I love March, when during the Slice of Life Challenge, I commit to writing on a daily basis. It's fun during 31 days of posts to watch the ebb and flow of my writing. Some days I'll be incredibly pleased with how a post turned out; other days I'll just be glad I posted anything at all. A huge thanks to the gang at Two Writing Teachers for hosting, organizing, and commenting on this ginormous event each year. I appreciate the community of writers you encourage the entire month of March, and all the Tuesdays the rest of the year. Thank you, thank you.
**This March, I plan to connect as many posts as possible to my #OLW for the year - SAVOR.**
Twenty-six eager 3rd grade learners...
- spent time the last few weeks studying assessment literacy
- practiced writing about a variety of reading prompts
- knew the tools that would help them for navigating online assessments
- entered their classroom this morning with shoulders set
- got computers out, logged in, and were ready to go
BEGIN THE TEST.
Twenty-six 3rd grade learners...
- eight and nine year olds trying their best to perform
- for some, reality hit
- realized some of the online tools they had practiced with did not function on the test today
- shoulders began to slump
- frustration set in
- not everyone finished
- some had tears
My heart felt sad for these wonderful third grade learners. I will not be savoring the feeling I had as I helped proctor the first day of the state assessment.
This post makes me sad. Now wonder some kids have given up long before they reach the high school level.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this is sad. Requiring students, especially young ones, to take a test with such high stakes on computers, especially when the tools they'd practiced with didn't work, seems like cruel and unusual punishment. I totally agree with your other commenter.
ReplyDeleteThough I do not love that this is happening to kids all over our country, I do admire how your writing takes some of the same words and uses them to show first pride and confidence, then defeat and frustration.
ReplyDeleteI too feel this with, but it is with teens. It can be tough tough tough! HANG IN THERE!
ReplyDeleteUgh. Our testing days are coming up at the beginning of April. I'm not looking forward to that. :-( From set shoulders to slumping shoulders tells the story...
ReplyDeleteOur testing begins in April and I hate it. And this is exactly why. They walk in with bright eyes but those quickly dull when problems arise and they turn to you & you can't help them. It breaks my heart.
ReplyDeleteAnna Maria - You've stopped by several times, and I'd love to stop by your blog, but clicking on your picture/link doesn't take me to your blog. Would you mind sharing your blog address? Thanks!
DeleteOh dear. So discouraging. I taught ELD for years, and it was so painful to force English learners to participate in state tests. It feels so wrong, doesn't it, yet we comply rather than lose our jobs. Hang in there--you have all the other days of the year on your side to build those kids up!
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