When I re-read my previous blog, I almost couldn't believe what I wrote. That I would have a "breeze of a week," with a "ridiculous amount of standardized testing."
Clearly, I have pregnancy brain.
There is no "breeze" with testing. Yes, we are testing for several hours this coming week. No, it will not be easy. Our innocent children will be tested for HOURS this week on skills they have never been introduced to. You see, our fabulous assessment measures END OF Third Grade skills, which means I still have 7 solid months to teach them. But this week they will stare at an assessment as if it is a foreign language, attempting to read questions they have never seen. I envision a quiet hand raised. "Mrs. Paul, what is this word? What does it mean?" As they think their oh-so-helpful-and-competent-teacher will surely provide some guidance. And I will be left to dumbly respond, "I'm sorry, I cannot help you."
It breaks my heart. What really tugs at my soul is seeing clueless faces that want so desperately to succeed, who try with everything they have, who understand test scores and what the outcome means... yet who are left to suffer through hours of self-defeating reading and math.
Why, oh why do we put our precious children through this? Why, oh why do we increase anxiety, and frustration, and test-taking fears? And WHY do we think it's okay to put kids through again and again and again? These precious souls have been on the earth for 8 whole years. They have countless hours/days/weeks of testing in their future. And this week, the encouragement they will receive from the person they have learned to trust will be a mere, "I'm sorry honey. Just try your best."
Surely - someone has a better plan?
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