Students in Indiana embarked on ISTEP testing recently and unique approaches were taken to prepare students not just academically, but emotionally, for the total of 16 days of testing.
At Marquette Montessori, students taking ISTEP participated in a "Rock the Test" assembly and "Tunnel of Success" through our hallways with younger students cheering and offering high-fives along the way. This process leads to our first- and second-graders looking forward to taking ISTEP.
Fellow parent Elena Mangione pointed out to me that this schoolwide engagement is important for everyone, "Celebrating each other makes them part of everyone's success and others part of theirs."
The hard work done by students, parents and staff will have the largest impact on students' ISTEP performance, but the staff of South Bend schools should be commended for balancing the need to work hard to make improvements in student achievement on standardized tests against the pressure 8-year-olds feel to perform on a big, mean, state test. I applaud our educators for finding creative ways to make ISTEP a rite of passage and something to look forward to instead of dread.
James Brogdon
Mishawaka
Mishawaka
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