Testing season is stressful. The task of scheduling testing for each student in the school is difficult. It causes significant stress due to time logistics, student absences, and disrupted schedules. Teachers know how difficult it can be to deal with odd and awkward time gaps. What testing season activities can fill those holes?
Teachers spend a lot of time juggling schedule and testing material. Students are anxious about the tests as well. Often the mood in the classroom can feel tense.
We at Rocket Math are concerned about the success of students. We know how precious teaching time is. We believe that doing Rocket Math practice sessions can significantly aid during the busy spring test season. Here are five reasons why doing Rocket Math is a great activity during testing season.
1. Rocket Math is a time efficient testing season activity.
Your students are familiar with the Rocket Math routine. They know just what to do. The process of doing Rocket Math from start to finish should take no longer than ten to fifteen minutes. When you have one of those short intervals created by the testing schedule, you can make good use of this short amount of time. Rocket Math fits in a short amount of time and is still productive.
2. Rocket Math can be used during multiple testing season gaps.
As test schedules tend to have multiple gaps, Rocket Math works great as an activity that can be used multiple times throughout the day without causing extra work for teachers. Students actually appreciate the opportunity to have another chance to practice Rocket Math in the same day.
Students can easily use Rocket Math a second or third time during their school day without any negative impact. In fact, multiple sessions of Rocket Math during a single day can help students progress faster.
3. Rocket Math is a testing season activity that doesn’t require re-teaching lessons.
As students are taking make-up tests, the rest of their classmates need something to do in the classroom. Because students work in pairs during Rocket Math allows students to work through math lessons on their own. Because it is just practice, there is no need to re-teach material, students taking their make up tests filter back into the classroom.
As long as there is at least a 15-minute gap between testing sessions, students can easily complete a Rocket Math session. The best part is, because students are familiar with the Rocket Math process, teachers don’t need to explain a new activity to each student who filters in after testing.
4. Rocket Math is a highly engaging and productive testing season activity.
Many teachers struggle to fill time in the gaps between test sessions. Reading time or make-up work is often the go-to solution. Teachers know that these activities don’t seem productive or engaging. Plus, students know that these time-filling activities “don’t count.” Rocket Math however, does count!
In contrast, Rocket Math offers students a fun and creative way to effectively learn critical skills that are necessary for future success.
5. Rocket Math is a testing season activity that students truly enjoy.
Accountability tests can cause stress due to unfamiliarity, whereas Rocket Math offers students comfort in an activity that they know and enjoy. As Rocket Math shows progress along the way, each student gains a sense of pride in their accomplishment and is more likely to feel motivated to continue learning.
When there are gaps between test sessions, Rocket Math can provide students a boost of confidence as they are instantly gratified by their success.
During this busy spring test time, I highly recommend teachers are prepared with their Rocket Math folders to help productively fill the time gaps left in the daily schedule. Rocket Math is a quick and easy testing season activity. It can be used during multiple gaps as an engaging learning tool. Doing Rocket Math helps students feel accomplished in an otherwise stressful testing period.