Exams . . Blahhhh
In case you didn't know- I'm a special education teacher. In my school, I am an inclusion teacher. I work with students that are planning to get a high school diploma, but have a learning disability that may make completing high school classwork a bit more challenging My students have disabilities ranging from learning disabilities in reading, math, or writing, or attention/hyperactive disabilities, or autism.
This is my 21st year teaching. (Isn't that crazy, since I look like I'm like . . . 29?!) Most of my teaching career has been spent in this exact position; however, I did spend 5 years in a self contained high school classroom where I had the most rewarding years of my teaching career. Why am I not still there? I LOVED those children; however, it was very isolating. I loved that I was largely ungoverned by stupid things like: rigid curriculums and looming exams full of threats of accountability. I had a curriculum, but. . . it wasn't quite as strict. No one expected my students to perform well on the standardized tests I had to give them. (oh- of course I had to give them a standardized test. All children must be thoroughly and completely tested- no matter how ridiculous it is). Speaking of exams . . . we just completed first semester exams.
Exams are the WORST. I mean- obviously for the kids. All that pressure . . . But it sucks for the teachers too! Believe me- no one better than a special education teacher, and a parent of kids that have to test, can tell you how much exams suck from a kids point of view. But, since this is is MY blog- I'm gonna be all self centered about exams and tell why they suck from the teacher's point of view.
Yesterday, I got home and I was like "I feel like I've been in a fog all week." Why do exams impact me so much? I mean- let's be real- I'm still going to school. I'm still around teenagers. I'm in my same classrooms. Why am I so thrown off by them?! Well . . . I was totally off my routine. We stay in the exam room for 4.5 hours. Yes- you read that correctly. 4.5 hours. In the same room. With teenagers. Who can't use their cell phones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But the phones are in the room!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!! WHY DO WE TORTURE THE CHILDREN?!!!!!!
Another reason exams suck: It's BORING. So. Stinking. Boring. Like. SOOOOOOOOOOO boring. There can literally be nothing more boring that watching kids test. Even watching grass grow would be more interesting. It has to be. As watching kids test is the most boring thing in the world. We aren't allowed to be preparing lessons on our computers. We aren't allowed to read books. We aren't allowed to look at magazines or complete crossword puzzles. We can't do anything except meander- silently and unobtrusively around the room. You know what I do? I have a piece of paper and I write lists. To Do Lists. Lots and lots of to do lists. Or I draw pictures of flowers. Cause that's interesting for 4 hours. One day- my students literally took from 8:30- 12:30. They were so determined and were trying so hard- I didn't begrudge them their efforts, but . . . it was the longest 4 hour stretch of my life.
The whole time you're thinking, "My God why do we do this?! Why are they having to take this stupid test?! " At the high school level- the exam counts 25% of their final grade. For some students the exam totally breaks them. They may have shown mastery throughout the semester on classwork, but because they can't take an exam that is testing their perseverance . . . their overall grade suffers (as does their confidence). Or . . . we have students that never did any work- and literally would have a 33 before the exam- take the exam and score a 95 (that happened yesterday). Ahhhh- why does that kid have to sit in a class all semester- if they can pass this ultra important test- with literally no problem!! Does this 40-60 multiple choice question test actually prove the students are able to take what they learned and apply it to these very isolated situations? I doubt it.
Here's a testament to how exhausting and stressful exams are: I came home EVERY day this week, and drank one of my Wicked Grove Hard Ciders. I never drink. Under normal circumstances- they would be in my refrigerator for months. (in fairness- I just discovered Hard Cider at Christmas and I have to say . . . where have they been my whole life?!!!!). Well- the good news is- I've done most of the grocery shopping, and laundry, and so I am totally sleeping in tomorrow. In fact- there's a good chance I go to bed at 8:30 . . . . . . on a Friday night. Exam are exhausting. What can I say?
This is my 21st year teaching. (Isn't that crazy, since I look like I'm like . . . 29?!) Most of my teaching career has been spent in this exact position; however, I did spend 5 years in a self contained high school classroom where I had the most rewarding years of my teaching career. Why am I not still there? I LOVED those children; however, it was very isolating. I loved that I was largely ungoverned by stupid things like: rigid curriculums and looming exams full of threats of accountability. I had a curriculum, but. . . it wasn't quite as strict. No one expected my students to perform well on the standardized tests I had to give them. (oh- of course I had to give them a standardized test. All children must be thoroughly and completely tested- no matter how ridiculous it is). Speaking of exams . . . we just completed first semester exams.
Exams are the WORST. I mean- obviously for the kids. All that pressure . . . But it sucks for the teachers too! Believe me- no one better than a special education teacher, and a parent of kids that have to test, can tell you how much exams suck from a kids point of view. But, since this is is MY blog- I'm gonna be all self centered about exams and tell why they suck from the teacher's point of view.
Yesterday, I got home and I was like "I feel like I've been in a fog all week." Why do exams impact me so much? I mean- let's be real- I'm still going to school. I'm still around teenagers. I'm in my same classrooms. Why am I so thrown off by them?! Well . . . I was totally off my routine. We stay in the exam room for 4.5 hours. Yes- you read that correctly. 4.5 hours. In the same room. With teenagers. Who can't use their cell phones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But the phones are in the room!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!! WHY DO WE TORTURE THE CHILDREN?!!!!!!
Another reason exams suck: It's BORING. So. Stinking. Boring. Like. SOOOOOOOOOOO boring. There can literally be nothing more boring that watching kids test. Even watching grass grow would be more interesting. It has to be. As watching kids test is the most boring thing in the world. We aren't allowed to be preparing lessons on our computers. We aren't allowed to read books. We aren't allowed to look at magazines or complete crossword puzzles. We can't do anything except meander- silently and unobtrusively around the room. You know what I do? I have a piece of paper and I write lists. To Do Lists. Lots and lots of to do lists. Or I draw pictures of flowers. Cause that's interesting for 4 hours. One day- my students literally took from 8:30- 12:30. They were so determined and were trying so hard- I didn't begrudge them their efforts, but . . . it was the longest 4 hour stretch of my life.
The whole time you're thinking, "My God why do we do this?! Why are they having to take this stupid test?! " At the high school level- the exam counts 25% of their final grade. For some students the exam totally breaks them. They may have shown mastery throughout the semester on classwork, but because they can't take an exam that is testing their perseverance . . . their overall grade suffers (as does their confidence). Or . . . we have students that never did any work- and literally would have a 33 before the exam- take the exam and score a 95 (that happened yesterday). Ahhhh- why does that kid have to sit in a class all semester- if they can pass this ultra important test- with literally no problem!! Does this 40-60 multiple choice question test actually prove the students are able to take what they learned and apply it to these very isolated situations? I doubt it.
Here's a testament to how exhausting and stressful exams are: I came home EVERY day this week, and drank one of my Wicked Grove Hard Ciders. I never drink. Under normal circumstances- they would be in my refrigerator for months. (in fairness- I just discovered Hard Cider at Christmas and I have to say . . . where have they been my whole life?!!!!). Well- the good news is- I've done most of the grocery shopping, and laundry, and so I am totally sleeping in tomorrow. In fact- there's a good chance I go to bed at 8:30 . . . . . . on a Friday night. Exam are exhausting. What can I say?
Comments
Post a Comment