Seeing Texas Talk blog on House Bill 3 and Senate Bill 3 Relating to public school accountability, curriculum, and promotion requirements, I too thought Hallelujah! Though I am not a teacher, I have many family members and friends who are teachers. One in particular has talked about having to ‘teach to the test or TAKS’ and how it puts undue stress on 3rd graders and the teachers. I really don’t believe that you should be stressed out in 3rd grade. The only thing you should be stressed over if you are 8 is when the next Harry Potter movie is coming out.
Besides the students being stressed, the teachers are run ragged trying to get the kids prepared for the TAKS testing and aftermath. Because after the TAKS tests are over, you only have a short time to actually get down to being able to teach everything that should have been teaching throughout the school year. Also if the students, as a whole percentage wise, consistently do make the acceptable range on the tests the teacher’s job may be on the line. If this teacher is in a poor district with little resources and the students’ home life is not conducive to learning, poor scores over all may not reflect on that teacher. More stress….
In talking with a high school teacher friend of mine, he said that most of the kids he sees in his classes are not ready for college level courses even though they may have passed the TAKS testing. A Houston Chronicle article on the HISD schools progress in improving overall students testing scores also had some that worried that many schools put way too much emphasis on the TAKS testing.
I am hopeful that this bill that has now passed both House and Senate committees and is on the intent calendar will be passed and put into place soon. I think it is very important for everyone that we place more emphasis on teaching and learning and less on standardize testing.
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