Oh come now, Acci, it’s like pulling teeth to try and get my kids interested in reading… yet they are all very concerned with how they do on our state standardized tests. I’m thinking something like this might actually get them excited about learning. Not to mention, the cross-curricular aspects of English AND Science. 

I’m always thinking like a teacher!! 

*offers to donate to JulietGolf’s class some copies of John Cleland’s Fanny Hill and Boccaccio’s Decameron to help the students gain interest in literature

You know, you could use your students as a test of the “mint increasing test scores” thing.  Maybe give some of the students who have problems mints, give some of them toffee instead, give some of them balloon animals, give some of them nothing. . .you can probably work out some sort of little study.

Ooooh… i like, i like!

Thanks for the suggestions, Acci! :-D

Be sure to use really strong balloons or they’ll pop when chewed.

I was never given mints before a test.  Sometimes the teacher passed out little treats after a really hard test, or during the break.  I think I only test in class like that up to the 7th or 8th grade.  After 9th grade I went to a facility that held all day testing.  Usually a church.

I did read something about blonds & testing, though.  Two groups of blondes were tested.  One group was told blonde jokes before the test.  Both groups got about the same number of answers correct...but the ones who were told the blonde jokes beforehand took longer.  The idea was that they weren’t stupid, but b/c they had been told jokes about stupid blondes they wanted to carefully consider the questions before answering...so they did not appear to be stupid blondes.

David B. - 13 March 2008 11:59 AM

Be sure to use really strong balloons or they’ll pop when chewed.

So would this make those students “balloonarians”?

Maegan - 13 March 2008 06:15 PM

I did read something about blonds & testing, though.  Two groups of blondes were tested.  One group was told blonde jokes before the test.  Both groups got about the same number of answers correct...but the ones who were told the blonde jokes beforehand took longer.  The idea was that they weren’t stupid, but b/c they had been told jokes about stupid blondes they wanted to carefully consider the questions before answering...so they did not appear to be stupid blondes.

It’s like this blonde I knew who took up a career in gardening, her first job was replanting someone’s front garden. Being keen to make a good impression, she put on her best gardening gear (hot-pants and a low-cut top) and got right down to work. No sooner had she started when a passer-by called out to her “Hey blondie, remember to give them plenty of water!”

Obviously, she just shrugged the remark off, but was still a bit more careful afterwards, so as to deflect further criticism. It didn’t work, and a minute later another passer-by called out “Hey toots, make sure you put them in straight rows!” and walked away laughing.

By now my friend was a bit disconcerted, and checked her handiwork edge on. Sure enough one of the plants was about an inch and a half out of alignment, so she moved it back into line and continued on, now taking extra care to position each plant accurately. She also tied a headscarf over her hair so it couldn’t be seen, so she was royally pissed off when a third passer-by shouted “Hey blondie, I think your headscarf’s on too tight!” and so she shouted back “What makes you think I’m blonde?!”

To which the gentleman pointed at the flowers and replied, “Because the coloured ends usually point up, love!”

I think the only thing that will really give you higher test scores is lots of appropriate studying.  If you don’t study you won’t know the material no matter how many mints or how much chocolate you have.

gray - 14 March 2008 09:47 AM

I think the only thing that will really give you higher test scores is lots of appropriate studying.  If you don’t study you won’t know the material no matter how many mints or how much chocolate you have.

But maybye they are magic mints....

daveprime - 14 March 2008 04:54 PM

gray - 14 March 2008 09:47 AM

I think the only thing that will really give you higher test scores is lots of appropriate studying.  If you don’t study you won’t know the material no matter how many mints or how much chocolate you have.

But maybye they are magic mints....

Is that like magic mushrooms?  hehe I know my test scores never got any higher when I had those.  (that was in my much younger days)

It reminds me of something out of my own past. Our government teacher had a bust of Thomas Jefferson in the room. Some years before, a rumour had begun that if you touched its head, you would do well on your final exams. It was near the door, so everyone had a chance to “ touch the pate “ on the way in the door.

Occasionally, our teacher would notice that someone was struggling on an exam and would tell them to “go touch the pate”. It always seemed to calm the student down, and they did indeed do better.

I’m sure it had more to do with giving the student a chance to take a break and gather their thoughts than with ‘magic’, but that doesn’t really matter. When it comes to testing, if they think it is going to work, it quite often does. If it doesn’t harm anyone, and it produces better results, I don’t mind if an instructor introduces a bit of ‘magic’ into their classes.

Woo-Woo in action. (I love it.)