Author: Sweat to Inspire

Educator and Parent

MEAP Matters?

Posted on by Sweat to Inspire

Today I had the pleasure of administering the 7th grade math MEAP (Michigan Educational Assessment Program) to my 2nd hour science class. It is the second week of testing, 4th day of testing. We give up about 2.5 hours of instructional time each day that our students are required to take the test. I find it odd that we are testing 6th grade growth in writing, reading and math a month into the 7th grade year. shouldn’t the test be at the end of the 6th grade year? Before our students have 10 weeks off and then comeback and get into a routine of instruction just to be interrupted by testing over 2 weeks. Enough about testing times, I want to focus on today.

Today I walked around the room observing students working on the test. I noticed students answering questions without writing down any calculations in the test booklet. I took a moment to look back at the instructions: “You may underline, circle or write in the booklet but only the answers on the answer document will be corrected.” First off, I don’t like the word MAY in the instructions. I feel it needs to be changed to “You SHOULD”. Why do we give the students permission to choose not to show work, which as an educator I know is a best practice. It will help students see what they are calculating and they may notice a mistake. The other problem is the directions are telling the students that their work doesn’t matter, just the answer. Sure, the government does not want to pay someone to grade written work, but they devalue it before it is even attempted.

As I continued to monitor the class take the assessment, I felt more and more useless as a teacher in the classroom. I saw students making mistakes. I wanted to ask them how they came to their answer. I wanted to help them see their errors and make corrections. I felt helpless, watching students make mistake after mistake. Trained to help students learn from mistakes, I was forced to sit on the sidelines so the educational autopsy could be performed. Result coming in 6 months with very few problems released to aid student instruction.

After the students had finished: some rapidly and some worked diligently to achieve their best. I talked with a few students individually. My first conversation was with a student who finished the suggest 40 minute second part in 15 minute. I asked “How did you do?” His response was “Doesn’t matter, my parents don’t care about the MEAP, glad I am done.” I wanted to say it matters to your school and teachers. I felt the urge to explain that the scores rank schools and can affect funding. But he was right! To him the test has no relevance. It does not affect his grade or standing in school. Why try your best on a test if there is no true benefit. What is the point of the test for him?

The other student I talked to was a girl. She appeared tired and was laying her head down on the desk after the test were collected. I asked her why she was tired. “Well, I did not go to bed until 11 pm last night and had to get up at 4 am to get to school.” Okay 5 hours of sleep would make me tired too. I sure would not be performing my best on a test getting that little sleep. After further inquiry I found out she was with her mom at her mother’s boyfriends house, an hour away from school. Well, that explains the sleep issue. Is it fair for this 12-year-old girl to have to take the test? I don’t know.

I do know we need to create a testing system that is relevant to our students. It need to not be an autopsy but be a tool to mold instructional needs for the students. It also needs to have the flexibility to allow for students to show work and retake if needed. We need a testing system that helps students grow and become better learners. Not one that is used to rank students and bully teachers and schools.

Raking Leaves

Posted on by Sweat to Inspire

Today was one of those fall days where the winds is blowing and leaves are falling like large snowflakes to the grown. The yard is filled with large multi-colored brittle flakes we call leaves. After dinner, I wandered outside with my rake and started making piles. My 4 year old twins came running out full of excitement and energy. They wanted to help. My first thought was NO. It won’t get done and they will make a mess. But, I can’t resist my son’s PLEASE, with his sister chiming in, in support.

After making sure they each had a rake, well “their” rake. We started making piles. They enjoyed helping me. As the pile got larger, they did enjoy taking turns jumping in and throwing the leaves in the air. What 4 year old or for that matter child wouldn’t. After taking turns, they would rake the pile back up. When it came time to bag the pile they would help by picking up the few leaves that would fit in their small hands in throw them at the bag. The leaves frequently missed their mark, and they would try again. Eager to help out daddy.

 

After helping a bit they wander to a different area of the yard to play. As I continued to rake the leaves I thought about how eager my children, all children are to help out. So often, adults given in to their gut reaction to turn away their help, because it will slow down the process. Adults just want to get the job done, kids like to have fun doing the job.

When I survey my neighborhood, I don’t see many families out doing yard work. It is either a lone adult or a company doing the work, even in the houses with teenaged children.

Are adults taking away prime learning opportunities from their children today? Do we focus to much on finishing the job we forget to enjoy the journey and on that journey teach our children?

I think about my students who are living in situations where parents either don’t have time to teach them the lessons that really matter in life or have to act like parents themselves.

Take time to rake the leaves with a child, It will make your life and theirs more fulfilled. Even if it takes a bit longer!

Forced Malpractice?

Posted on by Sweat to Inspire

When thinking about the education climate today, I feel that teachers are being placed in a situation where they are almost forced into malpractice. Now most people think of malpractice as medical or legal term. Malpractice as defined by the free legal dictionary:  

“The failure to meet a standard of care or standard of conduct that is recognized by a profession reaches the level of malpractice when a client or patient is injured or damaged because of error.”

Teachers are supposed to create learners in their classrooms. Schools should need to create authentic learning environments that are relevant  to young minds. Lessons should allow students to explore open-ended questions and learn should be accomplished at an individual’s own pace. All students learn in their own way on their own time table. All educators know that student learn in many different ways and this learning can be expressed in all forms. These are the standards and conducts that teaching professions need to accomplish.

In our RTTT and NCLB world, legislators have created laws that measure student learning on strict linear growth charts. Teachers are then ranked and judged by the yearly growth. This growth is measured using one single expression of knowledge: answers on a multiple choice test. These test are given frequently to constantly monitor growth.

At this point I hope you see the stark contrast from professional standards/ principals of learning and how we are attempting to measure learning. SO how is it Malpractice?

Teachers are being forced to test, test and test students to measure their learning. When most teachers know every child’s ability level. This testing takes away from the true purpose of school: To teach students how to learn. Instead of teaching how to learn teachers feel the need/pressure to teach how to take tests. This environment removes the relevance from all topics. Teachers often lose sight of the WHY, and resort to “You need to know it because it is on the test” answer to the why question.

Principal, Donald Sternberg, from New York State recently wrote this about the testing environment in a letter home to parents in his district:

“One significant issue as we move into this new school year is that we will, at times, find it difficult if not impossible to teach authentic application of concepts and skills with an eye towards relevancy. What we will be teaching students is to be effective test takers; a skill that does not necessarily translate into critical thinking – a skill set that is necessary at the college level and beyond. This will inevitably conflict with authentic educational practice – true teaching.”

The testing nature of schools today is hurting our students. Teachers are turning to practices that create great test takers but not true thinkers.   This system is falling apart due to over regulation by legislators who champion education in speeches  but not in-laws. It is time to stop the system that damaging our students.

When looking at education in this light, I am surprised nobody has sued for malpractice. As a teacher we can say we were forced to by  the legislature.