Fourth-grade proficiency tests are right around the corner — Oct. 1-5 — and teachers have the unfortunate job of preparing students for the high-stakes tests in the wake of a national disaster.

        Some Tristate teachers say they've turned the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., into a “teachable moment.”

Marsha Marcus, a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at Heberle School in the West End, used the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington to help some students prepare for proficiency tests. (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

        Instead of worrying about lost time that could have been used to ready kids for the pressure-filled tests, some teachers have created lessons in which kids write about their feelings, polish map skills and study the cause and effect of terrorists' actions.

        “You can't lose instructional time,” said Lillian Godfrey, fourth grade lead teacher and mentor at the Academy of World Languages in Evanston. “The children and family and staff have needs, but you have to adapt. ... You have to find a way to weave everything together.”

        As part of one of her lessons, Ms. Godfrey discussed with the children how the incident related to people in Ohio, since questions about Ohio and its government figure prominently on the fourth-grade proficiency test.

        “We talked about how the members of Ohio groups can make a living,” she said, giving examples of police officers, firefighters and doctors.

        They also talked about how federal and state governments can help the people in New York and Washington by giving money.

        Marsha Marcus, a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at Heberle School in the West End, discussed cause and effect — a proficiency test staple — in her classes.

        “For example, when people don't know how to handle their behavior appropriately, inappropriate things happen,” she said.

        Nancy Croskey, a fourth-grade social studies and language arts teacher at Loveland Elementary, said teachers there were instructed not to talk about the terrorist attacks on the day they happened. Instead, they addressed children's questions in the days that followed.

        She didn't miss the opportunity to tie in the lessons to proficiency test preparation, using citizenship as her teaching tool.

        “We talked about what we can do as citizens to honor these people who risked their lives and died in the World Trade Center,” Ms. Croskey said.

        In her social studies classes, students made a giant flag out of construction paper. On the stripes, they wrote something positive citizens could do in the aftermath.

        One student said a memorial could be built on the site of the attacks.

        Some teachers say they are trying not to saturate children with the depressing and sometimes terrifying news.

        “I'm not concentrating on it,” said fourth-grade science and social studies teacher Denise Bourke of Oakdale Elementary in Bridgetown.

        She spent some time addressing questions but is plowing ahead with proficiency-test preparation and other lessons.

        Christopher Taylor, a lead psychologist for Cincinnati Public Schools, said younger students are responding well despite the terror of two weeks ago and should have little trouble preparing for and taking the proficiency test.

        “It's harder for them to place themselves in their imagination in similar circumstances,” he said. “Another part of it is kids are resilient.”

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