Five Strategies for Test Prep in Middle School Math

What's your favorite time of the school year? I'm guessing that it probably isn't testing time, nor the test prep weeks leading up to it! In spite of the fact that we never want to teach to the test or prepare students just for a test, the fact remains that students have to take the standardized tests, and we want them to do the best they can. So, how can we best use our test prep to help them?

1) Spiral Review
The most effective test prep method I've found is using spiral review throughout the year. The warm-ups I use review previous concepts, reinforce current concepts, and introduce new ones. This way, we are always solidifying concepts ("prepping for the test"), and as we get closer to test time, the warm-ups give us a chance to discuss concepts that might show up in the testing, but that we won't cover until after the testing occurs.  Using these warm-ups may put me a little 'behind' in the curriculum on a daily basis, because they take time; but it helps solidify understanding and puts my students a little ahead with other concepts at the same time. I'm good with that:-)

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