PARCC has been overwhelming in many aspects; unfamiliar content and unfamiliar format. Most of our attention has been/is focused on the content and not the format. Learners not only received new content, but in a new format; their assessment booklet was also their answer key. Yikes!!! We not only need to get our learners familiar with the new content, we must also get them familiar with the new format. The new assessment requires learners provide answers in a variety of ways. One method requires learners to enter their response in a grid by not only writing the number in the box, but coding the matching number under it. SMH! Sigh. May seem simple, but when you are dealing with elementary kids who depend on place value, Houston we have a problem. Students want to enter their number that is in the ones place, in the ones place. However, if they do that it would be inaccurate. You know how annoying it is to teach a child….you know, I’m not even going to go there. Woo-Sah! With that being said I begin to brainstorm of ways to get my learners familiar with the new assessment format, and found it imperative that I create an answer document that mimics the assessment. So here you have it; two separate formats with the grid! Please check back as I plan to create assessments that have them answer questions using all methods.

Respectfully yours,

Ms. Mikle, M.A.T.