5 Lessons Learned from Proctoring an SAT practice exam
It's only been four month since I graduated college, so you can imagine how bizzare it was to find myself proctoring an SAT practice exam. On one hand it was like experiencing other side of the the scenario that haunts every high school upperclassman's dreams. On the other hand, I learned some valuable lessons on how the people giving standardized tests think about the experince. Here's my advice for future proctors (and test takers):
1. Set Expectations Appropriately
Read your proctoring instructions the night before the test, and then read them again the morning of. You need to know exactly how the morning is going to go without a doubt in your mind. Your confidence translates into a smooth process for everybody involved. If you decide that you'll just "wing-it" the morning of, remember that this is about way more than just yourself.
The same goes for test takers. Know what you are getting into by taking advantage of practice exams. You can take a rapid SAT practice test at Testive.
2. Be Upbeat
This is a scary time for those taking the test. Some students have put hundreds of hours into preparing for these four hours. Although it can be tempting, make sure that you bring your A game and get plenty of sleep and coffee the morning of. Once it's test time, greet every student with a smile and encourage them to get up and walk around at break times. From what I saw, students that brought snacks seemed more engaged upon resuming the test.
If you're a student, try your best to be as upbeat as you can. It's tough, but the students who came at the test from a positive mind-set got less fatigued. Also, you can never pack too much food.
3. Watch Closely for Cheating
This isn't just a high school test. The outcome of the SAT is one number that is a major determinant of students' futures. Cheating on the SAT has enormous implications both for the student that cheats and others. If a student achieves a score that they didn't deserve, that could well mean that another student gets cheated out of admission based on a score that they earned legitimately. You have multiple people's academic lives in your hands - more than just the twenty-odd students in the room. Look out for odd patterns - students staring intently at something, looking under the table, vibrations from cell phones, reading from drink labels, etc. You're not the police, you're just trying to make sure everybody is on a level playing field.
And to the students out there, yes, we do notice.
4. Don't Get Caught Up in Your Own World
I will admit that on one section I was really into reading a particular news article. I think I might have been 20 or 30 seconds late on calling the section complete. In this case it wasn't a huge deal since it was a practice test, but you can't let that happen in the real deal. After that incident, I set a backup timer on my cell phone that vibrated a minute before the section was complete. It's perfectly fine to keep yourself entertained, but administering the test effectively involves being aware of both timing and watching for cheating. Oh, and make sure your cell phone, laptop, and watch aren't making any noise that could potentially distract students.
5. Write Legibly, Speak Slowly
Give yourself ample time to go over the instructions. Speak slowly, loudly, and confidently. Make eye contact with every student when you ask if there are any questions. Write in laughably large font on the board (usually you have plenty of space). Don't leave a doubt in your mind that the student with bad eyesight in the back of the room can't see the board. I even asked if everybody could read everything. There's definitely a line between annunciating and yelling. Don't be the mean proctor who unnecessarily startles students every time they give an update. That guy's a total jerk (I know, I had him when I took the SAT).
It's most important to just empathize with the students. This is a challenging morning for them that has the potential to define the next four years of their lives. Treat it as such.
And if you're the one taking the test, remember that your proctors are people too.
