Standardized testing is something that makes everyone a little anxious. It is even more difficult when a student is not prepared for the test. This semester Concord High School has implemented a variety of programs in order to help students succeed, so they do not feel stuck while testing.
Each week, two days are set aside during seminar to allow students to work on these programs. For the freshmen, they spend this time working through Xello lessons. This program allows them to prepare themselves for the future while looking at what type of career or college they might want to pursue. Sophomores’ time is dedicated to working on Khan Academy. They have synced their PSAT 9 scores with the program and are working through it to understand fundamentals in Math and English. Seniors work on anything that might prepare them for college, like scholarships or applications. This allows them the time to get some of the important things they need to get done without
Avery Arbuckle is a sophomore who has been working on her own to test prep but finds this to be even more helpful. She explains how she feels Khan Academy lessons have benefitted her, “It is definitely helping me become more prepared for it, and it has also really helped me a lot with my confidence going into the PSAT.” She adds that her favorite part about the test prep is not the test prep itself, but rather the knowledge it gives her. The main thing she hopes to gain from this is an increase in her test scores. Arbuckle says, “Higher test scores can help me get into harder classes and increase my chances of getting into college.”
For juniors, standardized test preparation is even more important because that is the year they take the SAT and the ACT. They need to understand what the test will look like and what to do when they get stuck while testing. This is why the school has partnered with a program called Tutored by Teachers to work with juniors.
This organization utilizes Zoom to communicate with students to help them prepare. Each week, students in groups of two to three get one-on-one time with one of the certified teachers from the program. The mentors teach students how to navigate the test while assisting them in test-taking strategies.
Their program has been proven to raise test scores, with an average growth of 20.9% in math standards and an average growth of 22.7% in English standards. Not only does increasing scores allow for a higher chance of college acceptance and scholarships, but it also gives a chance for students to impress future employers or even allow them for a higher position when being hired.
Mrs. Snyder, the high school principal, explains why the school decided to start working with Tutored by Teachers. She says, “Our test scores have decreased over time, so when we looked through the data from our scores, we knew we had to do something drastic to support our students.” She adds that the point of the program is to help students learn the language of the questions, the way the questions are written, how they are designed, and which answers to eliminate.
Bella Coppernoll is one of the juniors who is excited to see what the program can do for her test scores. She shares how she thinks it will help her: “I feel like it will help increase test scores by learning different strategies to work through the problems.” She also explains that she is hoping to gain a better work ethic and an increase in her test scores through the program. Coppernoll finds the program to be overall very helpful, but she feels there are some ways to make it better. She says, “I think if it was completely one-on-one the program would be better. This way you would be able to ask questions without interrupting the entire class.” She is ultimately excited to see what the program can do for her test scores.
Jasmine Carr is another junior who has really enjoyed using the program over the past couple of weeks. She shares her opinions on using the program, “I think it is great because there is a person that can help you with what you are doing on the test.” She adds that this program is a good opportunity to grow her skills. Carr explains, “When they are helping you and give you something to do, it helps while you take the actual test.” Overall, she feels that the program is really useful and will help her in the future.
This is an incredible opportunity for all students who choose to utilize it to their advantage. Students who use it with an open mind can increase their scores come spring.
