Open Letter to Pres. Obama: This is What Standardized Testing "Looks" Like!

Dear President Obama,

Today was the first day of Round 3 of standardized testing in the state of Delaware. The test is administered online, and the students get their scores immediately. It covers everything we learned in the 5th grade, even though we have not finished the school year.

Let me begin with my morning. I attended a union meeting where I am told the state of Delaware has decided that they will decide whether I am a good teacher according to how well my students do on this test! It's bad enough, that my school is judged by test scores, but now my ability to teach is questioned because of test scores? Does this seem as ridiculous to you as it does to me? Does anyone realize how many other factors control how our children perform in school?

I have prepared my students to the best of my ability for this test. As much as I despise it, I do not want them to fail. Aren't we supposed to be creating critical thinkers? How can I do that, when instead of doing projects, or collaborating with our pen pals, we are filling in bubbles!!!!

The test. They worked hard, they really did, and all of them showed growth. In fact, most of them passed, except one. Have you ever been in a room full of children taking a standardized test? Have you ever watched student's knees and hands shake as they go to press the "Submit Test" button, and wait anxiously for their scores? And no, it's not because of horror stories I have told them, it's the pressure of it all. The release of air when they have met their goal is audible. Except if they "fail."

He cried. 

This student that worked so hard, cried. I held back tears and congratulated him for working so hard and for showing growth, and then sent him to the bathroom to collect himself. He cried, no test should make a child cry!

At the end of the day, I told all of them to clap for themselves for working so diligently, he didn't clap.
I pointed at him, my voice cracked, and I said, "You worked so hard, you showed improvement, you get to clap!"
 Imagine this, we still have two more days of testing.

This is not right, Mr. President, you said so yourself : "One thing I never want to see happen is schools that are just teaching the test because then you’re not learning about the world, you’re not learning about different cultures, you’re not learning about science, you’re not learning about math," the president said. "All you’re learning about is how to fill out a little bubble on an exam and little tricks that you need to do in order to take a test and that’s not going to make education interesting."

I am not against assessments or evaluations, but there has to be a better way. Don't you agree?

A Heartbroken, Stressed-out, Teacher

Parent Accountability: LETTER TO A PARENT #2

Dear Parent,
 What possessed you to make the decision you made today? About a week ago, I handed out test folders in the morning to avoid the chaos of handing the folders out at 3pm dismissal. Everyone, including your daughter, was asked, if they were missing anything. Everyone responded, including your daughter, that they had everything. Three days later, when it was time to collect the folders, your daughter claimed that she did not receive a checklist . She didn't say it nicely either. Now she could have taken the initiative and asked you to sign the tests, but that's not something I would really expect from your child.

 Today, I reminded my students with missing folders, that during recess, they would call their parents, and give a friendly reminder to sign their checklist and return the folder. Every child, but yours, accepted this responsibility. Your child became very snippy, told me she never got one, and how unfair it was. Oh well! This is how it works in our classroom.

 However, while I was outside with the other students at recess, your daughter convinced the indoor teacher to let her call you. She called you, sobbing, (as you know, she can produce tears on demand), telling you how unfair I am. She was heard to wail that I was not being fair at all! And what did you do? D id you tell her that you will deal with this at home? Did you fuss at her for making a non-emergency phone call from school? Did you ask to speak to the teacher? Did you tell her life is unfair,ask her to hang up the phone, and deal with it like a responsible 5th grader? NO! You came to the school and picked her up!!!! Two hours before the end of school! 

She missed a crucial math lesson.(Remember the conversation we had at conferences about her struggles with math, and I asked you to stop picking her up 20 minutes early just so that you could avoid sitting in the student pick-up line?) When you came to pick her up, did you notice the smug, satisfied, look on her face?


 But, don't worry, she will be held accountable by me, even as you cater to her every whim. She will learn that in our classroom there are rules to be followed, and consequences. She will learn that Daddy and Mommy will not always be able to pick her up. I will be glad to do this favor for you. You can thank me later. 


 Parents: Enabling Your Child Isn't Helping Him

"They Did Not Choose Their Parents!"

These words were spoken at the 2011 PLC Summit I attended in Arizona.  "They didn't choose their genetic pool". "They couldn't say I want two college-educated parents who love me, care for me, and make education my priority."

I realized after hearing this statement,  that many times, I get frustrated with my students  about things over which they have no control.  When they come to school without school supplies,  their parent doesn't sign a form, or  misses a scheduled appointment, or has made the child stay home to babysit, again.

These are things that the student can not control, but yet, year after year, my frustration is placed on a  child, who is probably just as frustrated as I am!  How many times has the child walked in the day after parent-teacher conferences, and I've said, "Your mother scheduled an appointment and didn't come"  The child stands there wide-eyed, not knowing how to reply. Maybe they know why, maybe they don't,but  that's not the issue.

 We need to work around the parents who are not supportive, the ones who just don't have the time.  We need to tell our children, "You do you."  "You do what you need to do to succeed."  Let's not hold them accountable for the mistakes, or neglect, of their parents and guardians.  Let's not make them bear the weight of their parents' transgressions.  Why say to a child who is late every day, "You're late again." Knowing  the only way the child can get to school is if their parent drives them. 


So, I decided to look at this, "blaming the child" thing, I had going on, another way.  I had a student who was out every Monday.   I would fuss at him every Tuesday about the work he had to make up or fuss at him because he didn't understand what I had already taught. 
 "Well", I would say sternly, you need to be here on Mondays."   


The following week, he came to school on Tuesday,  and instead of a  "Glad you could make it", I smiled and said, "I am so glad that you're able to be here today."  His face lit up with a smile,  and he said, sincerely, "So am I."   Instead of fussing, I worked with him and helped him catch up. Changing my attitude, changed his behavior. Even other teachers and my former principal commented on the change in this student.


Was I a" bad" teacher? I don't think so, but I certainly wasn't the best I could be. I'm still learning though, and I'm willing to take a good, hard, look in the mirror, and correct my mistakes.


That student came to visit me at the end of 2011-2012 school year to let me know how well he was doing in the 6th grade! :)