Ahhh...Spring Break! Warming temperatures and sunshine tease those who long to be outside playing.
Wait!
Not so fast, kiddos!
Before Spring Break or our month long vacation (we're on a year-round schedule), you'll need to take a 4+ hour grueling writing assessment!
And so, the day before our break, my kids spent the better part of a short day in the testing lab. Needless to say, their motivation to test and do well waned.
Despite what you may think, this post is not to complain about testing or the timing of such a test. I'm writing this post because I'm so proud of my kiddos for "buckling down" and writing some great essays.
It wasn't easy to focus. The test was challenging. I could not help them as I would normally do in the classroom. Before they submitted their test, I asked one question, "Is this your BEST work?" Without fail, my students thought a moment and responded with "I think I can make my essay better."
Afterwards, I watched as my students proofed and edited their writing a little more carefully. All of our hard work paid off. Sure, we still have a lot of work and learning to do. It's March. But, I couldn't have been prouder of my students for demonstrating their desire to work until they could say, "Yes, this is my best work!"
