New Teacher Tip #2: Give a Quiz on Friday!

This is Part 2 of my New Teacher Tip Series.  Click here for Tip #1.

Here is an inside look at a teenager's brain on different days of the week:

Monday: zzzzzz... OMG I haven't seen my friends since Friday and now they're back!!! Yay-z! <Hugs>... What? We learned something last week?  I don't remember...  She must be triflin'!

Tuesday: Yep.  I'm back in class and we did do something yesterday in class.  I think I remember what it was.

Wednesday: Hump Day! OK, I can do this.  Maybe if I do the classwork, she won't give us homework over the weekend.

Thursday: Oh man.  Tired!  When is lunch?

Friday: IT'S THE WEEEEEEEEKEND!!!!!

As a high school teacher, my goal is to make class time as productive as possible.  Which is the least productive day by far?  Friday!  Most students have already checked out and are counting the minutes until the final bell.  I find the most behavioral problems happen on Friday.  They are excited to just GET OUT!  

So to make Friday the most productive, I give a short 10 minute weekly quiz (or test if we are at the end of a unit).  EVERY FRIDAY!

There are several reasons for this: 

1. It's a way to get students to sit for a few minutes and it calms them down a little from their preliminary weekend celebrations.  It helps to reset their weekend clock, to help them realize that it is indeed NOT the weekend yet.  (Yeah I'm mean.)

2. I believe in giving students opportunities to prove they learned something during the week.  On Friday, students are most likely to remember the material they learned and allowing them to show it on Friday can give them a sense of achievement.  "I learned this week!!"

3. I will have time to grade it over the weekend (usually).  That way, I can give students quick feedback on Monday.

4. If they know there is a quiz EVERY WEEK, they take the rest of the week a little more seriously, because they know that there is a quiz coming up and this week's learning is on it.

If I am giving a short quiz, I try to have a hands-on activity or super-fun learning experience for the rest of the class period.

What is the worst day to give a test or quiz?  Yep, Monday.  See the top of this post to see why. 

To the experienced teachers out there, how do you keep Friday class time productive?

Want more Teacher Tips? Check out: 

New Teacher Tip #1: Power of Good Morning

New Teacher Tip #3: You'll get sick a lot.  Make Emergency Plans now!
New Teacher Tip #4: Bring Something Alive on the First Day!

New Teacher Tip #5: Get Organized from the Start!

Best Classroom Management Tip EVER: How to solve the Bathroom Request Conundrum

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