How to Survive Achivement Testing

Along with being the school librarian, I am also the testing coordinator for the yearly Stanford 10 Achievement test. The coordinator takes care of all the behind-the scenes work needed to get the test done and the results back. I order, organize, and distribute all the test supplies, make sure all the tests come back completed and with correct student information, send them off for scoring, and make sure all the scores are received back from the testing company. I also schedule coverage for the teachers during test breaks, do some hand-holding as nervous teachers give the test, and solve problems that come up during testing (like a teacher running twenty minutes behind schedule). It may be a necessary job but it is a painful one, what with all the paperwork and scheduling that's required to make everything go smoothly. You sure have to pay attention to details, and while I can do that, I don't find it a lot of fun for something like achievement testing.

Today the Middle School finished its four days of testing. The last day is the hardest since teachers have to read aloud to their students for 45-60 minutes (depending on the grade) for the Listening test, and then have to stop and start the Language test several times to read new instructions along the way.

I gave all the teachers a "Last day of testing survival kit" with water, chocolates, coffee nips, and cough drops. I wanted to give myself a survival kit with a bottle of wine, but I thought better of it!