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Sick of Testing (at 8 years old)

10/31/2013

 
My children LOVE school. They love it so much they pretend to play school on the weekends and breaks. They both want to be teachers when they grow up they love it so much.

Starting in the spring of her 2nd grade year, my daughter started having stomach aches and throwing up. We didn't know what was causing it, and she missed a lot of school. We took her to her pediatrician many times, and tried modifying her diet. None of that helped, so we were referred to a GI specialist.  We were scared to death that it was ulcers or cancer or worse.  The GI doctor put our 8 year old to sleep and put cameras in her intestines and down her throat.  He checked every inch of her digestive tract.  He came out of the room while she was still sedated and told us that our daughter is perfectly healthy, that she has anxiety.  "Anxiety? She's only 8 years old!"  We later asked her, and she admitted that she was scared of failing the "big TCAP test at school."  (The SAT-10 test for 2nd graders).  By the time we knew what the diagnosis was, the testing was over at school.  She was so sick on the testing days that she missed school.  She had to take the make-up tests in a custodial closet with a teacher's aide for 2 straight days.  By the time we found out her "anxiety," it was the end of the school year. She didn't have another stomach ache all summer long.

The GI doctor told us it is quite common for students who are high-achievers or perfectionists to have anxiety over testing.  He said he diagnoses more and more children with anxiety every year.  But at 8 years old??? It makes me sick, as her Mom, to know my 8 year old child was burdened and stressed by inappropriate tests.

To be clear, it wasn't her teacher's fault.  She's an awesome teacher who loves her students and gives 110%.  She even won outstanding teacher of the year for our district.  We know she didn't pressure students to score high on the test (even though it affects her evaluation and paycheck).  

The entire school atmosphere changed a couple of months before SAT-10 and TCAP testing...  The classroom walls were stripped bare, resembling a prison more than an elementary school.  The music teacher taught songs about "Zapping the TCAP" and "Do the TCAP Rap."  Students spent hours and hours bubbling in answers to trick questions in test-prep workbooks.  Strangers arrived in their classrooms on testing days to "proctor" (sit in the room and stare as students take hours and hours of tests).  How is this good for children???  And now, our district tests kindergartners & 1st graders this way, too!  This is child abuse!!!

Since then, I have opted both of my children out of all testing and pre-testing this year. It was like a weight was lifted off of their shoulders when we told them they didn't have to do any more standardized tests like the CRA, TCAP, PARCC, Thinklink, Discovery Ed Probes, Compass Math Assessments, Tripod Surveys, or do any more TCAP prep-workbooks.  (I honestly didn't realize that my children ever did all of this testing and test-prep until I researched it).  Parents do not see our children's test results to most of these, nor are we allowed to even see the test questions.   Parents do realize that our schools are very, very tight on money.  It is obvious that our children's student:teacher ratios are larger than they have ever been and that the Arts & extra-curricular activities have been cut.  All the money spent on these wasteful assessments is draining dollars that could be better spent on worthwhile things like smaller class sizes, music, art, counselors, librarians, nurses, etc.  

Since we've opted our children out, their teachers and principals have been very understanding and respectful of our wishes.  Even though it may affect their evaluations, their teachers told us they support us and that they think we are doing the right thing as parents.  Two of their teachers even told me privately that they wished they could opt their own children out but are afraid to since they work for the district!

Their Principals said they are still researching what to do about the TCAP.  Because it is state mandated, there is no way to opt out and they are required to give it to students.   I don't want to jeopardize their jobs.  So far, their suggestion is to keep our children home on testing days, and they will receive zero's on their final grades on their report cards. That's okay with us. We don't care about their letter grade. We trust their qualified teachers to teach and grade them fairly without an expensive standardized test full of trick questions we aren't ever allowed to see.  Both of our girls are straight A students and we are very proud of them.  No test in the universe can measure that.

(This was posted anonymously, with permission, to protect the privacy of these children and parents in Shelby County)

  • Click HERE to see what a Senator in New Mexico plans to do about excessive testing in his State.
  • Click HERE to see what Texas legislators did this past summer to reduce testing 
  • Click HERE to see what is currently happening in New York because their students took the PARCC last year (yes, PARCC is the same test that TN students are supposed to take next year) and 70% of their students were rated as failing. Their parents are furious at the NYBOE. 


What’s the real motivation for standardized testing?  It’s clearly a money-making business.  Why are we spending all of this money on these expensive tests? and even more money on test-prep materials from the same companies that make and score the tests???  
Tennessee parents want our tax money spent on students, and not on testing companies.

Testing, testing, 1-2-3...Can you hear me???

10/31/2013

 
As an ESL teacher in Metro Nashville, I have seen MANY children struggle. More recently, ESL children are becoming bombarded with testing that is not beneficial for them. These tests include verbiage that is inappropriate for their language barriers, but it is inappropriate for their age. 
 
When I was a child, I learned best in a hands on work environment. I learned best when I was not taking test after test. I never had the best grades in school, but I knew my content well. I tested well through hands on methodology... not pencil to paper. I grew up successful. 
 
Tennessee's strange obsession with testing has gotten out of control, and I as a teacher am tired of seeing students struggle from the anxiety it bears them. And the lack of respect students are demonstrating from testing too often. It is burning them out.
 
The other day my 1st graders took the practice CRA, a test that is more so geared toward 3rd and 4th graders within the elementary setting. My students were given numerous mathematical word problems to solve. As I began to read them the problems, I immediately noticed the verbage was not age appropriate nor was it language appropriate. One of my students who is a beginner ESL student, heard me read the problem, "Circle the three correct addition problems." I immediately noticed her circling all the 3's on the paper. The child is BRIGHT when I can test her in the way I know works best for her, however, she does NOT do well on tests that are state mandated. 
 
My 1st graders will soon take the TRIPOD survey. (Our district is being PAID by the state to give this). This survey asks students questions that have confusing verbiage; questions that range from "Does your teacher help you?" to questions about students personal home lives. This survey will count towards my teacher evaluation this year.  As an individual with a Master of Arts in Education degree and over 20 years schooling, I feel insulted that Metro Nashville Public Schools and the state of Tennessee are allowing 6 and 7 year olds to rate my teaching--- let alone 6 and 7 year old children that have not fully developed the vocabulary ---to take this survey to rate my teaching.
 
And that's not biggest problem. I am horrendously upset with how this obsession the state has with testing affects kids confidence levels and ability to handle testing anxiety. Last year, when giving the SAT-10 test, my ESL students struggled. "When is this going to be over?," they would ask. "I don't understand what this means." It killed me as their teacher to say, "I'm sorry but you'll have to figure it out." Many of them drew pictures on their test booklets. I felt like I had to bribe them with a million dollars to get them to complete the test.
 
It's not fair to treat our young students as if they are 5-6 years older than they actually are. These are 6-7 year-olds who want to learn through HANDS ON INTERACTIVE LEARNING. Giving these students test after test not only loses VALUABLE classroom time, but causes them to be "burnt out," and causes them to not take future tests as "seriously."
 
Tennessee is a growing population; particularly with our immigrants. We need to be more welcoming to these children, and focus on the English language. We need to test them on what they KNOW and are LEARNING-- not concepts that are over their heads. Giving students tests that are not age and language appropriate are a waste of my tax dollars. 
 
(This was posted anonymously, with permission, to protect the teacher and her job.)

Click HERE to read what Momma Bears uncovered about the inappropriate Tripod Survey that is being administered to students in many TN school districts without parental permission 

Thanks for taking the time to read our voices from Tennessee parents & teachers.  Thank you for hearing our voices!  We sincerely appreciate the legislators who have kindly responded to us pledging their support of our efforts.  

A big math problem:

10/29/2013

 
My 6th grade son came home with math homework last week.  They had to convert oz to pounds, cm to meters, miles to feet, etc.  The way he had to write his "problem solving steps" down where SO CONFUSING that we couldn't help him (although we understand the converting part. The way they want it is WACKED!).  
Today, he came home with math homework on converting percentages to fractions & decimals.  I asked him if they were done with measurements.  He said the ENTIRE class failed their test on Friday and his teacher didn't know what to do, so she decided to skip this chapter 'till later.

(This was posted anonymously, with permission, to protect the privacy of this child and the employment of his frustrated teacher in Wilson County)

This is how Common Core is hurting our students in TN

Parents, contact your elected officials and tell them common core is not good for TN.  
Here is how to find your elected officials for your area:  http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/

Voice:  One of our TN Teachers

10/29/2013

1 Comment

 
Who should watch this video?  
  • School Board members, 
  • Legislators, 
  • the Governor of TN, 
  • the appointed TN Board of Education,
  • the appointed TN Commissioner of Education,
  • and PARENTS... lots & lots of PARENTS!!!


Parents have the power to fix this.  
Parents outnumber all of the people listed above.

Parents VOTE.


Parents: Contact the people above.  Tell them to stop hurting our children's teachers.  Tell them to stop hurting our children through excessive testing. 

Here is how to find your elected officials for your area:  http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/


1 Comment

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