Hartley Elementary hosts ‘vocabulary parade’ in preparation for Georgia Milestone Test

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Hartley Elementary School is getting its students ready for the Georgia Milestone Test. In fact, they’re parading and preparing all at once.

The school hosted its third annual vocabulary parade on Monday. Kids and teachers marched the halls in costumes representing words expected to be on the test.

School improvement specialist Dolores Gordon says requiring students to embody the words they’re learning will help with remembering the meanings.

“A lot of times students have a difficult time really fully understanding the definition of a word and so by ‘dressing’ the word, it makes a clear picture to them,” she said.

This year, teachers were allowed to choose the words based on what students learn in class.

Gordon used as an example, a social studies teacher who picked a word that goes along with what his students are currently studying.

“They’re looking at Hitler in World War II, so his word was fascist or a dictator. So, those students can really understand what that is,” she explained.

4th grader Elizabeth Evans said she didn’t know what the word “affluent” meant prior to the parade, but was happy to dress for the occasion.

“Affluent means your rich and you have a lot of clothes,” she said.

Gordon told 41NBC she believes students learn best when they can do so through a more creative approach.

“Children in hearing the word, may not interpret it correctly. So if they can bring the definition to life, they’re sure to know what it means,” she added.

Gordon says these skills will help them to be successful later on in their academic careers but in the near future will definitely help on test day.

Bibb County’s elementary schools are scheduled to take the Georgia Milestone Test April 10-25.

Faculty at Hartley Elementary believe making the curriculum fun is a great way to earn high test scores.

Categories: Bibb County, Education, Local News, WMGT

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