One Down, One to Go!

This is for those of you who don't teach in the great state of Texas - a little info on the phenomenon called "TAKS."

Now, we aren't supposed to let it "drive" our teaching, but consider the following: if our class doesn't have a certain amount of passing, you don't get a contract. Right. Doesn't matter what type of class you get in the luck of the draw in August, if you don't get them up to standard, you're out of luck. We have to sign an oath, promising not to look at, discuss, modify or adapt the contents of said test. Doing so will cost you your teaching certificate. I have to sit with my little group of students at lunch so they don't talk about the test while eating - right. 4th grade boys who've had to sit silent for 4 hours, and they're going to discuss Math problems? Anyway -

After the testing is finished, the child has one option: they may read or sleep. I test students that are basically NON-READERS; how many times can they look at a book in, oh - 4 hours. No drawing, no word puzzles, no videos. Read or sleep. No talking. No nothing. It is miserable for me, and I'm an adult.

Well, tomorrow is the last day for testing for me. I'll have a group of 3. Should be fun.

Sorry about the griping....