” Can I take a test?”

This is the most common phrase I have been hearing in my classroom recently. My students have been bitten by the Accelerated Reader bug, big time. The class has its own challenges with the language barrier (almost all of my students are from the Middle East)and low academic skills. This program has somehow caught their interest.

The strange thing is I really haven’t done much to promote their interest. In the past I have given rewards for achieving goals, but not this time. The students get the report of their results and when they complete a certificate they get a copy to go on the wall in our hall with one to take home as well. Praise and encouragement are also freely given.

To manage the test taking process students are allowed to take tests just about any time.  The only exception are when another teacher or I are teaching.

We’ll be starting Accelerated Math soon and I hope this catches their interest as well.

UPDATE

We just recently finished our second quarter and my two classes passed a little over 500 tests that quarter.  One class passed 87% of their tests and the other class passed 84%.