Life as a Teacher

Life as a teacher is much different than it used to be.  Teachers used to be appreciated.  When students struggled, it was up to the student to improve.  Nowadays, if students are below or struggling, it is blamed on the teacher.  When I first started teaching, I agreed with this concept.  I felt it was my duty as a teacher to get all the students up to grade level and fill in all the gaps.  What I didn't have was experience actually teaching.

What I see now is that there are students that should have been held back a grade and are still allowed to move up to the next grade.  This is something done in Utah, but not most other states.  In fact, in Nevada, students have to pass end of year exams.  In their last year of school, they must pass a huge exam before they can get their degree.  In Utah, elementary school and junior high school, students can fail all their classes and tests and still go on.  Students learn fast that it really doesn't matter if they put any effort into school, because they are not held accountable. 

I have a student that should not be in second grade.  He does not know how to sit in a chair.  He can't add single digits (We are adding triple digits currently) and cannot read one syllable words.  Yet, he is in second grade and I am expected to have him up to second grade level by the end of the year.  I approached the parents about getting him tested for special interventions.  Their response was that I hate their son and haven't realized how smart he is.  They refused special testing and any thing else that I have suggested, because I "hate him".  He doesn't have a coat.  I tried to get him School Bell and Shop with a Cop so that he could get the clothes he needed.  His parents were livid.  I have my hands tied.  I cannot get him tested without parental consent.  I cannot get him the services he needs to be successful.

My district mandates end of level tests for every unit.  The tests are called "Interims".  These results go to the principal, vice-principal, and the district.  After the tests, we have a meeting where our results are compared to other teachers in the school and district.  The district insists that the results have no bearing on the teacher whatsoever.  But yet, these results are brought up in evaluation meetings throughout the year.

The 2nd language arts interim mandated by the district includes two different stories that students read and answer questions.  There are also questions about spelling, vocabulary, and grammar.  The district has specified that the teachers are only allowed to read the questions and not give any extra help.  Students must read the story on their own.

So I gave my students the 2nd language arts interim yesterday and today.  In my class, I have 18 students that have grown up speaking a different language other than English.  I have many students that cannot read grade level texts.  Three of my students cannot read.  My question is, how is it fair that I cannot read the stories to my students?  How are my students supposed to answer questions to something that they themselves cannot read?

So much emphasis is put on testing and results.  This is ineffective.  We should follow Finland's example.  Finland uses a non-competitive educational system.  They do not put students under testing stress or competition.  They are one of the most successful countries of the world.  Japan, #1 in education, includes testing but limits the length of said tests and does not over test.  American is putting their emphasis on the wrong thing.  The worst part, I have no say.

After seven years of teaching, a B.A. in Elementary Education, a Masters in Education with an emphasis on reading, and an ESL endorsement, I know my students' strengths and weaknesses.  I know ahead of time whether a student has mastered a concept and whether they will pass an end of unit assessment.  I know which students are not intellectually mature enough to understand a concept.  I know which students will pass with flying colors.  The state and the country does not seem to understand this.  More trust needs to be put into the teachers.