Day 2: Hurry up!
Why is it that during this season of nonstop testing, whether benchmark or STAAR, I feel like in my classroom we are always in a hurry? We need to hurry to get from place to place so that we have more time in the classroom. We need to hurry in the restroom so that we don't dawdle and become too loud for the other children in our school. We must hurry to 'cover' those things the state has deemed most important. We need to hurry up and learn some strategies to be successful because I don't feel like it would be fair to send them to the wolves with no preparation at all. Today, on Dr. Seuss's birthday, we are taking a benchmark. We chose the day, so it is our own fault, but I hate that on a day to celebrate reading, we are testing. SO... I have decided to look at it from another perspective. We are reading today - test reading. I am thankful to Stephanie Harvey for reminding us that test taking is a genre of reading. It may not be the desired genre for our kids, but it is reading, analyzing, synthesizing, and problem solving. It is a like skill that they need to have if they are planning on becoming professionals in our society. I reminded my students this morning that today is Texas Independence Day and we will celebrate that by getting our minds right and focusing on the battle we face with this benchmark just like the brave Texans who battled before us.
Now I need to hurry up and get this posted!
Sincerely,
Tara Reed
Sometimes that's all I feel like we do in school is hurry.
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ReplyDeleteoh I like the Texas Independence Day connection! You, my friend, have reminded me that testing is a genre! You have given me a new breath of teaching this genre! Now, I have to hurry up and get back to school!!! LOL!
Love you, my friend!
I definitely feel the same sense of hurry! Your post hit home for me right now, also. Trying to find that balance without losing all enthusiasm for learning. I think our politicians and state government people need to walk in our student's shoes to see what it is doing to them.
ReplyDeleteAs I read about teaching life in the States during what seems to be a season of testing I am even more thankful that I don't teach in that mess. Acknowledging genres of reading is helpful to kids - directions, informational, testing. It may not be Dr. Suess, but it is a real world skill. Sorry for all the hurry and hope for more moments for Suessical fun.
ReplyDeleteObserving students as they plow through this horrible STAAR reading test is worse than watching paint dry. How come benchmark days drag on but the rest of life feels so rushed?
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