meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

EP19 How to balance test prep and authentic learning

Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

Angela Watson

Education, Courses

4.81.3K Ratings

🗓️ 26 April 2015

⏱️ 11 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

You’re a teacher, not a tester. In this episode, you’ll learn strategies for staying focused on what’s really important, both in your mindset and your daily practice. Discover specific, practical tips for getting creative with test prep so it feels more like the authentic learning activities that matter most.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Welcome to episode 19 of Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers.

0:05.0

I'm your host Angela Watson and I'm here to speak life, encouragement, and truth

0:10.0

into the minds and hearts of educators and get you energized for the week ahead.

0:15.0

Today I'm going to share some thoughts on how to balance test prep and authentic learning.

0:21.0

Visit truth for teachers.com to get the transcript, links to recommended

0:25.8

resources, and to share your thoughts on the show. A big thank you to this

0:30.9

episode sponsor, Go Noodle.

0:33.6

Go Noodle is a free website with interactive videos and games to help kids focus during the

0:38.6

school day.

0:40.1

I love Go Noodle because it makes it super easy for teachers to find the energizing or the calming breaks the kids need in order to stay engaged.

0:48.0

Teachers can sign up for free at goNoodle.com.

0:57.6

So let's dive right in today's topic on balancing test prep and teaching.

1:04.6

So if you're a regular listener of truth for teachers or if you've read my new book Unshakable, 20 ways to enjoy teaching every day no matter what, then you know I can't talk about high-stakes

1:09.6

tests without emphasizing the importance of having a clearly defined vision for why you teach.

1:17.0

No matter how others may choose to evaluate your work, you can't define your own success as a teacher according to whether your students pass a standardized

1:26.3

test.

1:27.8

That's a recipe for frustration and burnout.

1:31.2

Instead, get clear about the reason why you do what you do each day.

1:37.0

You have a reason for being in the profession that goes beyond just getting a paycheck.

1:42.0

There's a lot easier ways to get a

1:43.7

paycheck in this world. Why are you in the classroom? Do you want to make a difference

1:49.6

in the lives of troubled kids? Do you want to inspire students to love learning? Go into the

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Angela Watson, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Angela Watson and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.