The end of Semester Tests *whew*

I am so glad to be done with all those tests. 22 classes to review with, test, and grade. I feel like I didn't even see my students during that time. I am so glad to be back to actual art lessons.

I learned a lot though from the last few weeks. Here are the highlights:

1. A semester's-worth is too much information for an elementary student to remember all at once.
2. This semester I will strive to give a small quiz at the end of each unit instead. And maybe a cumulative test at the end to see if they retained the info, depends how the quizzes go.
3. Asking them to switch papers and check each others is a mess unless it's multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank, but this is art and it can be hard to write an art test in that format. It's easier to check them myself, and doesn't use class time.
4. Tests should be written so that I can hand it to another adult and they could administer it to a student, without additional instructions from me.
5. Tests should be written so that a parent can look at it and understand what their child was supposed to do, and can understand why the child got something right or wrong.
6. It's really hard to write a test where the child's success is only dependent on one skill. (The skill you are testing). If I ask them to draw a red wavy line and they draw a yellow one is it because they don't know their colors or their lines? Tests should be written so it's obvious.
7. Sometimes it's ok to put a hint on the test. 3rd grade memory retrieval isn't as good as mine, it's ok to give them a few starting colors to help them fill in the rest of the color wheel. They are 3rd graders.
8. Ditto for 5th graders. A word bank would have worked wonders.
9. It is very interesting to read a test to a student one-on-one and watch the gears in their brain turn as they answer questions, pause, erase their answer, etc, and finally end up with the right answer.
10. Tests give you eye-opening information about your students and about your teaching. I have a better idea of which students I need to check in with more, and which ones clearly pay attention. I also know which concepts were taught better than others, and what I need to improve for next time.
11. I will continue to use tests/quizzes to assess my students because of #10. But I will always think wistfully of the time we could have spent painting instead. (Maybe I need to make the tests paintable! Hmmm.....seriously......)
12. Lastly, I am still struggling to find the balance in the art room between teaching specific concepts/vocabulary/skills and allowing creativity/freedom/exploration. Both are important, and both take time. I am trying to weave them together.