Being March, two things begin to take up a lot of my day...college basketball, and the PSSA tests. So, being the English teacher I am, this analogy has been floating around in my head.
Our district is failing miserably at these state-wide, standardized tests, so all we are asked to do, all year long, is test, test, test. Then we review the practice tests, talk about the practice tests, analyze what the practice tests mean for the real tests...you get the idea.
Yes, these are "high-stakes" tests. They are worth a lot for the schools. Funding, curriculum, and jobs are intricately tied to the results. However, preparing for these tests solely by doing "mock" testing all year long is kind of like preparing for the NCAA tournament by only shooting 3's at practice. It doesn't make sense. Teams live and (often) die by the 3 point shot. It's not reliable. It doesn't make you a well-rounded player. Our kids and schools, are currently "dying" academically because so much focus is placed on the PSSA.
I have said for years, in Tucson, Allentown, and now Philadelphia, that our "failing" students would have a much better chance of improvement if we were actually allowed to teach them. I mean, really teach them, you know, things that would actually get them interested in learning and school. I'm thinking this would give us a bit of breathing room for when the "big dance" of testing time came around. They would be more confident in their abilities, and even if they missed a few questions, they would be confident enough players, that they could rely on their defensive year of learning to get them through.
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