Testing Prep

OldDude · May 7, 2016

All schools have the goal of making or exceeding the expected performance rating. This may be pushing a little too hard. Like you say, ignoring the adjuncts to educate that facilitate learning, like PE, music, art, recess.

GdBSN, RN · May 7, 2016

I am in a Title 1, under-performing school. I feel the whole school year has been geared towards test prep. Younger kids get recess everyday, older kids have no recess and PE every other week. This infuriates me. My administrator too is only focused on numbers. I just found out yesterday, that a OI student was forced to reschedule his surgery because it would have interfered with testing. Schools are putting testing above the health of students. Disgusted doesn't even begin to explain how I feel about this.

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · May 7, 2016

Freaking insane!!!!

OldDude · May 7, 2016

We're a Title 1 school too but we have daily recess, PK-5. In the upper grades, 3, 4, and 5, we have PE 3 days per week, music 1 day, and "tech" 1 day. in the lower grades it's PE 3 days and music 2 days per week. All grades have a weekly library/computer lab schedule. We consistently exceed the testing standard. I wonder if it's just a coincidence?

GdBSN, RN · May 7, 2016

Coincidence? I think not. Recently read a study that children who are physically active perform better in the classroom. Administrators just don't get it. They feel pushing more content will improve scores. The article went on to say, inactivity increases behavior issues.

OldDude · May 7, 2016

Coincidence? I think not. Recently read a study that children who are physically active perform better in the classroom. Administrators just don't get it. They feel pushing more content will improve scores. The article went on to say, inactivity increases behavior issues.

It's taken a few years, and we're not there yet, but using recess as a discipline tool is not "supposed" to be allowed on our campus. There are still a few that do, but the acting out kids are the ones who need the recess the most.

Eleven011 · May 7, 2016

We're a Title 1 school too but we have daily recess, PK-5. In the upper grades, 3, 4, and 5, we have PE 3 days per week, music 1 day, and "tech" 1 day. in the lower grades it's PE 3 days and music 2 days per week. All grades have a weekly library/computer lab schedule. We consistently exceed the testing standard. I wonder if it's just a coincidence?

We are very close to this. Testing is reviewed, and letters are sent home to remind parents kids need good breakfast, extra sleep, etc. but there is no big "push" and certainly no loss of extras such as recess/music/art.

Marason · May 8, 2016

I am not a nurse, yet. But i recently had to deal with the push for testing. My youngest had strep and a couple of days later my oldest was complaining of a sore throat. I called to notify the school's office that she would be absent in order to be seen. They told me that she needed to be there for testing. When I asked about their strep policy, they informed me that technically their policy only concerned diagnosed strep. I was amazed, especially since my youngest had already been diagnosed only a few days before then.

FloridaBeagle · May 9, 2016

How common is it for schools to spend months prepping for state tests? Since January, 3, 4, and 5th grade have been either mock testing or spending most days doing test prepping..
Also- kids in my school (Pre-K through 5th) get only two recesses per week and 1 PE class a week (many kids don't even get PE if they're identified as needing extra reading/math prep).. there is no music and art is only for PreK and Kinder (once weekly). My school is title one and very poor-- and the administrator seems to be more focused on "data" than the well being of the students. Also- we have no guidance councilors or social workers.
Everything in my being screams this school is being run against ALL research on the well being and devolpment of children... but being my first year in a school maybe I've just been clueless all these years about the state of public school??

That's why I quit teaching. I used to teach K-5, and actually had a principal ask why students need recess. (!!!!) We don't expect adults to hold their attention for 3, 4 or 5 hours straight until they go to lunch, but we expect it of small children. Unbelievable.

My school also reduced art/music and put science in as a "special" for5th grade (this is in addition to the science class they already got everyday) because, you guessed it, science was on the 5th grade test.

President George W. displayed his ignorance in passing No Child Left Behind when he said "What's wrong with teaching to the test? You're teaching reading, you're teaching math...". What he, and most other politicians don't understand is that children need to learn more than reading, math and science. But when the teacher's pay and the school's budget is determined by how students perform on a test, you better believe if it's not tested, it's not taught.

And that's why I'm now a school nurse instead of a teacher. The wrong people are in charge of our schools, and they're trashing them. I couldn't be a part of it anymore, and 50% of new teachers also quit within 5 years of starting. Who wants to be a test-proctor???

MrNurse(x2), ADN · May 9, 2016

Why I am doing what I can to keep my kids where they are. No testing, recess every day, at least 30 minutes, active classrooms. Learning is fun! Not a standardized day.

BeckyESRN · May 9, 2016

My school is one of the good ones. Recess at least once a day and music, art, or PE daily(three day rotation). During testing weeks, they take the kids outside to let them run around before testing and provide a healthy snack. The grades that are testing will usually have extra recess on testing days as well.