Testing
Written by tblanchet, Posted in Issues in Education
The tests were never designed to make these decisions about which schools should survive, or which kids should be promoted, or which teachers should be fired. The behaviors are inexcusable on their face. But the implications of what they're doing should be causing a much greater red flag about the testing system than simply battening down the hatches on security."
Linda Darling-HammondShared by Larry Ferlazzo on his blog, the above quote is very timely for me, as my district is testing this week, and I know my former colleagues and students feel the pressure to be successful. It originally appeared in the article “Atlanta’s School Scandal Isn’t Local How education reform’s “no excuses” motto causes cheating’ at The New Republic. The Atlanta testing scandal highlights what me and most teachers have known for years–fear is not how you motivate teachers or students to do their best work.
On January 15, I began a new job–not in the classroom. I am now using all of my tech skills to be the “digital engagement specialist” for my school district, i.e. web guru. I am responsible for maintaining all our online communications outlets, including our website, social media and email newsletters to employees and the general public. It has been a huge shift for me, waking up everyday to sit at a computer, not surrounded by teenagers, not thinking about lesson plans, grades and the dreaded standardized test. Although there is a lot I do not miss, I truly do miss the kids. I miss laughing with them, nursing their wounds, seeing the “light bulb moment” when I know that I was the bridge between them and the unknown…there is definitely a lot that I do miss. I do not miss the stress, not having time or energy for my own children because it was spent on my school kids, or spending Sunday afternoon at school trying to complete the futile task of “getting caught up”. 
