The first twenty minutes of SBA testing with my 5th graders was pure torture… but after things got settled, they remained settled the entire week. Student behavior wise– this was the absolute best week all year. I don’t get it. On top of being confused by their overall good behavior, I am blown away with their effort towards completing the test.
Does everyone take the SBA? I don’t know, but being a special education teacher, I’ve had the privilege the last couple of years to implement testing accommodations. Readers, scribes… let’s just say, my mind has basically taken the SBA 5 times… 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade tests. The rigor is high, the passages are LONG, and the directions are confusing.
My students stay focused, took notes, and worked through a grade level test that for some is much higher than their academic levels. Students that produced very little written expression work throughout the school year had produced paragraphs. I don’t know what was going on but it felt like magic. I didn’t even lay on heavy incentives… We had donuts one morning and flavored milk another–but that was just for some team bonding. My fifth graders are spread out among 3 different general education classrooms and the only time I see them all together is during lunches or if I go to recess.
Last year, I had to keep switching my groups around because they all hated each other… Fights over classwork was the theme. Throwing chairs, hateful words, kicking under the table… That’s where the rule “if you can’t hold in your anger, take it out on Mrs. Boston” came in. I decided instead of them trying to hurt each other, they could say all the hurtful and anger things to me instead. Slowly but surely they stopped fighting and hurting each other… and started to really trust me. To see all 9 of them crammed into my tiny classroom to complete a massive and difficult test… and laugh with each other during their breaks… and beg spend lunch in our room (after we had been together all day and would continue after lunch….) to watch Sing. I love them.
MONDAY D E T A I L S — Happy Birthday, Mr. D!
Top: Similar | Jeans: Nordstrom Rack – similar | Shoes: H&M | Earrings: Nordstrom
TUESDAY D E T A I L S
Dress: H&M, sold out – similar | Jean Jacket: Nordstrom Rack (small) | Shoes: Target (back in stock!!!!) | Earrings: Target
WEDNESDAY D E T A I L S
Top: H&M, sold out, similar | Jeans: J.Crew | Shoes: Sam Edelman true to size AND come in 16 different colors!
T H U R S D A Y DETAILS
Dress: Asos (size 2) | Shoes: Target, old, similar and I LOVE them! | Bag: Kate Spade
F R I D A Y DETAILS
Top: Target, similar | Pants: Express | Sweater: Old Navy (30% off) color sold out
It’s 10:30 on a Friday and I’m sitting here tearing up over how much my fifth graders have grown… What I would do to have one more year with them. I’m going to be working on a lot of blog posts this week, returning a bunch of items I ordered on-line, and CLEANING! What are you all doing this weekend? Happy shopping! 🙂
