I believe that given the proper materials, quality instruction, and a safe and nurturing environment, all students may not pass a standardized test but they can get a head start in the game of life. Good teachers truly do make a difference in the lives of young children and young adults.
I believe that if your heart and soul are not into teaching, then you do not belong in the classroom.
I believe that the teaching to the test philosophy on the high school level has reduced or eliminated many elective courses which used to give students a different venue to stand out and increase their self-esteem, i.e. wood shop, art, home economics.
I believe that quality Health and Physical Education is more essential now than ever given the rates of childhood obesity in this country.
I believe that I made a wise decision many years ago when I chose to enter the teaching profession.
I think your comment on not every student being able to pass the standardized test, but still using the education he/she has been given to get a head start on life is right on target. No standard tests were ever developed with the thought in mind that everyone would pass - it is like the old Garrison Keilor phrase, "Lake Woebegone - where . . . all the children are above average".
ReplyDeleteEveryone and every town wants to believe that their children will all pass the standardized tests, but it just can't be so. However, that is not supposed to be a judgement on the worth of the person. It is difficult in our society to accept that. I have an Asian student in my school with a learning disability - she just cannot do much with numbers. Her Asian community has convinced her that she is "stupid" (words from one of her former teachers). She is smart enough to realize that she isn't stupid, just has difficulties with math, and so she is studying something for her career where she won't have to use much math. However, she adamantly refuses to interview at Asian companies, because she said that they won't accept someone like her. By the way, she is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English, but her teacher still told her she was stupid. Stupid teacher.
I really feel you hit the nail on the head with your comment about "if your heart and soul are not into teaching, then you do not belong in the classroom." Unfortunately teachers such as the one Dorothy described exist in our schools and people really need to question their motives when they do become teachers.
ReplyDeleteYou know not everyone puts their heart and soul into teaching. I'm sure that every once in a while a student is touched by your passion, and then it's all worth it. I have noticed that as the years go by it has become easier to let students move on. I cant always make an impact on all students, but every now and again there comes a student that looks up to me and is eager to hear what I have to say. There are others that you just cant make a difference to. But the good ones make the passion and effort all worth while.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in regard to teachers adhering to the standards for their subject area. The problem that most teachers have is that they don’t have enough time to cover the entire curriculum. You mentioned benchmarks and I would like to congratulate your school on meeting them. I work at a middle school and it is in an Abbott district. In certain areas we haven’t met all of our benchmarks, so in the classroom some teachers would move a little away from the curriculum to prepare the students for statewide testing. The Language Arts and Mathematics teachers have so much pressure. The NJASK only focusing on Language Arts and Mathematics (Science is for 8th graders only). The accountability is on them when it shouldn’t all fall on their shoulders. It is difficult to teach reading comprehension when students not encouraged nearly enough by their parents to read at home. As a Language Arts or Mathematics teacher do I focus on core curriculum or ensuring that my students do well on the NJASK?
ReplyDeleteYou write "I believe that given the proper materials, quality instruction, and a safe and nurturing environment, all students may not pass a standardized test but they can get a head start in the game of life." I agree. It seems as if the goal is always HS graduation and then attendance in college or trade school. Should that be our emphasis, or something else?
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