Sunday, September 18, 2011

To The Rescue!!!

There has been a LOT of talk in my building lately about testing and student scores. This is nothing new as it is seems that the education world revolves more and more around this particular assessment type. The frustrating part of the whole thing is that these tests, as most teachers can tell you, are not the most ideal way of checking to see if our kids are learning.

First off, the only tests that count towards the "grade" a particular school building receives are the Reading and Math tests. Don't get me wrong... math and reading are important. They are probably the most important areas of knowledge for kids as they build a solid foundation for learning throughout their lives. However, right from the start, we are leaving off all the other areas that students excel in during the school day (sciences, social studies, the fine/performing arts, athletics). I would hate to think that we are telling our future brilliant scientists and musicians that they are "dumb" just because they happen to be average at reading and math. It's funny how we are told the importance of multiple intelligences in planning our lessons, but fail to reward them within the educational system.

Second, this "testing only" method of grading our students and schools can cause unneeded levels of stress for the students AND the teachers. Yes, the final product is often the thing that matters most in real world jobs, but the work and effort leading up to that moment can be just as important in helping someone learn and grow. This concentration on the end result often means that our children are being trained to take a test instead of engaging in meaningful learning. (I haven't even mentioned the temptation to cheat on these tests to inflate the results. I'll just let you Google "testing scandal" to catch up on the latest news on this growing problem.)

Third, I believe that many of the politicians, administrations, and companies in the driver's seat of our education system have ulterior motives. Many leaders will ignore a long-term solution (class size) in favor of the short term (buying programs/technology that often go unused). These people will profess their desire to help the children, but, in reality, it is about having something successful to point at when re-election time comes around. What about the testing companies?! They make LOTS of money off of the current system, and I don't think they will be giving up that cash cow anytime soon!

So... What about a solution?!? Like most things in life... the answer is simple, but it is often hard to put into practice. Here are a few ideas I believe could make a BIG difference.

Smaller class size in elementary schools. Many studies will talk about the importance of building a solid educational foundation with our youngest students, but schools will often see their highest student-to-teacher ratio in these critical K-3rd grade classrooms. I would LOVE to see no more than 15 students in our early elementary classrooms. I believe that many of the students who struggle academically today do so because they fell through the cracks in those crowded settings and failed to develop critical skills in reading and math.

Rearrange our priorities.
Just as a healthy lifestyle can often save a person the pain and expense of medical problems later in life, a good education can empower people to take charge of circumstances in their lives and see the options (both short-term and long) available to them. As teachers and school districts, we can do this by continuing to focus on proven strategies and avoid tying up our resources in educational fads or buying items that only serve the purpose of making us look good for the local newspaper or TV report. Also, parents should constantly remind their children that their education is a process that will see benefits down the road. Be their external motivation to keep going (when they want to quit) until they mature and develop the internal motivation that drives most successful adults.

Read!
I cannot overstate the importance of reading. Many of us cannot afford to see and experience the many wonders that our world offers, but through reading, we have those wonders and stories at our fingertips. Reading allows us to stretch beyond ourselves. We learn of the successes and problems of others throughout history, and we gain the ability to see the world through the eyes of others, both of which are crucial in becoming a tolerant and productive citizen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My teacher friends and I often joke about being able to solve the dilemmas in our educational system if the various leaders in our field and country would just listen to us, but I don't think that will happen anytime soon. However, I have left my pessimism behind years ago.
I truly believe that, if teachers don't get bogged down in what we can't control and focus on the bright, eager students we are given each year, things will turn out for the best more often than not! :)

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Early Days

It's still early in the year, but I thought would share a couple of stories that have happened so far. These are the kind of little things that keeps this teacher coming back for more!
-----------------------------------
Being a social studies teacher, I REALLY like using Dr. Mark Forget's teaching methods. His activities are a great way to integrate reading and writing skills into my curriculum.

One of his activities is called an "Anticipation Guide." I had passed out the guide to kids and was going over how it was used, but one little girl was adamant that she use her own notebook paper because she didn't want to get the Guide "messy." I laughed, but insisted that it was okay to write all over my worksheet. After some huffing, puffing, and pouty lips, she put her notebook paper aside, and we finished the activity.

So imagine my surprise the next day when I am grading papers and her notebook paper is stapled to the back of the guide worksheet I gave her. My first reaction of irritation quickly subsided as I flipped over to her notebook paper, only to find the paper blank except for three words near the bottom, "Love This Class."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am pleasantly surprised each year by the number of eighth grade students that say they miss my class from the year before. ESPECIALLY, the students that I felt like I was constantly having conversations with about poor behavior choices and being responsible for their actions. So it was quite a surprise when one such student came up to me with an announcement while I was walking to my car after school.

"Mr. Farnham, I want to be a teacher when I grow up because of you."

Now I don't know how serious he is, but if, at the least, my words and actions have caused him to take school a little more seriously, that is great, and if he does grow up to join the teaching field, then I hope I have been a good example of how to treat students while getting them to learn about the world and themselves.