Today (and tomorrow) I am forced to walk a fine line between Mrs. Ware and Mommy. Having a 4th grader while teaching the 4th grade has its own set of challenges, but throw in the STAAR test and we are in a whole new realm. As an educator, I am required to swear under oath that I will not view or discuss confidential testing materials or I can face serious consequences including revocation of my teaching license or even criminal prosecution. My daughter, however, is not bound by those rules, and she wants to tell her Mommy all about the test, what she wrote, and all the strategies she used. This is one of the few times that I have to keep a very distinct yet incredibly fine line between the two hats I wear.
If I haven't mentioned it, I truly hate everything about this test, from its ridiculous rules to the way the questions are written and even the amount of money the state pays to Pearson. Now, I can include the problems it causes in families. I am encouraged by some of the legislation coming out of Austin, so hopefully, parent's voices are finally being heard, and change is coming.
2 comments:
That's a tricky slope to navigate. My students always wanted to talk about the tests too, but I had to tell them I couldn't listen.
I don't think the manual has rules for parents. That's why they are sleeping giants. I look forward to the day when all the moms and dads in the world rise up against this beast called standardized testing. In the meantime, we will go stare at kids for another four hours.
P.S. I'm glad I got to be Hannah's writing teacher this year. Watching her grow as an author and create quirky, delightful essays has been a pleasure.
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