I was forced to administer the Field Test in Integrated Algebra to my kids this week. This is a test that has zero benefits for them. In fact, it has negative benefits as valuable class time has been taken up. In addition to the wasted time, I watched my poor students stress over many problems that were way to difficult. Just as I had them believing they could pass the regents, they were hit with this major roadblock and my little engine that could speech has, for many become a could not. In addition, I had to enforce strict test conditions that were not conducive to education at all. It broke my heart not to be able to answer their questions.
We are a test site because old Principal Suit volunteered us to be one. As a school, we get nothing out of this. Our students suffer because of it. So, I wonder why he would do this? Was he rewarded? Was he promised a big payoff or a new job? (No accusations, just questions.) If every second of education counts, why are we wasting the little time we have left to teach testing questions for a company that makes big bucks preparing them? And, now that he is gone, why are we still doing this?
2 comments:
Reminds me of the time I was teaching third/second graders in a 12:1 class (as a leave replacement). The children already struggled academically and were way below grade average. I was endlessly working with them giving them my multi-sensory approaches as well as doing lots positive reinforcement builders that were also EXTREMELY NECESSARY. What happens a few months later? The literacy coach comes in 1 day to test each child on the 'speed fluency'. Each child came back to the room, put their heads on the desks and became angry, repeating, "we are too stupid to be here. I am not learning anything. That test made me stupid". Was it really that worth it to test children who already have extremely reading difficulty on their speed?
All this testing is nothing more than child abuse.
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