TOG Evaluations

[yinne]

If you are using the TOG rhetoric evaluations, how are you preparing your student for them?

 

We are using YR 2 this year and a unit covers so much material that getting ready for a test has been at times a little overwhelming.

 

Just wondering what others have done. Thanks.

 

Yvonne in NE

[CO MOM]

We did Year 2 last year and I ended up making study sheets for them. I made a list of people, dates/events, map locations, specific topics, etc. that they needed to know. These included all that were on the test, plus some extras. This covered the short answer, mapping, and timeline parts. For the essay parts, I included a "be prepared to comment on" list of topics, which included the essay topics on the test, plus used a couple from the weekly evals for "diversion". Though it took some time, it seemed to help as it gave them something to base their review on, plus included topics that weren't on the test. BTW, they had to actually look up the information to study from - I just gave a list of topics, dates, etc.

 

This year we are doing Year 4 and the scope of topics and information covered doesn't seem quite as daunting, so I am able to just use the weekly tests (we do these orally as review) and maps and timelines and point out important topics and points in a review session before the test. So far this has worked - it is hard striking a balance between too easy and completely overwhelming!

 

Hope this helps -

 

Jane

[Karenciavo]

Hi Yvonne,

 

Do you give your students weekly quizzes? My son gets the unit review guide, studies his weekly quizzes, and the major people to know and dates from the weekly overview pages each week. I also look at the exam at the beginning of the unit so I am sure to cover what is on the exam.

 

Karen

[yinne]

She does do the weekly quizzes, but they don't help on the preparation for the literature evaluation.

 

I think part of the struggle is a time issue -- we are trying to finish up one unit, start another unit and also have an evaluation squeezed in there somewhere and I think the preparation for it is not all it could be.

 

I think I need to start this 3rd unit and more strongly emphasize what is covered on the exam. I think I will follow Jane's advice and put together a study guide that she will have to fill in. I really hate to give her more work, but I think it will help in the long run. Most of the tests she has taken in the past are fill-in-the blank, T/F, multiple choice etc. These are just going to take some time to 'learn' how to take (she spends more than the time mentioned on the exam) and how to study.

 

Yvonne in NE

[April in CA]

Hi Yvonne,

This year, we are taking a week between units to do testing (we are doing year 4), which really seems to help. The trade off, of course, is that it makes the year longer. I remind my guys that testing is coming up, and a couple of weeks before the test week we start doing oral reviews for both history and lit. The lit exams are hard, and sometimes I allow them to be open book or open note. I generally allow more time than suggested for the tests because my guys generally want to write more on the history essay topics (they would be happy to skip the lit essays altogether!)

When I am leading a co-op session on a topic that I know will be on the test, I remind the students to pay attention or suggest strongly that athey might really want to make sure they understand this concept or whatever to remind them that tests are coming!

Hope this helps!

Blessings,

April (ps The students get better at these tests with time!)