After reading Lydia Harrington’s back page piece, which was excellent by the way, I was reminded that last year I was asked to make a list of kids I could move (up) on the FCAT. I was supposed to give them extra attention. I too thought to myself, um what about the other kids?
I was also told with a wink, that kids that failed their classes but made gains on the FCAT would not benefit our school’s score; the implication being not to fail anyone. I was told to differentiate my curriculum but then one day the books I was using that were on my kids level disappeared and I was told to use the standard but highly inappropriate books.
In some related matters, we also have kids leaving their intensive reading classes going to their AP literature classes and we have kids with IQs hovering around 70 taking Algebra II. Then 160 teachers were fired most of whom had satisfactory ratings and weren’t give a reason why because the district didn’t have to give them one.
You know I write about this stuff all the time because I figure if the public knew what was going on they would care and want things to change. After four years of doing so and witnessing how much worse things have gotten, I am not so sure anymore.
Maybe the rodeo is hiring.
Chris Guerrieri
School Teacher
No comments:
Post a Comment