Counting It Down!

 
             It's hard to believe that a whole school year really only comes down to one moment. They only get a snap shot of each student's potential. I'm at a loss for words as my students have their last weekend before their exams.

                I will not get to see any of my student’s tomorrow due to the dreaded MSL testing. Today was my last opportunity to encourage my students to take their time and really focus. I hate seeing them worry about a test. The stress only surmounts as the days grows closer. If only we could find another way to access their knowledge. I have taught my curriculum all year, only to spend the last three weeks on test prep. I have trudged through prep for the last few weeks and I’m really tired of all this. I hate that our whole year of reading and writing will come down to a test. The test will not see how well they write and how creative they can be. It will not see the struggling student who stayed afterschool to get extra help. It will not see that my students enjoy reading, but the material has to relate to them. This stupid test will not get the chance to see my students think aloud as they brainstorm. What about all the things we have worked on all year that aren’t tested? What about the new and enriched vocabulary that we covered?   

                I teach because I love having a job where reading literature happens every day, where students can write about interesting topics, where I can do fun activities, where I the teacher can choose our next class text, and where I can go into work and feel as if I have made a difference. I do NOT teach for a test!

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