Saturday, January 21, 2012

Educational Pit Stop

What I said:
“You can press the accelerator as hard as you want, but at some point your car’s not going to go any faster.  If you’re in a Ferrari you’re set, but if you’re driving a KIA you’ve got a long way to go…  Either way, if you always drive at your top speed, pretty soon you’re going to blow your engine!”

We were looking at the 2011-2012 Math TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) for grades K-6.  The TEKS tell us are what the state has decided we must be teaching.  It also lets us know what will be on the state’s new STAAR standardized test.

When I was in college studying to become a teacher the catchphrase “Developmentally Appropriate” was being tossed around like hash at the local diner.  Every lesson we planned and every activity put together had to take into consideration not only where the students are educationally, but also what they are developmentally ready understand. 

However, the more we looked at the TEKS we saw an all too familiar and disturbing trend.  Math skills that only two or three years ago were on fifth grade level, were now popping up at the fourth grade level.  And things from the fourth grade TEKS are now in the third grade TEKS, and so on and so forth. 

The real trouble is we have fat cats in Austin who have never met a child who wasn’t from a well to do, nurturing home.  So they can’t understand why EVERY child can’t just get the help he or she needs.  When you live in a home where your mother and father value education, and have the time and ability to help you understand your homework, then you are in luck… you’re also in the minority. 

The state, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that the way to fix its national educational rankings is to demand that elementary school students be instructed at developmentally inappropriate levels.  Each year the “rigor” of the required educational materials increases, and the same students fall farther and farther behind.  I’m sorry, but when you’re teaching pre-algebra to third and fourth graders there is something wrong. 

So, when does it end?

Do we start having all kindergarteners take the PSAT?  Maybe we can require preschoolers to pass a Play-do calculus exam.  Or wouldn’t it be better if we introduced improper fractions to a child in the uterus?      

If this were an Indy 500 race, every student would be in pretty much the same well tuned, ready to race vehicle.  But Texas’ students are looking more like a bunch of cars at the local drag strip.  Some of them are ready to race, but most are in desperate need of a pit stop. 


Wednesday, January 11, 2012

A Sudden Gush of Warmth

I love teaching for more reasons that I can name. 

When you are surrounded by young minds and young hearts who not only enjoy being around you, but also think you’re cool…well baby, you’ve got it made. 

When you’re at the grocery story and small bodies with large voices rush at you while screaming your name…you feel like a movie star.

When every joke you tell explodes the room with laughter… you start to believe you’re truly funny.

When a parent comes to you and says, “I’m an physics professor at SMU, but my son tells me I don’t understand how to divide correctly, can you help me?” … you know you’ve hit the big time.

When parents of former students who are now in high school see you in line at Starbucks, and jump up and pay for your coffee… you see you made a difference.  

When a high school senior, number six in his graduating class, asks you to come to the districts Top Ten Graduates Luncheon as his most influential teacher… you realize your life has been meaningful.

And finally, when a student walks up to talk and calls you “Dad”… you get a sudden gush of warmth in your heart.