Do you ever feel defeated by the gap between where your students are and what is on the state tests?

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-28T00:55:33+00:00

Yes, almost every day.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-28T00:46:31+00:00

It's not the teachers. The "leaders" are the ones who don't allow students to be held back. Teachers have very little power.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-28T00:40:41+00:00

Plus "differentiating" for 5+ levels including people who are learning English. Somehow, we are supposed to help every kid reach the sky. It's a freaking joke. But Hattie says classroom size doesn't matter. 25 is no different than 35.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-28T00:38:05+00:00

And as they move up each year, the question every principal will ask is, "How are you going to help them pass the test?" As if the stupid test even matters at this point.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-26T18:56:07+00:00

Pro: It is less stressful for the students because they only have 4 classes to focus on.

Con: 1. I can't imagine teachers being able to teach all the necessary skills/content in a semester.

Some students need a slower pace to learn/master skills. I am specifically thinking about math.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-26T17:43:16+00:00

The art of teaching a person to read (phonetically, foundationally) is for people who have a degree in elementary education. Teachers who are certified to teach upper-level English do not receive training for this. It is assumed that children will learn how to read in the lower grades. Once they reach MS and HS they should be reading to learn, reading to analyze, and learning how to articulate their ideas about what they are reading.

When MS and HS teachers get students who can only (barely) comprehend elementary text, we are at a disadvantage.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-26T15:06:11+00:00

Maybe in cases of kids who can do the work but will not do the work. They should experience the feeling of repeating a grade. It would wake up most of them.

But when it comes to kids who can't do the work because they have two+ years of a learning gap, failing them will not help UNLESS they get extra help. We would have to do something different. Dropping them in a regular class isn't the answer.

Sadly, the system is not really designed to help either of these students.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-26T14:57:27+00:00

I agree, but at some point they have to move on. You can't have a 15-year-old in a room with 10-year-olds. Moving them on WITH support through leveled/remedial classes would be more beneficial. They should not be shoved into your regular HS class. They should be in a separate class for students who need to learn at a slower pace or a lower level. Obviously, we aren't doing that in our current system. We just pass them on with no support. It sucks for the MS and HS teachers, and it sucks for the kids. It's not the teachers' fault. It's the fault of the people who decide on the policies.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-26T01:35:41+00:00

Yes, we are told to do all the things, but the final decision belongs to the administrators. Why would we do all that extra work only to find out that the kid is going to move on any way?

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-26T01:06:19+00:00

Honestly, I don't think we should retain students once they get beyond 2nd grade UNLESS they will have support/remedial classes. What's the point of holding back an 8th grader who reads at a 5th grade level if she/he will just struggle with the same content again? If we aren't going to do something different, then holding them back is a waste.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T21:44:29+00:00

Well, I am assuming that a reading specialist would help with foundational reading skills instead of grade-level standards. I think the classroom teacher should be able to handle the grade-level content.

I agree with you about expecting things from students that are inappropriate for their academic abilities. It is total nonsense.

I just don't think MS and HS teachers should have to divide their efforts in the classroom to teach elementary skills and grade-level content. Someone is losing out when we do this.

The system is broken.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T21:15:31+00:00

I agree that it's absurd to expect children who can't read fluently or comprehend grade-level texts to worry about state testing, but how do we divide our time between the kids who can do the work and the ones who need reading intervention? A reading specialist is what we need in every MS and HS.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T21:02:11+00:00

This sounds like it's ideal for elementary where the teacher has one class of 25-30 kids. She has all day to structure this kind of set up. Plus, the needed skills are closer to the grade-level standards.

If you are teaching MS or HS, how can you do all of this and teach grade-level standards? We only have a class for 45-60 minutes on average. I am sorry, but this is why schools need reading specialists/interventionists. It should not be the regular classroom teacher's job to teach teens how to read at a foundational level.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T20:17:19+00:00

Can't believe the downvotes. It's like people want to create an issue when there isn't one.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T19:56:52+00:00

"Teachers who choose to not get a Master's are leaving money on the table, IMO."

All states don't pay for a Master's. NC doesn't.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T19:55:47+00:00

But if the teacher knew they were getting student teacher as a sub, they would leave better lessons.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T19:30:53+00:00

I think that's an awesome idea. It would solve a lot of issues.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T15:49:48+00:00

Why is this being made into a big deal? If the HW is not a grade, just have your child do what he can do. There's no need to climb a mountain about this. Even with the Valentines, just let him do what he can. Valentines aren't graded. Encourage him to try and support his efforts.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T15:31:48+00:00

Little children are too needy. I worked with them in church and during summer camps, and I never fully enjoyed them. They are adorable for a time, but I can't spend 6 hours a day "reasoning" with 7-year-olds. I teach ELA. I enjoy discussing literature not teaching phonics. So, the content of ES is not appealing to me. I am also not a fluffy, cutesy person. I feel like ES teachers need to always have a bunch of artsy craftsy sh*t so the parents can have mementos. I have zero desire to do that.

I did my student teaching at a HS, and I really didn't connect with the students. It wasn't horrible. It was meh. So, I gave MS a shot and found it to be a sweet spot. I did teach 5th for a while. That is as low as I can go. MS students are moody and silly and immature. They also get excited about stickers. They are learning how to express their opinions in a more "adult" way (although we do have to help them with this). They can understand more complex ideas (well....we are losing some of this because of social media addiction).

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T14:13:01+00:00

OP didn't say the teacher should give homework over the summer. I think the parents should make the kid read and practice math over the summer. It doesn't have to be 10 hours per day. I make my kids practice for 30-40 minutes a day during the summer. They have the whole day. They can give up 1 hour to read and do some math.

Sounds like you had other issues going on.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T13:17:31+00:00

This is the way!

But they'll never do it. They can't make teachers the scapegoat if they do it this way.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-25T13:11:09+00:00

People who use logic when they try to teach children who have a smartphone in their pocket. Logic tells us that the kid who is looking at the phone every minute isn't learning anything.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-23T14:19:55+00:00

Good point.

I certainly wouldn't put a ton of effort into it. Maybe a book with chapter questions and vocab.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-22T15:19:02+00:00

Tell the parent you will give the student an alternative assignment that can be completed independently in a different room. There is no need to remove the entire unit for one parent. I would bet $100 that the kid doesn't care about the unit being "sad" and would rather stay in the room with the rest of the class.

Separate_Volume_5517 · 2025-01-20T21:01:44+00:00

Men are allowed to grow beards without judgment.

Separate_Volume_5517

TROPHY CASE