The Start of Another MCAS Season
We are about to begin a new season. And I’m not talking about baseball or the Red Sox, although they are in full swing of Spring Training. This season, though, is not as well-known as fall, winter, or spring, but in this new age of education it is even more important: the MCAS season is upon us. Every student at the Nichols Middle School be starting and completing the English Language Arts (ELA) administration of the MCAS, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS for short) in the next couple of weeks.
We have to keep in the forefront of our minds that these tests are important. The reason for this is simple: the MCAS is just that important. I know it. The teachers here at NMS know it. Hopefully, the students understand it and do their best; and I am also hoping that parents are echoing these same sentiments at home.
So on Wednesday, March 25, and Thursday, March 26, 2015, for our 6th and 8th Grade Students, they will complete the ELA Reading Comprehension sections. Then on Thursday, April 2, our 7th Grade Students will complete their Long Composition portion and on Tuesday, April 7, and Wednesday, April 8, those same 7th Grade Students will complete the Reading Comprehension sections. And then starting on May 5 through 20, students will be completing the Math (Grades 6, 7, 8) and Science and Technology (Grade 8 only) portions of the tests.
These tests bring anxiety, fear, anticipation, grief, resentment, and relief. With everyone’s differing feelings on MCAS, though, one thing is for sure, they are here and we must deal with them for the best of our students. Students at NMS have been preparing all year every day in their classes for these assessments, but we all must make sure we are doing everything we can in order to make sure each and every student is ready.
I will be having meetings with each grade level to discuss the importance of the tests, better test-taking skills, and some overall strategies to help them do better and relax. Our teachers are preparing students with skills they need to succeed each and every day either through teaching to the standards, extra test prep during DIAL periods, reading and writing throughout our curricula, or working with our online math program Digits.
So what, may you ask, can parents do? Well, I am glad you asked. The following is from the Guide to the MCAS for Parents/Guardians put out by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education:
What Can I Do to Help My Child?
Supporting your child is critical now and in his or her future academic career. Here are some tips for helping your child prepare for the next MCAS test administration.
· Have regular discussions with your child’s teachers to see what you can do at home to support your child’s work in school.
· Make sure your child gets enough rest, eats properly, and arrives at school on time every day. Send your child to school prepared to learn.
· Discuss with your child subjects that need improvement and whether he or she thinks there has been improvement. If the answer is no, find out why.
· Ask your child about homework that is due tomorrow and next week, and make sure this homework is completed. Check your child's agenda nightly.
· Ask your child to explain what he or she is studying. These conversations help you follow your child’s progress, and help your child to remember what he or she has learned.
· Help your child practice MCAS test questions, and review the tests together so you will all become familiar with the expectations. Have them show you what the tests look like and try to answer the questions with him or her.
Test Prep Questions are on-line at DESE Website each day and other helpful information can also be found; there is a whole database of past tests and questions.
Our teachers have been utilizing this all year, and more and more each day as we get closer to get used to the styles of questions as well as to be more familiar with the material. We are getting there; each and every day we are getting closer to doing better as a school.
The MCAS is important. Yes, it is, but we all know that we each have a part to play in the success of each child. At NMS, we all believe each and every student can be successful at the MCAS and every other subject in school as well. We are all going to work together as diligently as we can to make sure all students do succeed. If we all keep this in mind and work together, there is no way we won’t succeed. So, ‘tis the season of MCAS for it will be just another season of success for all of us at NMS.
