Project Implementation

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Transcript:
The goal of my TechQuest was to find a program which would help my third grade students better prepare for test taking. I had hoped to find a program which would help my students learn to read for better comprehension and also to learn how to go back through what they have read and find the information they need to answer the related questions.
After many searches I found only a few options. The first was Accelerated Reader which my school currently uses. My problem with Accelerated Reader is that it does not actually teach test taking strategies. Instead, it simply asks question about selected books and keeps track of the points they earn for correct answers. The other programs that kept appearing during my research are Study Island and Raz-Kids. Each of these programs are intended to be adopted by schools or districts and have a cost involved. I am currently working as a long-term sub, so I am not in a position to ask for funding or to attempt to implement a program as I will most likely not be in the building next year. Furthermore, I’m not sure that either of these programs really fit the description of what I was looking for which is a group of lessons addressing how to approach reading questions on tests as well as on their assignments.
I finally decided, with the help of my instructor, that I would create my own resource in the form of a wiki. I can use my wiki to teach a test taking strategies unit with my students. The other third grade teachers that I work with plan on using this resource also, as we will all be doing end of the year assessments in the coming weeks. Our team plans on beginning the unit the first week of May.
I have had to adjust my direction a few times since I began this assignment. I thought I would have an easier time finding resources. Many of my searches turned up tips for taking standardized tests such as get a good night’s sleep and eat a good breakfast. They did not offer skills practice. They also tended to focus more on high school and college aged students and therefore were not appropriate for my 8 and 9 year olds. I have managed to find some websites that have great strategies, and I am excited to try them with my students. I look forward to further implementing my project in the coming weeks.