I often wonder if a happy teacher exists in my school? I wonder how some of these teachers can stay working for so long in this environment. I expect to be stressed out by my students and teaching, but I don't expect to be stressed out by the system and the way things run... at least not to the point that it makes me hate my job.
Recently, we had a meeting with our 5th grade team and administration to discuss the upcoming State Social Studies Test (which will be given Nov. 12 and 13 to all 5th graders in the city). Less than 3 weeks away and we are just now talking about plans to get our students ready for this test. Our principal is just NOW talking about what should be happening in our classrooms. I seriously want to kick some people in the head. They know they have new teachers, and even more, New teachers who are Not familiar with the New York Tests. Yet, they haven't done much to help us prepare our kids or ourselves.
Fortunately Ms. B and I have attempted to educate ourselves about this test, and we've been very proactive in our classroom to attempt to prepare our students as much as we possibly can. Unfortunately, it's extremely hard when there are no resources (text books) and copies are not dependable enough to rely on. We don't have technology to show them anything on the internet or videos (the Smart boards might as well be locked in display cases... because that seems to be all they are used for... Looks.). The students have no prior knowledge on any of the information for the Social Studies test... even though our principals are sure they know Something. Right. I believe it. My kids couldn't even find NY on a map and I'm still not sure if they know the difference between countries and states. The other day, our students declared Mexico a state in the U.S. and New York was a country separate from the U.S. This is the foundation I must build upon.
Then there is all this talk about holding teachers accountable by looking at test scores. You can go ahead and count me out. I am working with next to nothing... Is this my fault? Is this something I even have control of? I guess this means, if I can prepare my kids without resources, I'll be Amazing when I actually have something to teach with!
So anyway, back to this wonderful meeting we were having to discuss our plan for the test. We are talking about a "new" discovery and strategy. We need to teach our students the jargon on the test. What are those words? How can we teach them (in less than 3 weeks)? ... Ummm My thought: What the hell have you been doing for the last 5 years of Social Studies testing? Why are you just realizing this now!? It's a complete given that the wording on tests can cause students to miss questions that they may be able to answer if worded differently. It BLOWS me away to think that some of the people I am working with are completely oblivious to this idea. Yet, we are talking about it now as if we just made a Great discovery that will help our students be more successful on this upcoming test! (O and we don't have a list or a plan really, we're just talking about it.) Every school I have been at prior to this one has had this vocabulary issue integrated into their teaching. There are lists developed or shared with districts and schools to use... and they were created from the start of these high-pressure tests.
Sometimes, I cannot believe how far behind this school is. It's completely sad and frustrating. We should not be wasting our time discussing things that should already be developed... and if we are discussing it, can we start a bit earlier? We've known for a while now, The Test is coming. This is an issue here. The school only does enough, at the last minute, to attempt to stay slightly above requirements. For example, our kids only need to get 17 of the 35 multiple choice questions right on the S.S. Test... As long as they can get this, everyone's happy. These are the expectations they are setting up for us. Somehow, I'm not ok with the low expectations. It doesn't make me happy.
Posts
2 hours ago
1 comments:
Everything you write is so true about the system here and so typical of many schools. We also have the same problem of last minute crisis test prep cramming in the upper grades and little discussion of how we can build the foundation in the lower grades. As a first grade teacher, I could be using the terminology with my children that they might see on the tests two years from now. We could be practicing the format in a scaffolded way so that it wouldn't be a crisis every year in the upper grades. We need planning across grades and INTERVENTION in the lower grades. All you can do is your best. You can't fix the system by yourself. Maybe try to start a dialogue with lower grade teachers that you trust about the need to plan across grades and about the possibilities of imbedding the test prep terminology and format into their lessons.
Post a Comment