YAY! It's state testing time at schools all over the country. We love the inconvenient schedule changes and the disruption of the end-of-year rush to get through our curriculum, said no teacher ever.

In this episode, Jen explains the new way state testing is being implemented and how they are trying to increase student engagement. She also empathizes with the trepidation the PE teachers are feeling about having to teach the new sex education curriculum.

• Key Topics Discussed:

  • Sex Education Program: Jen describes the nervousness among PE teachers about teaching the new sex education curriculum, highlighting the discomfort and reluctance from both teachers and students.

  • State Testing: The episode covers the new approach to state testing at their school, which involves breaking the tests into shorter segments spread over a month. They discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks of this method, including how it impacts student focus and performance.

  • Teacher and Student Engagement: Various strategies to motivate students during the testing period are discussed, such as providing incentives like raffle tickets for prizes, fun activities, and motivational speakers, although the latter received mixed reviews from students.

  • End-of-Year Activities: As the school year winds down, Anne and Jen touch on the flurry of activities and the anticipation of summer break, reflecting on the exhaustion but also the fulfillment that comes with wrapping up the academic year.