Lana’s digital SAT strategy courses prepare students for upcoming test dates by emphasizing a growth mindset.
February marked the start of three in-person SAT Prep courses at schools in Washington, DC. We are fortunate to be partnering with Thurgood Marshall Academy, Sandy Spring Friends School, and Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School to provide their students with digital SAT strategy instruction and practice.
Each class begins with an emphasis on goal-setting and intrinsic motivation to ensure that students start their Lana Learn experience with a growth mindset. With SAT test dates looming in March and April, it can be tempting to speed through the relationship-building process, but the first few classes are crucial opportunities to learn about students’ desired outcomes and goals. Educators are often asked to find their why for what they are doing, but it is just as important to ask this question of our students, too.
New to the curriculum is an emphasis on digital test-taking tools and strategies. As the format of the test has changed, so has the need for relevant instruction around how to best tackle a test online. In an effort to increase accountability, students used a checklist after this lesson to ensure that they could use all of the digital tools available to them through College Board‘s test-taking platform, Bluebook. The extra step paid off when the first round of practice tests came around. Gauging student familiarity with the platform can be challenging when the format is so new, so making time for digital practice is essential.
As students move into the portion of the curriculum dedicated to content-specific strategies and application, we continue to emphasize student accountability and commitment to growth. Celebrating small wins and tailoring instruction to individualized needs, we look ahead to next month’s test dates with more excitement than apprehension.