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Test Prep Magic

By Heather Wolpert-Gawron

Standardized tests are just around the corner, about to burst onto the scene accompanied by great academic hysterics. Schools are already having emergency meetings, signing legal documents full of dire security warnings, and printing advice on goldenrod paper with such sage wisdom as " Get sleep ."

Meanwhile, inside the classroom, there’s panic in the air, and panic is never a harbinger of success. Test prep generally takes the form of practice questions, daily drills at the start of class, or worse, a halting of curriculum altogether as hard-pressed teachers administer entire packets of test questions daily.

But I don’t think you should have to abandon your teaching philosophy in order to tackle standardized tests. I believe a few simple strategies, combined with solid teaching, can result in some high bang-for-your-buck test prep without...