Testing

As a Language Arts teacher, I particularly feel
the crunch for the students in our school to do well
on the MCA tests. (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment)
Our students took the reading portion
of the test yesterday and today.
We worked so hard this year on
reading strategy interventions for our students.
Our school was on the AYP list.
This means we did NOT make adequate yearly progress.
No Child Left Behind, in theory,
is a good thing. Hold schools and teachers accountable
for students learning.
The problem comes in when a school is penalized
for special education students
not passing the test. (HELLO...they are special education for a reason!),
or if English is not
a students primary language.
Let's hold these kids to the standard as well.
It's asinine! So, if these kids can't pass the test,
then the government begins to
put the screws to the schools that aren't passing.
This is no problem to affluent, white schools......
Anybody else....you're SCREWED!!!!
SO, we teachers bust our butts trying to do
everything to help these kids.
We give and give and give.
We try everything we can think of.
We sweat blood trying
to get our kids to pass.
Not only do we have to teach all the curriculum
that we are held to teach by the state standards,
we are also running a zillion mini-lessons to
try to catch up the kids who are in 6th grade
reading at the 1st grade level.
These kids are NOT our special education kids........
How do kids get to 6th grade without being able to read???
We all want to help these kids. I
want more than anything to make a difference in the lives
of my students.
I want them to fall in LOVE with reading.
I really do.
The fact that my students come in so far below grade level,
and it is my job to get my kids to pass a
6th grade test.....it is just overwhelming at times.
SO, now my students have all taken the test.
I have given them all the tools I know how.
NOW...I just have to wait until the test results come back.
In August we can find out how we did.
AUGUST!!!
It's almost let down to have worked so hard all year....
and now the test is done.
Have I done my job to the best of my ability?
Was there something else I should have done?
Did I reach all my students?
Did they use specific details from the text to support their answers?
Was everybody feeling well?
Was this a day that they would test well?
It's a snapshot of ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF MY STUDENTS!!!
It's the snapshot that my job is based on!
I love my job......
I hate standardized tests~~