Ready or Not

I have tested and been tested. Last week was final exam week for the first semester, and I tested over 100 students in four different subjects. Some of the exams were specific to my students, meaning I wrote the exams. Other exams were taken by all students taking that class, with some modifications for level of ability. One test, the English 9 Assessment, was given to all ninth graders in our county. It’s that last one that troubles me. You could say I’m “testy” about it.

This assessment is a “benchmark” exam, designed to monitor the progress of our students as they move towards taking the state-mandated high school assessment in English 10. They must take and pass that exam in order to graduate from high school, along with Biology, Government, and Algebra. It’s a policy of one size test to fit all size students. I think it’s the way it is in most school districts now.

I gave the test to my English 9 special education students, the same test the honors classes took. I prepared the test on the computer system for the students who can’t read. Of course, the day of the exam, the system didn’t work and I read the exam aloud to two students. I read it to them, but I couldn’t explain it or help with answers, of course. Reading the exams to the two students meant I could closely watch their effort. I could see what confused them, which words they asked me to repeat, and which answers they put down first and then erased. I could see the pressure in their eyes and the tension in their hands. I could see how hard they worked. None of my students did well on the test, but most tried very hard. They have to keep trying, because they must pass it next year in order to earn a diploma. I’m afraid for them. It’s not just that they can’t read, but that they struggle with in-depth comprehension and analysis. I don’t know if I can teach them what they need to be successful. I’m afraid I can’t “teach to the test” well enough for them to earn a high school diploma. But I am going to try hard again this semester.

I myself have taken a lot of standardized tests. I have earned my “highly qualified” status in English, Social Studies, and Special Education through success on the Praxis exams. I passed the Social Studies content Praxis test before I entered the classroom. But I still didn’t know much specific information about World Civilization or US History – I learned the content along with the students as I began to teach it. I know teachers who have been in the classroom for several years, who are considered among the best in our school, who know the material, but have not yet passed their Praxis exams so are in danger of losing their jobs. Am I a better teacher because I am a better test taker?

Are my students poorer students because they are poor test takers?

Do we judge student success only by their scores on eight hours’ worth of exams? If you can’t pass these four exams, you can’t have a diploma. I was judged worthy of teacher status because I passed ten hours’ worth of tests. The best part is this – if I pass any other Praxis exams, I’ll be certified to teach that subject. I’ve taken five and passed, so I’m thinking about Biology, and Art. Those are subjects I like, too. Perhaps Early Childhood – that’s my previous career. I think I could even pass Algebra, definitely not Geometry. These passing scores don’t mean I could teach these subjects. Do they? How can we really measure the potential ability of a teacher?

This is the critical test for education today. Do we keep using standardized tests that measure knowledge in relation to 60 questions to judge our teachers? Do we keep testing students with unit tests and semester exams and benchmark assessments and exam-dependent diplomas? Is that how we will determine success?

Or can we consider other ways of measuring progress, and ability, and worth? For students and teachers? A lot of questions.

Sorry to test you like that.

Posted by at 5:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

It’s almost semester exam time. Each student in each class will take a two-hour cumulative exam. This exam will weigh in at 20% of the semester grade. It counts a lot. Students are getting nervous, teachers are getting nervous, and apparently the copiers are getting very nervous because none of them are working.

So I am spending this holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King by dedicating it to a day of work. I am honoring him through service to my students. I’ve set my Purpose for this week – Preparation, Practice, and Praise. I work with many disadvantaged children, as a special educator. I work with those high school students with attention disorders, learning disabilities, poor reading skills, physical limitations, and emotional/behavioral issues. They have to pass the same exams as everyone else, with some modification as appropriate for the IEP.

This week my purpose is to prepare the exams for the students, and the students for the exams. In some cases I’ll create word banks for students to use, or revise the wording of an essay question, or provide definitions for key terms. I might change the multiple choices from four to three. I could even shorten the length of the test for the student with time issues. All students get a review sheet to study from, with questions to answer and terms to define. For some of my students I have to prepare those answers and definitions for them. And with the study materials we provide I also need to provide encouragement, and reassurance, and practice enough so they become confident of their success.

Too many special education students come to exams thinking “I can’t do this, I am going to fail again.” I failed some tests in my lifetime, and I know success takes PREPARATION and PRACTICE. I’m giving them practice work and materials for preparation. But they need something more.

So I’m adding PRAISE – the third “P” of exam time. My students need praise – good words congratulating them on what they have already accomplished, and recognition of what they can do. We have two days of study time in each class this week. On those two days I’ll fit in these three important elements. Preparation – study review guides to complete and learn/memorize. Here’s a tip: I’ll let the students pick out which classical music CD they want to listen to during the study days, so when I play the same thing during exams it will be a mental trigger. Practice – sample problems, both multiple choice and essay questions, which the students will grade themselves. Praise – I’ll pass out grade sheets to show successes, and I’ll talk about how well the class has worked together. We’ll do some partner work so students can encourage each other. I’ll write a note for each student with a word of encouragement. I’ll ask them to write a paragraph of self-encouragement. I’ll let them know how much I care about their success now and in the future.

It’s what I do for a living- I teach the “P’s” – Prepare, Practice, Praise. It’s my PURPOSE.

Posted by at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

When a new college graduate presents his credentials as a teacher, he shows a bright diploma still wet from the presses. His mind is full of education theory, teaching methodologies, and student teaching experience. All very good credentials. When a career-changer presents her diploma, it’s wrinkled and a bit faded – hard to tell what the study track was. Her experience is not in front of the classroom, but may be in front of corporate leaders, media representatives, work crews, or customers. She may not have been “in front of” anyone at all, but may have worked at home coordinating a team around the world through a networked computer, or writing freelance stories. She may have been the salesman, the professional, the reliable worker with a degree which turned out to be in a field she didn’t really want to be in.

Well, that’s kind of my story. I am a career changer – coming from several other careers – including public relations, childcare, construction management, sales. I’ve been a parent, read thousands of newspapers and books, talked to lots of people, tried a lot of new activities, asked a lot of questions, and gained a lot of experience. Useful experience. Valuable experience.

My school valued that experience highly, and welcomed me warmly as a new teacher last year. I’m sure there were some concerns. I remember my interview, when I was asked to explain my ideas about assessment for special education students, and my answer was, “are you referring to tests or homeowner taxes?” But I was hired, so I must have shown something.

Through the Resident Teacher Certification program, I receive a great deal of support and instruction. I began my teaching career with great humility, acknowledging how much I needed to learn about teenagers and educational theory, and teaching methods, and school policies. But I refused to act as if I didn’t have any valuable experience, or pertinent knowledge, or strength. And I will continue to advocate for career changers.

I believe our schools need career changers. We will especially need people who are retiring from other careers, with intact retirement programs, who won’t mind working for so little money. Unfortunately, that’s not my case, I need the income – and I would not be able to live on my salary were I not married. We’ll need teachers to serve as mentors to our children, as leaders of our school system, as change brokers. We’ll need teachers who are there because they believe they have a calling, and have thought about it a lot. We’ll need teachers who already know how to learn something, how to analyze knowledge and apply it elsewhere, and who are not afraid to try something new because they know the joy of fresh experience. We’ll need more career changers.

I believe we need to create support systems for ourselves, so that when one school system is not supportive, you can find out which ones are, and move. We don’t have time to continue where we’re not appreciated. We’re needed too badly. Every village needs its elders. Don’t let your school forget it.

Posted by at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

My resolution for 2006 is to make more lists. I meant to buy a new notebook at the store today, so I could write down things I need to do, but I forgot. If only I had written it down …

I’ve spent the day thinking about resolutions for teachers. I’ve made a list on a scrap of paper. Here are my contributions for your consideration. If you like this list, feel free to adopt it as your own. That will save you some time having to make up resolutions for yourself.

Teacher Resolution List

1. Write things down. Carry a small notebook at all times and write down things you need to remember – the parent who needs a call, the student who needs a copy of some missed work, the question another teacher asked that you couldn’t answer at the time. Get in the habit of reading the notebook every morning when you arrive at school and every evening when you leave. Check off things that are done – it will feel so good!

2. Use technology to its maximum advantage. Learn new tools and techniques. Take digital pictures, use email to contact parents, download videos for instruction. Surf the Web - read Teacher Blogs for inspiration and ideas!

3. Grade less, assess more. I resolve to assess students daily – by a variety of methods – to measure their progress. I can use observation, verbal assessment, review games, quick-writes, partner work, or even quizzes. If I know the students are progressing, I don’t have to grade so much. Taking home less paper to grade is good.

4. Plan down time. Schedule it on the calendar. Write down if Tuesday is a “take work home night”, but also write down if Wednesday is “go to the gym for a long workout and sauna night”. That way Wednesday stays as important as Tuesday.

5. Be positive. I don’t mean with the students – we are positive if we’re good teachers. I mean with other teachers, staff, administration – and yourself. Think about success, check off items on your list, pat yourself and other teachers on the back. Give someone a card, send a happy email with a cc to the principal, volunteer for a new school program. Positive means happy. Happy teachers are strong teachers.

There. Now that’s done. I’ve made resolutions for myself and for anyone else who wants the list. I’m checking this task off on my list. Where is that list? Wish I had a little notebook …

Happy New Year to All!

Posted by at 5:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)