rambling

Today I really don't have much to blog about. The big push for the big state test at school is causing many of us to panic. I am not just talking about teachers here. The students are also beginning to look stressed. There is so much push to do well on the test that is about all that is being talked about by teachers and administration. Yesterday I received my NEA magazine and there was an article about some school districts that were doing any with recess times in the lower grades as the district felt that this time could be put to better use to work on test prep. I think holding schools accountable is fine but at what costs. Several months ago this same publication wrote an article on a district that decided to change the local test to measure student growth. The students were doing well on the test but the administration decided to change the test. On the new test the students did terrible but on the other test they did great. Is it right to teach to one test? I personally think not as there are other things in education that are more important.

To get students pumped up we give away I-Pods and $100.00 gift cards. This seems to be a good idea but then again I wonder if it is effective.

Then you come to the students I work with. They have a hard time doing well on the tests. Many of them have difficulties with reading but we expect them to read the test on their own. No Child Left Behind says all schools will have 100% of the students meeting standards by 2012. What about the student that comes to school not feeling well that day or his or her dog died the night before. I am sure they will feel like doing their best on the test. I amazes me that people say it was something good from the Bush administration. When he was governor of Texas their education system was one of the worst in the Union. I would like to hear what others have to say about NCLB or the testing your student takes in school.

Then again there is talk about tieing teacher pay to how well your students do on the test. Not every class is the same and from year to year each is different. The of course there are students that really don't care about the tests as they do not get a grade on it.