From a reader:
The testing is a HUGE disruption.
It trickles down into the rest of the day...the kids and faculty are unfocused and tired. Behavior problems increasing and that set in stone paving guide is ignored.
More than s handful of times I saw teachers doing activities like walk the track or sit outside and read or watch an educational video because EVERYONE knew that the day was shot.
I did see some teachers really try to rein the kids in, to pretend it was a normal day and get through what that guide said the lesson had to be I WILL NOT BE BEHIND was the conquering thought---and these classrooms had kids sent out left and right for behavior issues.
Can't win.
No we can't.
The testing is a HUGE disruption.
It trickles down into the rest of the day...the kids and faculty are unfocused and tired. Behavior problems increasing and that set in stone paving guide is ignored.
More than s handful of times I saw teachers doing activities like walk the track or sit outside and read or watch an educational video because EVERYONE knew that the day was shot.
I did see some teachers really try to rein the kids in, to pretend it was a normal day and get through what that guide said the lesson had to be I WILL NOT BE BEHIND was the conquering thought---and these classrooms had kids sent out left and right for behavior issues.
Can't win.
No we can't.
Between the make-up testing and the ESE kids getting pulled out, I had 16 kids out of the room. I can't teach with that many kids gone. My Achieve numbers look great this week though...
ReplyDeleteWe had lunch with our granddaughter Friday as we usually do, and she and her friend just did not want to sit still. When asked "What's up?" they explained they'd been in testing all morning! Also went to the "Chat with the Supe" Friday. Among other revelations, Dr. Vitti said the principals were the ones interpreting his advocacy of rigor as "Be on this lesson on this day" and it was the principals who were insisting on this strict pacing. A teacher friend said that her principal, knowing that Dr. Vitti would be in the area for his Chat, warned the faculty that they needed to be exactly where they were supposed to be in case he dropped in. How is this even possible when the pacing guide makes little or no provision for testing?
ReplyDeleteThe Achilles Heel of Duval County: weak, incompetent, or ambitious principals who should know better. But that's what you get when a Superintendent wants to rush inexperienced people into positions of power rather than let the seasoned veterans with 10, 12, 20 years in the classrooms move into administration.
DeleteI'm in DTO, and all we have heard from our cluster chiefs is how all important it is for us to keep up with the curriculum guide. It is NOT coming from our principal, who understands the importance of working at a pace at which children can actually learn.
DeleteFULLY AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT ABOVE! My administration is great, fully supportive. The "be on this lesson on this day" is coming straight from the district officials, I.E., cluster chiefs, NOT THE ADMINISTRATION. We have several positive things happening on our campus, yet when our cluster chief visits, EVEN ON TESTING DAYS WHEN KIDS ARE FULLY EXHAUSTED, she docks us for not keeping up on pace, or reteaching material that our kids don't get. I wish the parents were more outraged over this! The cluster chiefs and their behaviors of a tyrant has GOT TO STOP!!
DeleteWe had a visit from district higher ups and two of my teammates got torn apart for not following the schedule or trying to catch up on the guide. What day was it? The first day of testing and an early release day. How long were hey in their rooms? 5 minutes. You just can't win.
ReplyDeleteHave them contact me, i would love to tell their story and can do so anonymously. They deserve better, the entire district does.
DeleteHad an informal during one of those testing days and two days before we left for vacation, I had my post....with over several D/NI and I lost count after the third one. I realized this was a witch hunt because I could not fathom where any of this was coming from. I was told the lesson was not challenging enough, higher order questions were actually low. I am forced to follow the curriculum and teach what is on the lesson plans from the district. If I do not teach it I get in trouble for not on the right lesson in the curriculum. Is there some admin quota to "show improvement of ineffective teaching" to explain this kind of skewing the data? How can an admin lower an effective or highly effective teacher’s status to D/NI and then raise it back in another evaluation so he/she can get credit for doing a good job? Admins are getting credit for lowering teachers morale and think an evaluation that raises the scores made everything better. After you destroy a teacher’s morale with these political games you take away any sense of loyalty that teacher has to the school and even the children. With this kind of insensitive way to do business with humans no wonder teachers are leaving Duval County. I am definitely considering a move even if it is to another state.
DeleteOn top of scrimmages, EOC retakes were occurring simultaneously. Those students not only missed scrimmages, but will also miss lessons because they have to make up the scrimmage during their next class period while the rest of the class moves on. With four days of testing plus two days for make up, I am officially so behind I am not sure I will ever catch up to the pace the district is pressuring me to be. In the end, I believe quality, not quantity, is going to help my students in the end. I have a fantastic administration and they are extremely supportive. It's the "upper management" that is truly the straw that is breaking the camel's back.
ReplyDeleteLet's also talk about how poorly the tests were written. The elementary ELA test was not proof read and had several errors confusing the students. Not even in the FSA format. So we have almost 3 hours wasted for one test with completely invalid data.
ReplyDeleteSCRIMMAGE is one of the tools in the PRIVATIZER-MERCENARIES ARSENAL. Hopefully, this Year,2016, God will intercede on behalf of OUR TEACHERS and STUDENTS. This is my second major prayer for this year.BTW notice how JEB BUSH is struggling in the POLLS; DON'T BE SURPRISED!
ReplyDelete