Aberdeen School Prepares for State Testing

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – Aberdeen educators try to break down walls in test scoring.

For the past few years, the results have been disappointing, with less than half the students scoring proficient in basic english, math, and science.

Teachers and administrators are using several strategies to get students prepared and pumped up for the tests.

It can be hard to motivate kids for a test, because let’s be honest, when have tests ever been fun?

From the looks of things at Belle-Shivers, though, their new approach to the state tests seem to be making some progress.

Students engage in the classroom at Belle-Shivers Middle School in Aberdeen.

With state tests approaching, the state of mind is positive.

“Right now the kids are all hyped up,” said 4th Grade Science and Social Studies Teacher, Lamonica Calvert.

“I think they’re more excited than nervous,” said 5th Grade Science Teacher, Amanda Jencik.

For a school district receiving C ratings and low proficiency in basic subjects, teachers decided to take a more hands-on approach.

“We look at the kids data. At the beginning of the year, we take a test, and it tells if the kids are in the lower percentile,” said Calvert. “It breaks them down low, high, middle.”

Teachers work with students in those low percentile areas, giving them the confidence they need when state testing comes around.

“I think they’re very aware that they’re capable of doing amazing on these tests,” said Jencik. “They work so hard every single day, from the second they walk in to the second they leave, so I think there’s a lot of excitement in the air.”

When we visited Belle-Shivers, students were actually going over last year’s state test.

Teachers hope these exercises will have students leaving for the weekend with all of their practice fresh on the mind.

“Map test reviews, just any kind of problems in math that the kids need, we’ve been refocusing, redirecting, doing everything we can. Language as well, we’ve been reading passages, dissecting passages: Part A – Part B, anything we can do to get the kids hyped up about this test and on their way to proficiency and above,” said Calvert.

State testing for Belle-Shivers begins next week.

We wish them the best of luck.