Tuesday, April 24, 2012

What Standarized Scores Won't Tell You

They won't tell you how many schools that child has been in since Kindergarten.

They won't tell you what their home life is like.

They won't tell you how involved their parents are.

They won't tell you where the child started with they entered your classroom.

They won't tell you how much intervention has been given to the student and they STILL are not getting it.

They won't tell you how many times their teacher has told them to read carefully and show their work. They still might rush through it and not do what their teacher has taught them.

It is one test, one day, given to eight and nine year olds. They have to sit quietly all day and answer 54 questions.

I have come to the conclusion that I can only do so much, with the kids I have, in my overcrowded classroom, in the time I have them. No matter how many of my kids fail today, I still stand by the fact that I am a DARN good teacher.  I have done everything I can to teach my students. I have taught using all the research-based methods I know. I have tried to reach as many kids as I can through interventions. I will NOT let these scores determine my worth as a teacher.