VIDEO: Griebling Teachers Cut Loose to Help Students Prep for Exam

One of the most stressful times of the year for students at is when the NJ ASK tests roll around.

This year three of the teachers in the building found a creative way to help their students not only prepare for the tests but also relax leading up to the big day. 

Jill Bohm, one of the Academic Support instructors said the music video they came up with was the culmination of their test preparation efforts. "It's these practices and working your brain just like any sport you would play or dance or gymnastics," she said. "You have to practice and practice and practice to get better at it. 

Bohm said the final days leading up to the exam were like the "Super Bowl," for the students. 

Her colleague Jeff Smith said that while the three teachers were singing and dancing their goal was to not only help teach the students but also to get them to relax. "Just to make them feel good about themselves," he said. Smith said it seemed to have worked. "They were walking around the school singing it."

Kelly Mack, the third member of the team said that while they see some of the students on a regular basis, they were not able to be in the room with them. That made their efforts that much more important. "We wanted them to know we were thinking about them."

It took the trio a week to put the project together and only a day or so to come up with the lyrics. Mack said it was Smith's work on the computer that helped finish it all off. 

With the three working together there was agreement that it was a fun project to work on but some question who the star of the show was. "He did no dancing and got the most laughs," Bohm said of Smith with a laugh. 

She also said the students were also thrilled to see the teachers they have gotten to know so well in such a drastically different way. "We're people too and sometimes they don't see us like that," she said. 

Now like teachers across the state the Griebling staff and their students will have to wait until the results come out to see if their efforts were successful. Either way, their creativity definitely made for a more enjoyable start to what can be a very stressful week.

The lyrics the teachers came up with were:

READING ROCKS 
YEA 
Whoa! 
LET'S GO!

NJASK is in the house tonight 
Everybody just have a good time 
And we gonna make you use your minds (metacognition) 
Everybody just have a good time

NJASK is in the house tonight 
Everybody just have a good time 
And we gonna make you use your minds (metacogntion)

We just wanna see ya 
try your best!

In the class we b’ learning 
Metacognition, schema, and inferring 
Do you all know what they mean? 
These strategies let me read 
Real READ, Think deep cause I’m on a roll 
Prior Knowledge, Text Evidence OH Fo’ Show 
Improving scores is the way we go 
YEAHHHHH…..

Yo! 
I’m planning through these prompts like a Pro 
I got speculative down and I’m in the flow, ya know 
ASI rock’n yea! that's the crew that I'm repping 
On a rise to the top is what were expecting 
Heyyyyy!

NJASK is in the house tonight 
Everybody just have a good time 
And we gonna make you use your minds (metacognition) 
Everybody just have a good time

Let's go 
NJASK is in the house tonight 
Everybody just have a good time 
And we gonna make you use your minds (metacogntion)

We just wanna see ya 
try your best!

Every day I'm studying 
studying studying

Step up now and be a reader show your stuff like a leader 
We get essays and open ended now start and make plans

Using schema 
(Back it up) 
Bring your confidence 
(Don't mess up) 
We just wanna see 
(You try your best) 
Now you on your way 
(It’s time to shine)

Ask why ask how put your thoughts down on the page 
Put your words down on the page 
Back it up
Put your word down. for questions 
Put your thought words down

NJASK is in the house tonight 
Everybody just have a good time 
And we gonna make you use your minds (metacognition) 
Everybody just have a good time

Everyday I’m studying. 
NJASK!