The new standardized tests aligned with the Common Core State Standards standards have made some teachers wary--especially those who are concerned that their students need the expertise and access to the necessary online tools to complete the assessments. Since practice often makes perfect, educators are working to make sure their students are well versed in the tools and shortcuts their students need to succeed.

“With another Common Core test coming up again on May 4," one New Haven, Conn.-area educator "has upped her tech game,” reports Aliyya Swaby of the NewHavenIndependent.

“[Teacher Donna Carlson] feels at ease showing her students how to go through the practice tests they have taken regularly through the year.”

Carlson teaches fourth grade at Clinton Avenue School, an institution that, as a whole, made it a task to pinpoint problems students may be having when it comes to tech tools.

“Connecticut is one of 45 states that have agreed to adopt the Common Core, national academic standards that set benchmarks in English and math for students from K to 12—aligned to the standardized Smart Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) test,” according to Swaby’s report.

The concentrated demands for expertise in using these tools range from keyboard lessons to built-in virtual protractors. Teachers want to make sure that their students succeed and also that they’ve made the best strides they can in preparing them. Some students are already there—like fourth grader Dylan Pellot.

“He eagerly went through a list of the different tools he uses for the SBAC—the ‘notepad’ tool allows kids to write and save reference text they don’t want to submit; the ‘highlighter’ lets them come back to confusing reading passages; the ‘calculator’ can be accessed with the click of a button,” Swaby reports.

“And he knows how to change the size of the words: ‘If you’re blind, you could make it bigger.’”

Pellot told Swaby that he learned his skills from his older brother, which just goes to show that with the right positive reinforcement at home, students can continue to be successful in using technology to complete the Common Core exams.

All educator want to be prepared and Common Core testing they are making and extra push to put their students at the top of their game.

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Article by Navindra Persaud, Education World Contributor.