State Testing Motivation

State testing is coming up next month in Maryland. My school has a variety of motivators for the students but they haven't changed in the past few years. Have you found anything that works well?

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Permalink Reply by Kate Mason on March 4, 2012 at 3:28pm

Thanks, great ideas! I think extra recess sounds like a plan.

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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Shuman on March 6, 2012 at 10:54am

I worked at a school that allowed the students to collaborate and make little raps/songs about dominating the state test. A teacher and media specialist helped them do a rough edit and then the videos were played every morning on every tv in the school. The kids LOVED creating the videos and then watching their friends.

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Nixon on March 7, 2012 at 2:46pm

Kate,

Some of my schools do the "MSA pep rally". It is a way for K-2 students to cheer on K-3 students and gets the school excited about the test. Anything that gives students a feeling of pride may help motivate them on the test.

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Permalink Reply by Mollie Dwyer on March 12, 2012 at 7:50pm

My school has the K-2 classes decorate the doors of the 3-5 classrooms with motivating messages. Our mascot is a cougar, so one of the messages is "Stay Paws-itive for MSA". On the actual test days, the 3-5 teachers provide breakfast for their students to motivate them to be on time, and to give them energy.