It is my belief that students need to have a good rapport with teachers before they ever truly begin to learn. A large chunk of learning, in my opinion, is based on pride. Who will be proud of me when I do good on this test? Should I give more of an effort in Ms. Soandso's class than Ms. Whatsherface's class because Ms. Soandso cares more about me succeeding.
It's true. I make it a point to make sure that all of my kids know that I want them to do well for the pride of themselves, their parents, and their teachers. I also like to instill a sense of accomplishment within my students when they DO do well. The question is when do I have time to go over these ideals in class? The pacing guide already mapped out my entire year and I hear that next year, somehow, they are going to add on more.
I feel that all this county really cares about is measurable goals. Things that we can collect data on, and make sure the teacher is on pace (in the green), all of the classes are getting through the curriculum (in the green), or the school is doing what it should (in the green).
Why are the arts the first to go? Because the county hasn't figured out a way to make a standardized test that measures the success or failures of students. They can't put a student's artwork into a computer to figure out whether or not that student is learning the topics given in art class, and grading them by hand is way too time consuming.
But what is art? Is it a class where students learn to doodle correctly? Or is it a class where students learn to express themselves in a variety of ways? Can learning the right way to use watercolors relinquish the curiosity to spray paint a road sign?
For the most part I like that we have a pacing guide and I like the way the county wants to use the data to make the quality of the schools increase ... However, I feel that sometimes it is a little too much. They are kids, not robots. I know that lecturing students is the easiest way to get through a lesson... but it isn't the best.
So when the county drops an absurd amount of goals that we know "can" be met, what they aren't taking into consideration is the growth of the student as a learner.
I don't have any blocks set aside to teach a student good work habits. I don't have any blocks set aside to get to know my students and understand their backgrounds, families, who they care about, what they are feeling. These are all important things to know for students to grow as learners. The sad part is that I don't have any time set aside to do this. Not only that, I don't have any time to take a personal day because I don't want any teacher to mess up something that I have ready to teach. I am not an interchangeable person. When I have a lesson planned, it is for me to teach. Students don't take substitutes seriously. Remember when you were in middle school? It was a waste of a day if a teacher was out.
I don't know what my point is for this blog. Maybe it is that there is no answer for all of the complaining that I hear and there may never be an answer. I just have to shut my mouth and do as much as I can, in the time that I can, so that at the end of the year, my kids are smarter than everyone elses.
