Every year the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students at my school take the
dreaded CST's (California Standardized Tests). The test that will determine weather a student gets and elective or is placed in an extra math or language arts class. The tension leading up to the test is extremely intense as many students stress about doing well. Being their teacher, I do my best to help calm them down before the exam and give them as much guidance as I can before we start the testing process. Yet, is there more that the schools and teachers can do to help students succeed?
This was the question poised to our staff months ago, and an overwhelming majority of educators suggested that minimum days would be excellent for students. It would let the students relax after completing a stressful exam and provide them with time to prepare for the following one. The only complaint that was brought to the attention of the staff was that minimum days after testing would result in 15-20 minute classes (not the ideal for teaching in middle school). So the suggestion was made in leadership council to suggest to the staff the idea of a minimum day where the students would only go to 3 of their classes one day and the other 3 on the following day. The plan sounded awesome, more time was alloted for instruction, and students still had the minimum day. It was presented to the staff and no complaints were made.
Now that testing started the attitude amongst many of the staff has completely changed. Teachers who were for the schedule were suddenly complaining that they lost their prep period and how it wasn't fair, when in reality they never lost a prep it was just instead of two short preps in two days we would receive 1 long one in two days. Despite the argument and the benefit to students teachers continued to complain even bringing the collective bargaining agreement into the discussion (THE UNIOIN). Most of the disagreement was due to the Friday and Monday schedule of testing where teachers with a first or second period prep would receive an extra 15 minutes of prep for two days during the school year... Suddenly there are arguments and the parking-lot conversations with irate teachers. Am I the only one that says, "Who cares!" 15 minutes during 2 days out of the year, give me a break. Sometimes I am amazed at how unprofessional some teachers can be. If a school was like a business that kind of unprofessionalism would result in termination. So anyways on with the results.
The outcome was that the schedule was rearranged so that all prep times matched, and students continued with the minimum days. It sounds like it all worked out, but the administration was completely frustrated with all the bickering and childish behavior from teachers. If there had been a problem with the schedule the administration was wondering why teachers didn't bring it up in the months leading up to the test. This one was a complete lack of professionalism on the teachers part. I wanted to find out more and so I set up a meeting and talked with the principal to get his point of view of the whole debacle. I found out that because of all the problems that arose due to the minimum day schedules, the unprofessionalism from the teachers, and the extreme lack of communication between teachers and the administration, that it is extremely unlikely that minimum days will be used in the future.
Way to go Team!
What happened in the end... Students will not receive minimum days in the future, teachers will teach shortened classes, and no progress will have been made to move students towards success. Sometimes I truly wonder why some people became teachers. We should always ask ourselves what we can do for our students, not I am on lunch don't bother me.
Links for testing:
Resources
HISD | Student Assessment Home. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2009, from http://www.houstonisd.org/portal/site/StudentAssessment
