Another week of Standardized Testing in Colorado

So schools around here are completing the final days of TCAP testing. It truly is amazing the amount of time we spend on tests that are assessments of what students do not know rather than what they do. Most students can be conditioned to perform well on multiple choice tests, which is typical for current state assessments. Heck, if I were to take a test without any background knowledge of the content I would stand a very good chance of passing the assessment. Most of what students perfect is how to pass a test. Anyway, I stumbled across this picture on facebook and typical with the internet it is difficult to find the original source. I do however agree with the message whether faked or real.

Sad but True assessment of what happens during state testing.

What we need to be teaching in schools!

I received a Masters Degree in Computer Technology and I truly believe that technology is what is missing in our schools. I am a social studies teacher by trade and the hardest question for me to answer is why do I have to remember this. In the past I would say that the things we learn in here will teach you about the human condition and prepare you for experiences in your life you have yet to imagine. The people we study in history have achieved and accomplished so many different challenges that there is so much we can take from their experiences. The stories behind the memorizeable events are what we need to be studying in schools. I mean, let’s be honest…Google will tell them anything they need to know about history quicker than I could explain it. It cannot be about the facts, it has to be about the experience of the people involved and your journey to know them. Technology should enrich the lives of our students instead of holding them back. Schools are ages behind the technology curve. Yes we have computers, yes some schools have ipads but really none of these are used correctly in a classroom. The reason behind this is because we as teachers, parents and lawmakers are scared of technology. How do we know when they are learning, how do you measure it, and how do you control a class. Now, I have to admit that I have days that I am terrified of what students will do with technology in my room…it is a natural reaction. The students that I currently have, that are driving me crazy, WILL BE better at some things than I am. This is what is scary. Giving up control and allowing students to expand their own horizons. Did you know that there are students who can program private rooms into XBox games online for their friends that Xbox tries to find and fix? Did you know that there are students who are programming their own apps for their phones, we probably even buy some of them!? Did you know that some of our students are able to hack into any computer at school? Now how is a traditional textbook and paper education going to challenge these students if we do not value their abilities? With the standardization of school curriculum we are crippling students, teachers and the education system. Using the word fun in education is such a no no any more. I can’t help but think that is part of the problem.

I saw this video the other day and could not help but agree with how true it is! The best jobs in the country and world right now deal with computers but we handicap our kids by taking them away.

Synonym for TCAP Testing week…Hell Week

I am currently a substitute in a Middle School in the Denver Metro Area and we are currently mid stride in the state/federal mandated standardized testing. I am substituting in an elective class in the most disruptive week imaginable. Now not only are students testing for three and a half hours every morning but all the rest of their classes are at different times on different days. Needless to say I had expected some balking at the new substitute  It is typical for students of any age to test and needle a substitute we don’t know their names or how the class is run when you are not there. What I have experienced in the past two days is nothing less but traumatic  I have had my rough classes before but nothing compares to the days I have had. There is constant talking, refusal to acknowledge your existence, throwing things at you, cussing out you and other students and absolutely no work getting done.

Now you are probably thinking at this point that I must be incompetent because I am not able to control 35+ students for and hour and a half. Let me give you some perspective on the class that I was in. Since January this class has been through one contracted teacher, two long term subs and various daily substitutes that all refuse to come back (of which I will now be one of them). The students know that they have run off the last teachers and are in no mood to change their plans. Now these students do not have any grades in the gradebook because of the amount of substitutes they have had. I was expected to come in for a week and get them to work when the previous teachers have not been able to because they need some kind of grade for grade cards that are coming out soon. Now not only did I not know the teacher had just quit when I was asked to sub for this class but I was also unaware that there is no curriculum for the class, there are no books, and they have no discipline experience. These students have literally been allowed to do whatever they want in class for close to three months. I was able to speak to another teacher in the building who had retired the previous year from the same school. This teacher told me that she subbed for this class and that they were not bad. When I asked what did they got done….her reply “Nothing” they sat in their chairs and did whatever they wanted all period while she walked around picking up their trash! Now tell me how I am expected, short of a miracle and beating them, am I supposed to get them to write an essay!? They must think that I graduated from the school of Voldemort and am able to use the imperious curse to get them to do whatever I wanted!

Now today I was more than prepared to tell the school to fuck off and find another sub for the rest of the week but since I was raised where your word is your bond I have decided to stick it out. The only way that I am going to be able to make it through the week is going to be by venting on here. Thus the creation of the blog…

I was approached at the end of the day yesterday and today that I needed to call their parents because it was a great deterrent in the classroom. Well, Well I wish I had though about that! You see as a substitute, I do not get access, rightfully so, to students records or contact information. So while calling parents is a great idea in theory it just cannot happen for a substitute. I can imagine the conversation “Hello, this is Mrs. Jones from Blank Middle School I am Johnny’s elective teacher for today and this is what he did…” yeah that would go over really well! So the next option is to call the office to remove a student that you have had to repeatedly speak to. I attempted this today, there were two students who were in each other’s face and cussing each other out. I raised my voice and told them to knock it off. When this did not work I called the office for someone to come get them. By this time both students have stormed out. Now there is no way for me to physically stop them or intervene if a fight were to break out because if I touch them in any way I could be arrested for child abuse or molestation. There would be 30 witnesses to say that I did. Fantastic Right? So when the kids do finally return and the Campus Monitors do show up the students get “spoken to” by the monitor then sent right back to class to continue to disrupt. This happens at least 3 times in one period. Lesson taught to kids, do whatever you want because the worst that can happen to you is a stern talking to. WTF!!! So now only am I a liar but I also learn the students have more power in the classroom than I do. When you tell students that they will get three warnings then the office will be called…what is the point of calling the office!!!

All I can do is stick by my word and stay the week, then never go back! Now I am not sure if you can imagine what the other classes must be like…if there is no support for removing disruptive students from classes how much learning can really get done? When a student was eventually taken out the parent came in, in a huff, wanting to know what their perfect child did to get them suspended for a day. Seriously??!!! Had that been my mother, it would not have mattered what the teacher said I did I would be going home and given a red ass, lost all privileges, and been forced to clean the entire house on my “day off.” 

So Wednesday will be the first day that I will have all students and no TCAP testing. I think I will have to take a pill to make it through the commitment that I made…No wonder veteran teachers are retiring early and we are stuck with young teachers, some just looking for a pay check. Who would want to work under those conditions and for  less pay than a bank teller makes in a year.