The Best Test Preparation is Excellent Teaching... So what if you are a new teacher??

In Writing Essentials, Routman states that "The Best Test Preparation is Excellent Teaching" but that many education folks do not believe that. In the article Ranking, Evaluating and Liking: Sorting Out Three Forms of Judgment, Peter Elbow states that as little ranking and grading as possible should be done; and that assessent should be replaced with a more careful process; evaluation. He also states that there should be projects and places where no evaluation or grading is done at all.

In my main placement the students; fifth graders, do extensive and wide-ranging writing throughout their school day. We do aim for fluency; whether that be in the science lab that they are writing or the creative assignment "just for their journals" which would never be scrutinized for a grade. Routman would agree, in my opinion, that this will build muscle and fluency without taxing their ability to like writing. It changes, and with it so does the audience. In poetry they were given and SHOWN models of 8 different types; then asked to choose their favorite four and write them; each for a different person or audience.

Just as in Hooray for Diffendoofer Day (please please please tell me that you know this Dr. Seuss/Jack Prelutsky & Lane Smith book) The teachers taught writing, and critical thinking, and not how to take a test per se. They taught audience,and gave feedback (thoughtful feedback given in a timely manner)and the kids did fantastic on the test becuase... well, they were taught to think.

In my middle school placement I see projects and papers and quizes languish for weeks; and I cringe, quietly. Social Studies is information intensive; and my MT cares about their reading skills, and geography and thinking through WHY some states had slaves and others did not. Were some states just evil? Did it perchance have something to do with the land? It takes time and thought and she gives out a TON of homework but has no time to grade and pass back. Routman reminded me of that with the discussion of the standardized tests: without being able to examine their strengths and weaknesses on papers passed back they can't really improve their writing. At this stage of my learning I think there is too much homework, and it is too distanced from the student to do what it is designed to do. We'll see how that changes!