End of Year Test Prep Tips

One of my least favorite things about the end of the school year is the state testing and the stress of test prep! I love it once it is all over, and I can focus on celebrating my students and the learning that has happened this year. As a new teacher, I never really knew HOW to prepare my students for testing. This blog post is all about how to effectively plan for test prep. I have also shared my Test Prep Made Easy organizer with you for free!

What do you do to prepare for the end-of-year testing? Do you try to review and reteach everything you have taught this year? (This was me!) Do you focus on the main things and hope for the best? Do you just go into testing with the hope that they remember everything?

My first couple years of teaching, I would try to re-teach everything from the year! Every year, I realized how impossible this was, but I never knew how to not do it, so I continued using this "strategy". I still had units and standards to teach before testing that we hadn't even gotten to yet. EEEK!

In year 5, I finally learned I needed to review, while having faith in the teaching I had done all year and the learning my students had done all year. We had all put in countless hours of hard work and dedication to learning and preparing for these tests, so I needed to trust everything we had done as a TEAM.

Tips For Successful Test Prep

1. Figure out Your Timeline

I hated cramming all my test prep into the week or two before the test, so my test prep planning strategy starts weeks before. Here's the formula I use to calculate how many weeks in advance to start prepping. Figure out the number of units you teach and calculate that many weeks before testing to start reviewing, it's that easy! (For me, we have 7 units in 4th grade. I do not review measurement because I am teaching that up until testing so it is still fresh. Therefore, I start reviewing 6 weeks prior to testing.)

My Test Prep Made Easy organizer is set up for 7 weeks, with a blank organizer if you have more units than that! It's perfect for deciding when and how you will set up your test prep, plus a notes page to keep track of student data.

2. Dedicate Time for In-Class Review

Once I have my timeline in place, having a dedicated time for reviewing for the tests IN class helps keep everything on the right path. I will carve out a specific time during my class or switch up my normal routines to incorporate test prep. For example, I typically use my morning work time each day to test prep, but I have also changed up my math centers, bell ringers, or independent work time to include test prep.

For my math centers, I use Math Detective sets. Students LOVE these. Students work together to solve a crime by answering 20 problems correctly. The best part is you can use them as classroom transformations throughout the year as well! You can find my Math Detectives Bundle here! (I am always adding new sets and standards. The earlier you buy, the more you get for FREE!)

3. Allow Options for At-Home Review

Since I am still assigning math homework for the content I am currently teaching, I use test prep at home as an opportunity for extra credit. Quick 10-question assessments that are broken down by skill are the perfect way to do this. They are not overwhelming for the students, and they can complete them at their own pace.

If you are teaching fourth grade, I use these 4th Grade Assessments. There are about 10 problems per page and 22 assessments total. Each assessment covers a different standard. I also have other review check-ins that cover 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade!

4. Reward Their Hard Work (with a twist)

I want my students to know that these tests do not define my students (or us as teachers!), so I celebrate all their hard work BEFORE testing even begins. On the day before the test, we have reviewed and prepped all we can, so why not calm their nerves and have a small celebration? As long as the students are present and have tried their best in preparing, they participate in the award! It's a great feeling, and we all go into testing the next day relaxed and ready!

Testing does not have to feel overwhelming and stressful. With prior planning, in-class practice, options for at-home review, and a celebration you and your students will feel confident on testing day!

How do you plan for your test prep, without getting stressed?! Tell me in the comments!