Teach to the Test--NOT!

Yesterday I particpated in Classroom 2.0’s (Steve Hargadon) weekly learning experience.  I have grown to look forward to this opportunity every Saturday morning.  Amazing professionals show up each weekend to share what is good about teaching  and learning and to inspire others in our quest to do what’s right for our kids.

Barbara Bray was the guest yesterday and she gave an excellent presentation!  One of her thought-provoking  concepts was about student engagement.  Bray reminded us, “There should be laughter and joy at school.”  We should strive for “flow” where students’ skill level and their challenge level are so well connected, students are energized in their learning and feel  success.

You talk with any educator and you would get little argument with this philosophy.  Teachers dream of achieving this state of connectedness and engagement with their students.  Despite knowing this and wanting this, too many teachers and administrators (guilty-here) take another approach.  Teach to the Test!

In our K-5 school, I beg teachers to take risks and make their students’ learning rich and inspiring.  We have many instances where incredible learning projects are taking place.  I encourage our staff to take the path of those we admire, the Debbie Millers,  Reading with Meaning or the Donalyn Millers, The   Book Whisperer.  Focus on students developing a passion for reading and learning and they will be very successful on testing.  We know that’s right and yet we are too fearful to trust we can have success without doing an hour or two of test prep weekly.

How do we break out of the Teaching to the Test prison in which we find ourselves?  I would like to suggest we develop a site where teachers can pool their accomplishments and examples of how they have bucked thetest prep trend.  Show us and tell us of examples where you have really minimized test prep, yet your kids have tested well.  This concept, backed by some of our most respected stakeholders (insert names hereJ) could push the pendulum back in the direction it belongs.

Can American Students Develop Sisu Like the Finns?

Do students in America have the sisu to rise up to a crisis?  Do they have the fortitude to compete internationally?  Do they even know they are in a fight for their lives as we know it?  I find myself losing sleep over questions like this as we trudge forward trying to gain an additional 4 points on our state tests to make AYP.

How long will we aim at a target that has very little to do with preparing our students for a 21st century world?  Who will be responsible for stepping up and changing the target?  Who will help our students understand The World is Flat and our eyes should be squarely placed on how we fit into this global community?  Isn't it time for another Sputnik movement?  Aren't we in the same spot as we were in the 1950s?

What will it take for us to turn in the proper direction?  Could a national curriculum be designed to open our eyes and stare at the global issues that should be a vital part of our students' education today?  Could we find a way to assess students that shows their abilities to think with rigor without it being a paper and pencil (now computerized) test?

My belief is that we can rise to the challenge.  We can get it right and change the targets.  We can redevelop sisu.  But we better do it soon.