Response to Emily Duvall
Article presented: Teaching to the test…not! Balancing best practice and testing requirements in writing
Some ideas that were presented that gave me something to think about in relation to my classroom practice:
Conquering Tests:
1.Reading tests test reading and writing tests test writing; just different forms or genres of reading and writing (informing, demonstrating and teaching the different genres
2.Teach children to gain control over the test taking.
3.Teach them to gain control over their own thinking by teaching them to think about their own thinking.
4.Frame the teaching of test taking as on opportunity to assess not only test taking strategies, skills, and affect, but also uncover children’s awareness of content knowledge. Use as a formative assessment when time allows; use for reflective and reflexive teaching.

What I gained is that instructional time is spent practicing for the test and because of that important and challenging topics are dropped from the curriculum. The shift of teaching for learning to teaching for the test is devastating to our classrooms, but it is happening. The article does outline best practices for test preparation. It makes reference to writing workshop and the writing process, 6 + 1 Traits, and modes of writing, as preferred curriculum that will prepare students for testing, but also give them a comprehensive background in writing based on research based theories. The article continued to give an example of how these three curriculums can work together to provide a balance writing curriculum where the teacher still can make instructional decisions based on his/her students’ needs and meet state standards using best practice.
Additionally this article highlighted three aspects found in effective writing instruction:
1.Attention to the social nature of language (Vygotsky, 1978)
2.Recognition of the importance of a student-centered focus (Moffett, 1983)
3.Use of developmentally appropriate practices (Jalongo, 2003)

I truly appreciate the focus on the above three aspect of writing instruction because they helped me validate my thinking on test preparation in writing in relation to the Resource Room setting. I am now well informed regarding writing workshop and I look forward to learning more about 6 +1 Traits and modes of writing. My district does endorse 6+1 Traits and has given me some professional development on integrating it with Step-Up to Writing. I think if I can integrate some of these different curriculums into the mini-lesson component of writing workshop that I might be able to offer my students a well rounded writing curriculum that would help them become good writers. Separate test preparation would not be necessary if the instruction is balancing best practice and testing requirements into daily writing instruction.