The Question Remains

As we settle into the school year, and I am beginning to get my footing, I felt it was time to reflect.

We have been bombarded with changes in education.  Every educator feels they are in this tug of war battle of the never-ending question of:

Teach to the student OR Teach to the test

Can these happen together or will they always remain mutually exclusive?

It's what us educators have nightmares about.  I stand firmly in my belief that I must teach to the student.  Because the latter will produce scary results. What is my role as an educator of our future if I feel I should work to appease the big honcho State test makers?   What young 5th grade girl sitting in her room pretending to teach in front of her imaginary classroom really dreamed of giving practice standardized tests?

Yes, that 5th grade girl was me.  And I still have a binder full of lesson plans from my childhood, none of which included a practice OAA.  Yet, there were many lesson filled with discovery, creativity, and imagination.  From the mind of a 5th grade girl with dreams of becoming a teacher.

Now here I am.  Except roles are reversed.  I am that teacher, with those opportunities I hoped for.  I don't want my students going home at night dreaming of what school SHOULD be.  I want them going home at night inspired to continue their learning.

Yet, there is still that test that looms over me.

Loopholes.  There are always loopholes.  I can still have a classroom like this:

Engaged students, real learning.  And I truly believe that if students are engaged, inspired, curious, and imaginative, then they can ace any State-mandated test thrown their way.

However, if we choose the latter, and teach solely to the test, then we can't predict that those students will still succeed at the former...inspired to learn beyond the classroom walls.

In my opinion, the answer is easy...