Tomorrow my students will begin day 1 of our standardized testing. In addition, this is my first round of testing in my teaching career. I feel anxious and just want this week to be over with. Although I am not paid based upon test scores I feel the pressure for my students to perform well or I will look like I did not do a good job teaching. Further, I want to prove to my principal as a first year teacher I did a good job. However, test scores should not prove this-other authentic assessments and observations should prove this. Unfortunately this is the testing world we live in. We need a national education movement to redirect learning to better our children. Curriculum that encourages critical thinking and problem solving not test taking 101. This is a great article from a blog that explains who funds the new core standards as well as our tests: http://rdsathene.blogspot.com/2011/05/professor-michael-moore-cornering.html.
Also, read this article by Dianne Ravitch, I absoutely love reading what she has to say: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-05-10/arne-duncans-open-letter-makes-teachers-furious/#
My goal for next year is to write more on this blog about educational issues plaguing our world. I know that it is not going to get any better in the near future so its going to be a hard fight in order for our children to receive a quality education.
No comments:
Post a Comment