary school, but also with all of the other third graders in the state? So I think it's just a game of comparison that I'm going to try not to play. Then I'll, like, panic, talk to my co workers and be like, we need to do this, we need to do this. And then there are other days where, like, the reality sinks in of, oh, no, I have to prepare these kids. Especially when I'm thinking about state testing, I'm like, holy cow, I have so much to teach these kids before then, and that is quite literally my responsibility. And I know that doesn't reflect on me as a teacher, but also in the same sense, it's my job to prepare them for it. And when the stakes are so high with state testing, how am I supposed to follow all these rules that I've never heard before? How do I even get my kids onto this website? And what am I allowed to do? And what am I not allowed to do? There are so many rules and expectations that you have to follow that, like, if anything were to happen, I would have had to fill out like an incident form and like, sent it to the state.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:04:53]:
So I was more nervous not only about handling the behaviors, but also the logistics of the behaviors, like, I don't know, like, the routines and the rules that I would have to follow if anything were to happen. And also since I can't say anything, I was also like bouncing, ping ponging in my head back and forth, being like, if a kid were to have a breakdown or a moment of frustration, I don't know what I'm technically allowed to say to them to help regulate them because it's not part of the script and like, you're only supposed to read from the script while they're taking the test.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:05:25]:
Studies show that students who don't score at least proficient on the state tests are more likely to be held back a grade that can have a big impact on their long term education. And Jenna is doing her very best to make sure her students feel prepared. Because even though she knows that standardized tests don't capture all the ways students have learned and grown over the year, the test results will reflect many hours of hard work that both Jenna and her students have put in.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:05:53]:
We are doing everything we can to sneak some test prep into our curriculum. It's not like we're just throwing our kids into it and being like, good luck. Like, we are still doing our job of prepping them for these tests coming up. But it's just how they respond to it that's going to be interesting and is a little, a little scary when you think about it. In the timeline of things. Something that we're working so hard on right now is like, proving their answers because they're going to have to do that whether it's in math or whether it's in writing or reading. You have to explain your thinking and explain why you think that. And it's just something that these third graders do not get yet.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:06:32]:
I'll be like, how do you know that? And they'll be like, I just know. Or they'll show their work. And I'll be like, all right, explain the answer now. Like, if this person had this many apples and now they have this many blah, blah, why, they'll just like, draw an arrow to their work. And I'm like, no, you have to explain it with words.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:06:51]:
On top of the prep work at school, Jenna also helps her students with ways to prep at home.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:06:58]:
I warned my parents during parent teacher conferences back in October when those happened. So, like, it's been on their radar for a long time. I'm hopeful that they did their part at home and followed through with prepping for those sorts of things as well. Basically, all prep that can happen at home is optional. And like, we can't force them to do anything at home, but we like to give them all the materials and access to everything that they can do in order to prep and continue their learning at home. Also, we handed them a list of different either apps that are already on their kids iPads, Whether it's just like a simple math game that's on their iPad they can play at home, or if it's an actual website that's going to give them an article and questions to answer to practice that testing format if that makes sense.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:07:45]:
To help ease some of the stress that comes with such an important test, Jenna's school brought in resources to tackle test anxiety head on.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:07:54]:
We actually had our counselor come in our room the Friday before testing and she did a whole lesson on test anxiety with my class. Like flat out. It was called test anxiety lesson. As 8 year olds, they literally had a 45 minute lesson on testing anxiety. So, like, they would walk through like steps on how to help yourself, how to help regulate yourself for like, strategies on how to calm down if you're feeling frustrated, like, reminding everyone to take their time, reminding everyone that it's just a test and like, it doesn't define you as a person. We just have to get through it and you have to show what you know, like that sort of thing. They were into it. It was like an interactive lesson where it would be like a list of different things that they had to choose that would help them the most after a test to help decompress and like, they could choose, like, go for a walk.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:08:40]:
They could choose get up and move, they could choose put your head down, they could choose get a fidget. Like, they could choose all these different things. So it was cool to like, as a teacher to see their response of how they were feeling about what they need after they're done taking a test or before they take a test.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:08:57]:
With all the prep work in school and at home behind them, the morning of the state test finally arrived.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:09:05]:
I was super, super nervous when we first took the test. I was so scared, like, am I going to mess something up? Like, am I going to screw them over if I make a mistake? And then as soon as we got them logged on, I was like, oh, we're good, we're totally fine. We can get through everything we need to get through. It was definitely a weird feeling because.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:09:22]:
With all the other tests that we've taken so far this year. I can always help my kids. We've learned it together. Once we're taking the test, I can answer any questions. I can't help them find the answer, obviously, but I can clarify things for them, or I can help guide them in the right direction or at least tell them to, like, go back and reread the story. Like, when you're taking state testing, you cannot give any sort of advice like that. So as a teacher, I was, like, trying to keep my mouth closed because all I do is help kids all day long. And then all of a sudden, we're taking these tests, and I'm like, oh, I gotta zip my lips.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:09:52]:
I literally can't do anything.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:09:53]:
So, yeah, definitely panic in the morning. And then once things started rolling, I felt better as things went on. Now that I've gone through the whole experience, my nerves are settled a little bit.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:10:05]:
Fortunately, Jenna's students also seem to have their nerves under control.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:10:10]:
No big breakdowns, no refusals, which I was worried for, because I definitely have some behaviors that have had breakdowns and refusals over different tests in the past. Like, there's a handful of my kids who almost always have behavior issues, especially when, like, the room has to be a calm, quiet environment where, like, stakes are high, you're working hard by yourself. I have some students that are super, super dependent on me, walking them through step by step. And those were mostly the kids that I was nervous about. And what's nice is that some of those kids that I was nervous about, they have IEPs which give them other accommodations while testing, so they were able to go test with other teachers in, like, a small group setting or an individual setting or in a different room with different teachers, different proctors, whatever, according to their accommodations, whatever they got. So overall, I'm really proud of my kids and, like, seeing the whole process come through, like, fruition to the very end of it. I can now say that, like, oh, I've done it.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:11:08]:
While Jenna knows that standardized tests don't capture everything her students have learned over the year, finishing the test is still a reflection of all the hard work that she and her students have put in. And with the test behind her and the pressure lifted, all Jenna can do now is wait for the results.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:11:28]:
One of our teammates texted, and she was like, scores her out. Everyone go look. It was definitely, like, a rush. I, like, pulled it on my bed first thing on Saturday morning. When I saw the text, I was like, oh, I got a check.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:11:40]:
Jenna's feelings of pride were palpable. As she excitedly reviewed the scores and reflected on the achievement with her coworkers.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:11:49]:
We were all just like, kind of looking for everything and just like, you know, processing to ourselves about the capabilities of our kids and how they perform, being like, oh, I wish these kid would have done just a little bit better, like, oh, that makes sense, or oh, I'm so proud of this one. So definitely it was, it was a rush of emotions, both good and bad, because there were definitely some kids that way outdid themselves and it was so impressive. And, you know, that's when you got to focus on. So it's those kids that, you know, really showed their best of their abilities. You know, you got to be proud of and also be proud of the kids who maybe didn't do their best, but still kind of nor so definitely both good and bad. But overall, a very, a very thrilling, filling ride in motion. Trying to, you know, get all that on my computer. It feels like it's a reflection of how you are doing as a teacher because it's how much that student is learning and how much they're showing of that learning on their test.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:12:38]:
So, like, that's definitely a huge part of it. But also, like, as their teacher, you're just investing in them. You are just right there on the sidelines with them and you just. If you have that relationship with the kid, you really want to know how they did, like, good or bad. So, yeah, it's because I care.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:12:57]:
This is Year One, an exploration of one teacher's first year in the classroom classroom brought to you by Carnegie Learning. Join us for the rest of the series as we follow Jenna through every moment. And be sure to follow miss.macNulty on Instagram and TikTok. For additional exclusive content, free teaching resources and more, visit yearonepodcast.com. Next time on Year One.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:13:22]:
As we approach the final months of school, Jenna discovers firsthand why teachers often see an increase in behavioral challenges this time of year.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:13:31]:
They sense that it's so close, like, it's nice outside. They're, like, starting to get sweaty at recess again, like, they're ready to go and, like, enjoy the summer months. And I don't know, it's like this internal timer has just, like, gone off in their brain and they know that it's time to go and it's almost the end of the year.