Hey there, everyone. I intend to say something along these lines Wednesday. I appreciate some editorial suggestions regarding: Hi, my name is Steve Rodgers and I reside at 2115 McCroskey Ave. My name is Steve, and I am a highly effective measure of the growth of my students. How do you know Im highly effective, you may ask? Well, Knox County was wise enough to hire me five years ago and has chosen to keep me around since then. Not that Knox Co. hasnt made me want to leave a few times. How can I compare to a standardized test like the SAT-10? Well, I took the Praxis tests, and did quite well on them, for my content areas and am a highly qualified educator. So I guess thats pretty comparable, right? I guess that means were both kinda usable nation-wide. And we pay every year for the honor of using the SAT-10, and Knox Co pays me to teach plenty of students (and doesnt pay me as well as pretty much all my colleagues in neighboring systems). I wonder if we underpay for the SAT-10 compared to the systems around us that do use it (and we know that not everyone is using it). Thatd be a nice bit of parity. The SAT-10 can be used as a measure of a teachers teaching ability. Bear in mind, that doesnt make it right! But, some folks have this screwy notion that student achievement on this test is an accurate representation of a teachers skill sets. And I get evaluated on my teaching ability by my principals and/or some combo of master/mentor teachers. Fun fact, that also isnt necessarily a great system. Dont get me wrong; I WANT my supervisors and principals dropping in my room. I wish they didnt get loaded down with so many other things that they cant casually observe my teaching, give me some pointers/encouragement/or just stand there and marvel in the glow that is the energy and learning of my classroom. But, instead, I see them a few times a year checking their checklist (that isnt a checklist, I have been assured) to see that Im teaching my classroom the way a company decided I should, despite the fact that I am only 42% of a childs development and 49% is their home and community life (I love that statistic and Im just gonna keep dropping it until we get a better evaluation system). So, my parallels have gotten a little off track here, and lets be honest, its because the SAT-10 doesnt hold up as an accurate measure of a teachers teaching. Plenty of people have spoken and are going to speak about why its unnecessary, how the STAR test is better by an exponential amount, yadda yadda yadda. But heres the underlying thing about the assessment of students that Ive been hinting at, and that Ive heard people hinting at that have more clout than I do. I dont know that you actually trust me to assessment students. I get the impression that Im too dumb to know my students abilities. Allow me to counter-argue this subtextual inference that has been lorded over my fellow teachers (esp the K-2 crew) and myself. I know which of my French Horns is playing by ear and not reading the notes. I know who keeps switching the fingering of F and G. I know which trumpet player is going to have the hardest time adjusting to their braces. I know which baritone player has the best tone in the higher range. I know which baritone has the highest range. I know which percussionist understands 8th and 16th note combinations the best. I know which flautist has their fingerings down beyond 95% mastery. Know what else I know? I know which kid isnt doing well right now because theyre hungry. I know who hasnt had a home most of the semester. I know whos dealing with domestic violence disrupting their life at home. I know who is desperate for praise from ANYONE so I need to catch them doing well before they act out to get whatever attention they can, even if its negative. I know whos got a helicopter mom and needs to learn how to fail so they can work through the tough stuff in a healthy way. I know who has awesome parents and needs to be a friend for someone else so they have a good role model to imitate. I know what teachers to talk to get the rest of the story on that kid because I just dont get enough time with them in my classroom to catch everything. And do you know what else I know? There wasnt a bubble for that on any test theyre being asked to fill out. But what do I know, Im just their teacher. PS, I think the solar panels are cool and good for us.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 01:30:01 +0000