Sad But True Confession
True confession: I don’t love teaching as much as I did when I first started in this profession. It pains me to admit this, but I don’t think I am alone. In conversations with other teachers, I am hearing the same complaints. Teachers are increasingly overwhelmed, overworked, and unappreciated.
Why are we overwhelmed? Because instead of being able to teach children to love learning, we are now in the business of teaching them how to take tests. Those of you who have moved to standards-based report cards know what I am talking about. In our district, we have created three formative assessments for each standard we cover in a trimester. We are required to administer these tests at the beginning, sometime during, and at the end of the trimester for each standard. The goal is to show improvement towards mastering each concept. After each test, we intervene with those who are not grasping the concept in a variety of ways before testing again. This is all above and beyond the normal testing that has always occurred in a classroom. Is this what I signed up for when I became a teacher? Is this how you pictured yourself making a difference in your students’ lives? Is this really the way to get children excited about learning?
I am in my thirtieth year of teaching, and most people probably think that means I am coasting along doing less than I did when I started out. But I am working harder and longer hours with each passing year because so much more is demanded of teachers than ever before. Now, I don’t mind working harder if I feel I am working smarter. But I contend that we are losing sight of simple truths. Like the fact that repetitive testing is turning our kids off. And that teachers need to believe in and love what they are doing in order to be effective in the classroom. And that I can assess a student’s progress in a variety of ways, and testing is just one way. And that working harder doesn’t always mean working better.
And I feel unappreciated. No one will ever realize the additional hours I put in to try to meet my districts’ and state’s expectation that somehow I can get every student in my classroom to pass a test that has no real significance to them. We have even heard students voice the opinion (that they obviously have heard at home) that the tests are really to see how well the teacher is doing, not how well they are doing. When my students do score well, does anyone congratulate me on a job well done?
Again, I am working harder, enjoying it less, and not even recognized for the extra efforts I make. So, sadly, I find myself thinking more and more of retirement because my job is gradually become more work than it is a labor of love.
Changes in Teaching, Teacher-World's Blog, state achievement tests
Dear all,
My name is Afra and I work as a Researcher at an agency called The Consumer Knowledge Centre. We have a teacher panel and we are planning the first meeting to commence on the 10th/11th December. The purpose of the panel is to gain a better understanding of kids and all the different elements and contexts which make up their lives.
Teachers are a group of people who spend a great deal of time with children in an out-of-home environment, who have a strong influence on their views and development as well as their education, and therefore we feel that you are an important group to talk to.
We are looking for teachers in the Kalamazoo, Portage and other surrounding areas, and the teachers involved would be required to meet every 6-8 weeks or so to give feedback on what is new in their students’ lives and to share any potential new ideas for products, promotions and packaging.
There will be 3 separate groups according to Grades:
Grade 1 to Grade 6 (if that Grade 6 is in Elementary school)
Grade 6 (if in Middle School) to Grade 8
Grade 9 to Grade 12
Some of the topics of discussion may centre on:
Socio- economic and cultural differences and the huge effect they have on kids in all ways
Kids and how they have more ‘stuff’ to deal with now than ever before
Kids and how there is less time for creative thought, reflection and use of imagination
The first meeting would outline the objectives of the group, and also talk about the different topics which could be discussed at the meetings- topics that interest you the most would be very useful. This meeting would also be used to agree the dates and locations for the next meetings.
The schools will take turns to host the discussions, and each would last a maximum of 2 hours depending on the topics being discussed and the groups will meet after school at a local school. It will be a good opportunity for you to talk to fellow teachers in your area. Every participant will be paid $150 per session for his/her time, and a donation of $400 will be offered to the schools hosting the meetings.
At the moment we would like you to register your interest as well as the preferred date that you would like to participate. Please respond via email or on our toll free number 1 866 208 0660, preferably before noon your time as the UK is 5 hours ahead of you! We will also be in contact via phone.
We have undertaken previous projects at various schools in the USA in the past.
With thanks and kind regards,
Afra Acquah
Researcher
Consumer Knowledge Centre Ltd.
Tel: +44 (0)20 8952 5888
Fax: +44 (0)20 8952 5283