The PELT test

Every month we give our Kinder classes a test to see if they have retained the lessons we taught them over the previous 4 weeks. We get to review the test with them, practicing their sentences, and making sure they are focusing on the information they will have to write about on test day. This is always somewhat nerve-wracking for me, as I want all my students to do well and I want their grades to reflect the successes we have in our classroom each month. I often have as mixture of feelings between pushing them harder the next month and not letting the pressure of a test change my classroom dynamics.

Well this month, I literally got a pit in my stomach as the children took their first standardized test. This was called the "Pelt" test and I did not even know they were having it until the morning of the test when I found scantrons on my desk. I immediately got a rush of panicked thoughts thinking, "I could have prepared them for this, I should have known, some of these kids won’t sit still for an hour, oh gosh they are all going to fail, I am a horrible English teacher!" The panic was inescapable and we were not even allowed to test our own kids. We had to give the test to someone else’s students! I thought this was absurd because I wanted to be with my own kids and see how they were doing throughout the hour, but I soon figured out why we had to switch.

 

As the students in the classroom took our their pencils, erasers, answer sheets, and test booklets I realized how inclined I felt to help them. They were expected to follow along with a CD asking them questions and then do a writing and reading portion afterwards, in total taking almost an hour! Were not allowed to explain in more detail what the test booklet directions were explaining. We just had to watch them as they answered incorrectly or did not move fast enough with the CD which was testing them on their listening skills. One child said out loud "I don't know the answer...." and then thought about it so long she missed the next few test questions that were asked on the CD. I felt such a sadness and panic for this child and wanted to repeat the questions to her so she could try to answer, but I was not allowed. It was at that moment I realized why I was not allowed to test my own kids; I totally would have cheated and helped them! The whole idea seemed crazy anyway to give a standardized test to children that are 6 or 7 years old! The poor kids were writing on the test, then were reprimanded for it and then would miss the following questions. I had flashbacks of me taking the SAT's and mixing up the numbers on the scantron and then having all my answers in the wrong place. With this thought, I was frantically rushing around the classroom to make sure the children were all on the right number according to the question being asked.

 

Throughout the test I continued to worry as to how my own children in the classroom next door were doing. I thought about the little boy who I believe has autism and wondered if he was focusing on the test or being distracted and popping up out of his seat every 2 seconds like he usually does. I thought about the kids in my class who are still way behind the curve and are always mixing up vocabulary words. Would they be getting all these questions wrong? Or the children who struggle with spelling, would they be getting all the writing questions wrong? It was so hard for me to stay in this other teachers classroom.

 

Finally I decided, I just HAD to peak in on my own children to see how they were doing. So, I lied about going to the bathroom and peaked in my room. It seemed like things were going OK, but I just felt like I had to be with them. I wanted to protect my little ducklings from the big bad cruel test that would predict their future with their test scores. I then thought about my really smart kids and had a stomach churning revelation; what if they were one of those kids that just tested poorly? I know so many children who just are not good on tests but thrive in every other way. What if they needed more time? I knew they would not be given that luxury. Just as I got to the point where I was choked up with worry, I realized the test was over. I finished up in the room I was in, and then hurried back to my classroom and told them all they did amazing! I gave them tons of encouragement even though I had convinced myself they had probably all failed.

 

After lunch that day I got the good news; only three of 12 failed! Considering the amount of concern that was overcoming my mind and body I was very happy with these results. I also found out these scores don't count for much, as this was just a practice test to get them used to the whole standardized test thing. The real life changing test would be in a week and a half and my manager was going to work during lunch with the children who had failed.

 

I thought, GREAT we can only improve from here! And then I thought, great......I have

to go through this all over again and so do they! I guess being a basket case just shows how much I love them. Oh my little ducklings, I hope they will succeed!