Drill and Kill

I have mentioned in previous posts how public schools are absolutely being tested to death. This is not an exaggeration. Since early February my school has conducted testing (in one form or another) almost daily. Teachers are calling it "Drill and Kill". Whoever came up with that moniker is right on target. Tomorrow my school begins EOY State testing (EOY=End Of Year). These tests will run through next week and (God willing) that should be the end of testing for this year. As a teacher I have been sensing the kids know they are being over-tested as well. My suspicions were confirmed today when two students (in separate classes)asked the same question. "Mr. Meyer, when we finish testing next week, why do we have to keep coming to school and doing our work?". Wow! What a powerful and insightful question out of the mouths of babes. It's a sad state of affairs when the students know their school career is defined by only one thing... TESTING. The question asked by these two students is valid as well as telling. I must agree. Indeed... why continue school when testing is finished? Frankly, the students don't see the point and I don't either.

Full disclosure here. I am NOT anti-testing. Indeed testing has its place in public education. Many people think teachers are against testing because we don't want to be accountable for what we teach in the classroom. This is completely wrong. I am happy to teach my assigned curriculum and I am happy to have my students tested to see if they have learned what I have taught. I am against round after round after round of testing. Drill and kill is totally counterproductive to the objective of testing student progress. Test my students if you must. Just don't test for months on end and for goodness sake don't let these tests be the only determining factor of my effectiveness as a teacher. Do you want to know what I'm teaching? Do you want to know that I'm not showing movies and having the kids color all day? Come in to my classroom on any given day. Just pop in (no advance notice required). You will see that my students and I are working hard and doing what we're supposed to do. I have nothing to hide. You are welcome any time.