Teachers seek a stress-free FCAT

It's Monday, one day before the FCAT test for students at Brooksville Elementary School. Rather than worry about the state exam, they sang and danced to music, laughed and relaxed.

Along with the goofiness and fun, Vice Principal Nancy Johnson said test-taking tips were also mixed in - allowing children to unwind while still thinking about what has to be done each night as they prepare for another day of taking state assessments.

"There's a lot of stress involved for students, teachers and administrators and parents surrounding these tests," Johnson said. "This was just a fancy way of telling them to make sure they bubble their answers in and other tips - and to make it fun."

For the next two weeks, students in third through 10th grades throughout Hernando County will be taking reading, math and science exams for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Tuesday was the first day of exams in reading, followed by another round of testing today. Thursday will be a mixture of reading and math, as well as science exams and retaking tests.

Whether it's a trip to a nearby park, T-shirt contest or parent skits, Linda Pierce, testing specialist for the school district, said the past few weeks teachers have been working to prepare students for the test as well as finding fun ways to keep students stress-free.

In some schools, such as Spring Hill Elementary, students have been having contests while in others, such as John D. Floyd K-8, students and teachers could purchase "FCAT grams" to be sung to classrooms and individuals from the area Kiwanis Club.

Parents also have gotten involved, Pierce said, by performing skits that were broadcast on televisions in the schools.

As state lawmakers continue to put more emphasis on measuring student and teacher performance, Pierce said it's easy for that stress to be passed from administrators to teachers and then students.

For that reason, she said more emphasis over time has been placed on alleviating student stress so they can better perform.

Even high school students benefit, she said, but not the same way as elementary and middle school students. Usually, she said candy and food work as better motivators.

"There are stresses with these tests on all levels because, along with the students having to take them, there's also a lot of money tied to those scores," Pierce said. "But there are a lot of teachers who are being really creative in keeping kids learning and making it fun so that they're not so stressed come test time."

One particular example Pierce said, was at Eastside Elementary, where in preparation for FCAT writing tests last month, fourth-grade teachers Jennifer Sisco and Ed Shaeffer assigned students to write instructions about making s'mores and to write campfire stories.

Following those assignments, a tent was set up in the classroom and students shared their stories while also following their instructions as written on making - and eating-the s'mores.

Shaeffer said the assignment worked three-fold by giving students the experience of writing along with seeing how what they write correlates into real life.

And last, but not least, he said students knew ahead of time that a treat would be offered after they finished their work.

"It really does help take the edge off from testing," Shaeffer said. "We really haven't seen the kids acting too stressed and we've even had some kids, who said they don't like to write, get more confident."

Although the tests are considered an important part of measuring progress and increase student achievement, Pierce said third-graders face particular stress with the test since a low score could mean they would be held back another year.

According to the state, if a student scores a 1 out of a possible 5, he or she wouldn't be allowed to move on to fourth grade.

There are alternative tests that would allow the student to be exempt from being held back.

To receive a high school diploma, high school students must also pass 10th-grade FCAT in reading and math.

As students continue to test this year, Pierce said educators and students can expect more changes to come in testing. Lawmakers are considering end-of-course exams to replace FCAT in high school. She added that Hernando and Central High schools were chosen to be part of a field test in using them in algebra.

"In the next couple years, it's likely that 30 percent of a student's grade will eventually be tied to a test at the end of the course," Pierce said. "There might be a day when FCAT goes away, but you can expect something to take its place."