I am thinking of stirring up some trouble. I don’t know if I will really do it, but I am thinking about it. I have some issues with the amount of time we are expected to spend reviewing for the MAP test. I have been prepping them for the MAP since August. I know what they need to know, I know how they need to say it, I know how it will be scored. I teach with that in the back of my head every day….and now I don’t want to be told that I have to drop all of my projects and routines and cram random facts down the throats of my students. If they don’t have what they need to do well on the test by now, they won’t have any more of it after 3 weeks of cramming. I know that I need to go over a few things so that it’s fresh in their minds. I know that we are currently judged by these test scores. I know that I may be called to the table if my kids don’t perform. But I am not sure I care…..I mean, I care about my students doing their best on the test, but that’s as far as I can go with it. So I think I’ll just keep going….teaching, facilitating, differentiating. This time of year is always hard for me, but I think a couple things are causing me to take a stand this year. One: I have become more aware of the bigger picture this year, via my social network. I could just sit back and swallow my beliefs as I always do and conform to the usual drill, but it seems more like a sell out now because of what I know, and the conversations I have had. I feel like I need to make a little fuss in my own little corner of the world, for the greater good, you know? Two: I scored the MAP last summer, and it was the most enlightening look into the belly of the beast that I have ever had. I think it has made me realize how random and unrepresentative the scores actually are- it made me mad really, as a teacher of children. I think these two things have pushed me over the proverbial edge when it comes to high stakes testing. The question is, will I cook my own goose? We’ll see….here comes trouble:)
Do U C What I C
What I do with what I see…
You know that this is exactly my belief, so I say go for it, BFF! But then again, I’ve been known to get myself in trouble for my beliefs. 😉 All kidding aside, I do truly believe that you can’t prepare kids for the MAP test (or any other of those wonderful standardized tests) by cramming a bunch of review stuff in during the couple weeks preceding the test. If we teach kids to learn and think for themselves, then they should be successful without the cram sessions. Just my opinion. 🙂
I’m with you all the way on this! Guess who the only teacher is in her building who did not order review books? You guessed it. I even had someone I respect recommend that I calendar out all the GLE’s and review and reteach one per day until MAP. The only problem with that–some take more than a day. For example, right now I am teaching ordering decimals and my kids are getting it. But it took several days of games, activities to get to “get it”.
I’m not being vocal about my lack of test prep though. I’m just going in my room and teaching. I am reviewing things from the beginning of the year with fun, short activities. For instance–go to this website and play this game on multiples. Then do a hand-up/pair-up with some cool music and answer a question with a partner and share out. Other than those quick reviews–I’m just teaching and the kids are learning. I hope and pray that learning shows up on the test, but even if it doesn’t I have to go to bed at night and know that I taught these kids skills they’ll need in life. After that I just pray this test obsession goes away soon!