Testing, Testing, 1...2...4?

I sat down with my cup of tea this morning to read the paper and there it was, front page..."Test Results Don't Meet Expectation". Exactly whose expectation would that be?
What's that old saying, if you continue to do the same thing over and over you will get the same result. Testing, yep, let's keep doing it over and over and see absolutely no improvement in education at all. I say let's try something new. Let's find out how much it costs each individual school to test, and let's put that money where it needs to go, mandatory parent meetings. Let's have EVERY parent visit school, learn what school expectations are, hear what expectations they have for their children, and then agree to support each other.
Every year when I look at those scores, I see one commonality...poverty and scores. The feds saw it too, and so they decided to put more money into the poorer schools. And it didn't work, so they put more money into the poorer schools. And when that didn't work, they raised teacher standards. And hey, that's been effective...NOT! Now what they have are lower scores, a higher drop out rate, a critical shortage of teachers, superintendents and principals who never stay with a school longer than they can make a better buck somewhere else and a school year that is comprimised of teaching to the test, practicing for the tests and taking the tests. Once again a crucial group was left out. Family. When our students walk into our classrooms, they are walking in with all the "stuff" they left their houses with. And believe me, knapsacks and suitcases on wheels only hold the physical stuff, the emotional stuff is inside of all of our kids.
It's insane.
Take a look at the scores in your community. Where is there a correlation? Once you find it, focus on the whys that are outside of the school and see what you can do. Here, in my community, the lower schools (mine being one) are in the lower economic areas with immigrants who can't speak English and are struggling to keep a roof over their families heads and food on the table. Is there something we can do there and see if that helps the scores?
Or, maybe, just maybe, can we get rid of the standardized test as we know it (a million dollar business I am sure), and actually model for our children a passion for learning and an understanding of what doing their best means?
Sign me up!

DARE I say...

I just got off the phone with my friend JJ and am smiling from ear to ear. I love him. I mean, really love him. JJ is one of those friends who I will think about my entire life and always with a smile. I called JJ tonight because today I thought of him as I sat through the DARE graduation practice. It brought to mind the DARE classes I have had to sit through throughout my educational career. Now, I use the word "have had to..." because, really UGH!

During most of the 90's I worked with JJ and many amazing people who developed programs that we had hoped would help kids stay healthy and safe. We believed, I still do, that information and skills and connection could make a difference.

So I return to the classroom to share information, model skills and make the connection that so many young people need. A connection with someone who cares, and cares unconditionally.

Now I believe police officers do care about youth. I think it is a great idea to have students meet and know local law enforcement officers. Officers knowing young people by name and visa versa can't be beat as a positive asset. It's a connection. But the program itself, ugh. Please, it's really not a program.

I remember that New York City wanted no part of the program. They stated that as soon as teachers were able to get their teaching degree in a six week training, they could teach in a classroom. There is something to be said for that SCHOOL of thought. Would I want a teacher with a BA in Educational Theory riding in cars helping to protect citizens? Even if it was one day a week for 45 minutes.

DARE I JUST SAY "NO"!

The Pursuit of "Hoppyness"...

I started substitute teaching this year. It's been over 15 years since I have been in a classroom, and my, my things have changed.
On this one particular morning, I was leaving the office and headed through the maze of classrooms to find my daily dose of youth. As I was strolling, I noticed a Mom dropping her daughter off at the front of the building. The daughter was hugging her Mom and Mom was saying something with a smile. As the little girl closed the car door she began hopping across the courtyard. Grinning from ear to ear, and singing a song, it was pure joy to see. Within a minute, I heard a voice from across the yard "You need to walk in the halls. Stop hopping." Ugh, I shuttered before the little girl did. No malice to the adult who probably was told to keep the students in line and walking, but ugh none the less.
That moment, that small moment of pure bliss touched my heart more than I could imagine. I had forgotten just how great it was to hop. I began to think that if we encouraged our students to hop more we might actually achieve No Child Left Behind and work on the obesity epidemic at the same time. A scathingly brilliant idea. And I began hopping to my room.