....at least those of us in TAKS grades!
Tuesday, yes, THIS Tuesday, March 1st, is the Writing TAKS test for my seventh graders. They will have to sit in a room ALL day long, answering grammar questions to the best of their ability and writing to a narrative/reflective prompt that is likely to be the WORST prompt ever to be given. :(
What I hate most about TAKS is that my sweet precious kiddos get so nervous. Their eyes fill with anxiety and proclamations of self-doubt.
They are, without a doubt, ready to meet this test head-on and blow it clear out of the water, but they do not believe that they are capable of this.
I would like you to see what I have the students go through in order to keep their brains focused.....sometimes I am not so sure it works.
The first thing they are to do is READ the prompt. Example: Write a composition about a time you tried something you thought was difficult.
They will then DECONSTRUCT the prompt. This means that they will identify the important words in the prompt and DEFINE them. Example: Write a composition (essay) about a time (single occasion for some event) you tried (attempted) something you thought (consider something carefully) was difficult (not easy/requiring effort).
Next, they will create a T-CHART. On the right side of the T-Chart they will write their ideas about the prompt. They must have 3-5 ideas per prompt. They will then pick the prompt with the most action/feeling/emotion/fabulous description. AFTER picking the best idea, they will write description words and sensory words. They CANNOT use everyday words (sad, mad, glad, fun, excited, amazing, cool, etc.) They MUST use a Thesaurus for this step. They must have 30-35 descriptive/sensory words.
After that, they will create their BUBBLE MAP. This bubble map will have FIVE bubbles, give or take. In the beginning paragraph they will have to address the prompt in an interesting way that will HOOK the reader. They will begin their story with an ACTION, DESCRIPTION, or STATEMENT/Dialogue (this dialogue will have to be full of emotion to drag the reader into the story). The next three paragraphs will be describing the event/narrative in full detail. The final paragraph MUST have a reflection in it. They have to close out the essay and then inform the reader of how they have been bettered/changed during this event or due to this event.
They have to revise using revision symbols. Circles are placed around the first word of every sentence. Triangles are used for punctuation. Rectangles are used for verbs. Explosions are used for adjectives and hearts are placed around adverbs. And they underline all FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) also known as conjunctions and all transition words (However, although because, since, until, therefore, finally, etc.)
They then double check for worn out words, and contractions. IF they have any of these, and they always have many of these, they work on correcting them for better words and interesting vocabulary.
The FINAL copy is the absolute LAST step and one that takes seemingly FOREVER to get to.....or so they think.
That is just a portion of the strategies to be used on their test this Tuesday! They have grammar question highlighting and identifying strategies as well.
I talked with them about their abilities, talents, weaknesses (and how they were WAY better than the other 7th graders on campus AND WAAAAAY better than the now 8th graders were last year. They just stared at me like deer in headlights and occasionally shook their heads blankly, as if they were not going to believe a word I said about their "good" qualities.
I believe that stress is definitely in the air for us all, but I also believe that we are going to "Fire Up the TAKS!"
Fire Up--is being used with this generation of kiddos as an emotional attack. IF they get someone angry or upset they have "Fired them up". This was not the intention of our Superintendent when she listed the theme for all district schools this past August. :) She means that we are going to catch the passion and burn the flame....caring it with us from place to place (classroom to classroom) never letting the flame burn out (never letting the learning cease).
Please keep my kiddos and ALL 4th grade and 7th grade public school kiddos, from the state of Texas, in your thoughts and prayers. They need peace in their minds and hearts!
Thank you!
