Chapter 6: Fair isn't Always Equal

The chapter primarily focuses on the different helpful hints in prepare a test for students.  These examples are:

• ·         Make It Efficient for Students: try provided the answer for the student to circle rather than writing out, or try to avoid the constant flipping of pages due to questions/answers on different pages.
• ·         Double Recording of Test Responses: I have never had a teacher do this for me but this would have made it so much less stressful for me. This helpful hint has the students copy their answers in 2 different spots, so this way when everyone has handed in their test, the teacher can go over the answers and the students would be exactly what they got.
• ·         Make Prompts Clear: this also means avoiding confusing negatives.
• ·         Keep It Short: There are concepts that need extra questions to fully assess the students learning, but for the ones that don’t, don’t make it longer for you and the student as it is unnecessary.
• ·         Be Careful of Timed Tests: this will eliminate much needed stress when taking test, because for most students they will be stressing to see if they will finish in time instead of the questions in front of them.
• ·         Put Some Fun into Test Questions: it is said that “Humor relaxes students” (pg 82), and isn’t taking a test easier if you are more relaxed?
• ·         Make Questions Authentic to the Instruction: If the student sees something that they aren’t use to, they will think they don’t know the answers. 
• ·         Use Smaller Tests Over Time: this will allow you to assess your teaching as well.

All of these helpful hints will make my process in formulating test much easier.  These hints are amazing and they make so much sense.  The reasons we give test are to assess the students learning not to make test so hard that the student gets frustrated.