a rude awakening

Today I went to Day 2 of a three day training for reading workshop. It's a statewide event, so there were TONS of teachers there.

I managed to find two other teachers from my school and we met up for lunch. On our way back to our afternoon sessions, I asked "Paula" how she liked being a teacher. Paula came to our school in January of last year to take over a Kindergarten class. She had been a banker for a number of years before her career change.

Here's what she had to say:
You know, it's funny. It seems like every time I turn around, another assessment is due. I feel like I'm always testing. I always thought that as a teacher, I would be doing more..... teaching.
So in honor of Paula, and all of the new teachers out there who may or may not have heard this from their training programs, I offer the following chart:

Teachers in the classroom

Does this ring true with you?

6 comments:

Ginger Snaps said...

Amen sister!

Bethany said...

That is so sad. I remember thinking last year that yes, there was a lot of testing, but it seemed like my third grader spend most of his time allotted for every subject making cutsie little folders and flip charts for the topic he was supposed to be learning. Once the art part of it was done, there wasn't time to fill in all the actual educational information. There must be a better way to teach! Guess I'll find out, huh?

Sherri said...

I agree! Since I am only an aide and do a pull-out program, I don't have to do any testing or assessments....but there are so many times during the year that the students are unavailable for art, library, PE, music, and other programs because they are testing!

I'm in California, and they do statewide assessments of the 2nd graders. So young!

Mrs. Fine said...

Sadly, this rings true!! Between diagnostic reading assessments, online tests, state tests, and mandatory district math tests...squeezing in the teaching is hard. Sadly, teachers in our district were fired over their students' test scores. If only they had had more time to teach!

Karen Travels said...

Oh, yes. Sooooo true.

Kelly said...

Haha, so true. I say that all the time.

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