I found this chapter to be very interesting. One of the things I really liked was the discussion on standardized testing. I thought it was great that Wong didn't overlook something that is clearly a huge portion of classes in the middle and high school levels. I found her strategies to be really interesting as well, though some of it I'd heard before from other journals and readings (not for this course). Her "be aware of what's on the test" was kind of a "duh!" moment for me. I can't imagine anyone who would not make an attempt to at least know what's on the test. Teachers need to be able to (at a minimum) let students know what to expect.
I also found the "teach beyond the test" to be very interesting. I always though this would be how I would address the standardized testing issue in my classroom. In my opinion, any teacher effectively doing his/her job should be teaching enough that the tests are not a total surprise for the students. Teachers shouldn't have to "teach to the test" to be able to prepare students. Simply teaching the skills students need should (ideally) be sufficient. Wong's addition of be sure to point out to students that the skills they're learning are the same ones that they'll see on the test is a good one. This will help students realize that they do know how to do everything on the test and it'll be less intimidating for them as well.
Her last suggestion "pose the test as a problem" I've read somewhere else. Though now I can't remember where. (Possibly an edition of English Journal?)
Toward the end of the chapter, Wong discusses how many teachers have problems with posing problem based questions. I was honestly expecting a list of strategies teachers could use and was rather disappointed when there wasn't one. I guess each situation is different and no strategy would work the same way with each class. I still think it would have been nice. :)
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