It is WKCE week at my middle school. Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination. A time that is loathed by students and teachers alike. Well, I take that back. I kind of enjoy testing, and I feel really guilty about it. The room is so quiet, and I get SO MUCH done! I reorganize my files, respond to emails, clean off my desk, and just catch up on everything. Plus, I don’t have to grade it, right? I’m so sorry for enjoying it, dear students!

I do try to have a bit of fun during testing week too, especially with reading the directions. You know the directions, right? They are so tedious and repetitive. But legally, we have to read every word. Well by about the 4th session, I pause mid-sentence and let the kids guess the next word. Like “make your mark heavy and ___” “DARK!” They shout gleefully 🙂 And I also enjoy reading the directions in various accents – Southern, Jersey, Russian, Micro-Machine Man, etc.

How do you feel about standardized testing week?