After the administration of the first new SAT, teachers at my school are thinking about ways to prepare our students for the new format. In addition to developing stronger critical reading skills, students benefit from knowing details about how to prepare for such tests. In fact, helping students develop good test taking skills will benefit them not only for high stakes testing, but for quizzes, tests, and exams as well.

I recently was given a copy of a 1959 article which features test taking tips for teens.  One of the sources for the advice is Morton Botel, the founder of the Penn Literacy Program.

I was especially struck by relevance of the tips to today’s students.  I was curious as to what my students would think as well.  I typed the article and gave it to my students, telling them that the advice in the column was from a friend of mine.  I asked them to read it and comment on the tips that resonated with them and to consider what the article made them wonder.  

Their comments were insightful.

Hannah responded that “it is very important to study a little at a time for a few days leading up to the test.  If by the night before the test the only thing I have to do is review the hardest points, I will be less stressed and more confident.”

“The tips given in this piece are extremely helpful to any student,” wrote Anthony.  “I find that test taking is one of the hardest parts of school today.  A tip that I will be sure to use in the future is to review the things I find the hardest the night before a test.”

Sean thought that this list “was a good summary of what it means to prepare for and do well on any test.” He especially appreciates tips 7 and 11.  He wrote, “Tip #7, which is to understand how the scoring system of the test works is very important, especially on standardized tests, which sometimes deduct points for incorrect answers and sometimes do not.”

After that, I showed them the original article, which was published in The Chicago Tribune. I asked them to respond with their thoughts and conclusions after realizing that this article was actually written so long ago.

Jackie realized that these tips “for test taking apply throughout the years.  I wonder how different test taking materials are from then to now.  Students now struggle with tests just as much as students then did.”

Nick found it “amazing that this article is so old.  The same techniques and problems have been going on for a very long time.”

And Emily thought it was “interesting to see that so many tips can still be used.”

What struck me is that even as we talk about teaching the 21st century student, testing and test taking advice has not changed much.  Part of me is comforted by this fact, as the durability of testing seems to provide evidence of its importance and relevance.

Yet, I cannot help but wonder, as many of my students noted, why it seems as though testing has remained the same for so long.  And if students are still reporting that they are stressed by such tests, and admit as Erin did that she will “still end up cramming,” if we have somehow failed our students.

As much as things change, they stay the same.  And after 26 years of teaching, I still am not sure how accurate a picture standardized tests–as well as other quizzes, tests, and exams–portray a student.