Tests used to be punitive. I wielded them like a weapon, seeking out those who were underprepared and chopping them down like the knights in Monty Python. Their limbless bodies left stuck on the ground claiming that it was only a flesh wound. I showed them. I told them it was going to be hard, and it was. I found the cracks in their understanding and attacked. I don’t use tests to punish any more. Instead, they are a tool to show how much they know, not how much they missed.
Make tests easy
It was a slow shift in my mind. I’ve been at this game for 24 years now. And part of me always wanted to point out the weaknesses. There were too many gotcha questions. Too many peripheral thoughts. Now, instead of writing tests for the periphery, I try to write for the central skills. The central concepts are central for a reason. Other content probably stacks on top of it. Build a solid foundation in those central skills, so that the future building goes even smoother. Ask the questions that seem obvious. Yes, every kid will get them right (Lord willing). That’s OK. They proved that they understood the central concept. Remember, it’s central for a reason. As kids get a few right on the test, they build confidence that they can do the next one too.
Make tests hard
If you taught the content deeper than surface level, write a test that is deeper than surface level. We love teaching chemistry, in part, because it is a challenge. Your tests should be a challenge equal to the challenge that you presented them in the unit. Train them to do hard things. Ask them challenging homework questions. Make them think, communicate, re-think, and communicate again. Your test should match the rigor that you expected through the unit. Expect a lot in the unit. Then expect a lot on the test. It would be condescending to give a test that is too easy. It shows a lack of respect for the work that they put in. Let them prove what they know. Nothing feels better on a test than getting through the hardest question knowing that you could do it.
Use practice tests
This is new for me. Every unit, I write a complete practice test and post a complete key. Years ago, I would have argued that doing that was part of the wusification of American kids. Now, I feel like it allows me to get more from my students. Let me give an example.
My oldest son was a distance runner through high school. He wanted the meets to institute a random length distance race. When the racers stepped to the starting line they didn’t know if they were running and 800 up to a 5k. It would be really hard to know what strategy to use in a race like that. You are running and all of a sudden the race is over. You didn’t run your hardest. Or you bet that it will be a short race and go out hard. Then you crash after the third lap. While that would be entertaining to watch, it isn’t the best way to find out who has been training and who hasn’t.
Your tests shouldn’t be like that. The students have been trained a certain way. They should know how it feels to go out, give their best, and compete. Writing a practice test allows them to check their training.
I also use a practice test as the key that unlocks the retake. Our school allows retakes. In my class, you have to turn in the practice test before taking the real test in order to unlock the retake. The practice test is not worth any points toward their grade. But it demonstrates that they were willing to train a little harder. That makes me more willing to work with them in the retake process.
Write creative tests
All of the content above may make it feel like your tests have to be canned. Or basic. Or given to them beforehand. That is all boring. Write tests that communicate clearly, but also allow their minds to stretch. Make them interpret real world scenarios. Make them interpret sci-fi scenarios. Make them take the information that they know and put it into an active context. I like alien elements. I like any question that starts with, “A farmer wants to…”. Play “Guess Who” based off properties. (This is the one on my test this unit. A simple guess who game based off the properties of the atoms.) One of my favorites poses a scenario that the student runs into while on vacation. They have to find a way to solve it using anything in a standard motel room. (The answer for those interested is that they need to find copper in order to do a single displacement reaction. Some kids write amazing stories about how they karate chop the walls and rip the wiring out with their bloody fists. Pretty cool.) There is a sense of accomplishment in the student when they can solve a problem with what they know. They are actually doing chemistry.
Allow kids to flex
Let’s be honest, there are no kids that really love the pain of running long distance. So why do they do it? To show who they have become. They used to be slow, but now they aren’t. They used to lack the strength or skill. But now they have it. They want to prove who they have become.
Tests are the same. Let the kids prove who they have become. Don’t punish them for things that they haven’t trained for. But challenge them to show every ounce of what they have become. Tests are a tool for growth, not a sickle for harvest.
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A small example I have used for your last point "allow kids to flex" is an Extra Credit question at the end of the test "If you studied something from this chapter that was not on this test, write it as a question and answer it correctly." Students have remembered some fun little details I did put on the test because they seemed too complex and I only mentioned in passing. It has been a fun way to give them a boost and I enjoy reading the questions. Thanks for these helpful ideas!
I love the idea of using a practice test as to unlock a retake. I assume that since your school allows (instead of requires) retakes that putting a barrier to them isn't problematic. However, with publishing the answer key is there something to distinguish that they didn't just copy it? Or are you okay with copying being the minimal amount of effort? Obviously, many if not most are going to take advantage of the practice test so it can't be a big concern. I'm just wondering if you're maybe looking for something unique on open-ended questions.