Reflections on Testing

By Katie Doyle – Standardized testing is a popular topic in the education world.

The pros, the cons, the confusion… there is a lot of discussion regarding whether or not standardized testing is beneficial to our school system.  My students just finished a 2-week round of state testing that allowed ample time for reflection on the topic.

The weeks (even months) leading up to the state test were tense.  Teachers had countdowns of days until the test.  They used sample questions in their classrooms.  The multiple-choice format of the test became the foundation of the classroom.  When whether your students choose the correct response dictates funding, resources, and in some cases jobs, it creates a high stress situation in the school.

We all agree that teachers should not “teach to the test.”  But when there is so much emphasis on the standardized test, teachers are under pressure to do so.  They spend weeks preparing for the test – using model questions, practicing test-taking strategies, and reviewing the most commonly tested standards.

This emphasis on testing is not just stressful on teachers.  The students feel it, too. Many of my students were under the impression that their scores on the test affected their grades in school.  They were shocked when I told them that scores are not usually received until July or August, so there was no way it could lower their grade in class.

Post-testing, students are burned out.  They are mentally drained and struggle to focus during these last weeks of school.  They know that the big test we’ve been talking about is over, so they don’t see the point in the last four weeks of school.  They don’t care if they finally get to learn about science and social studies because, at this point, they are over school.  Their minds are already in summer-mode, and the school staff is now spending the most energy on having students simply follow classroom expectations.

Can we blame the students for this kind of behavior?  When the whole school year has been a big discussion about the state test, it’s not surprising that finishing the test signals to students that school is over.  We need to readjust how we think about standardized test and how we explain them to students.  Testing should not be the end all-be all of schooling, so why do we treat it like it is?  We need a better solution to measure student achievement and keep school engaging.

Giving the Gift of Time

By Nick McDaniels – Last week, as you know, was teacher appreciation week. Like every year, I got a new t-shirt, candy in my mailbox in the mornings, a lunch on Friday. The administration and faculty at my school do a good job during this week and I enjoy all the gifts and the kindness.

However, this post is about one of the the best gifts I have ever heard of a teacher receiving. The gift of time. In a conversation with a few great principals, they told me about the gifts they give to their teachers. And one gift they talked about was the gift of time. Every year the principal gives teachers a gift certificate for an hour or so of time to use as they please. They cash in this certificate (with advanced notice of course) and the principal teaches their classes for them. The teachers then are free to do as they please, go out to lunch, get a massage, etc.

Teachers, under all the pressure to run data, call parents, get professionally developed, grade papers, attend meetings have a dwindling amount of time to complete their work, and most teachers, as we all know, take home hours more work. That is why this gift of time is so important to teachers. It doesn’t necessarily help them to get any more work done, but it does remind them that someone notices how much time is being put into their work. It is this type of gift, something that really reflects the work that teachers do, that makes a great teacher appreciation gift.

Unfortunately, my school is probably too large to pull off something like this with well over 100 teachers. However, if you are a principal or teacher in a small school, recommend or suggest it next year for teacher appreciation week. This type of thoughtfulness and mutual respect can really energize a staff in a positive way.

The Best Learning in My Classroom this Year Had Nothing to do with Me

By Nick McDaniels – Last week at the beginning of class, as I was taking attendance, I heard some of my students in my “quiet” class getting loud and starting to yell at each other.

Four years ago, I would have come flying into the conversation with some wisdom about why we should speak peacefully to one another. Now, I just let these things play out for a second or two because my instincts about what is and what isn’t going to get worse are better, fights don’t happen as often as they used to, and perhaps, I’m just a little more tired.

Regardless, I’m glad I let it go. After listening for a few more seconds, it occurred to me what the argument was about. No one hid someone else’s hello kitty cell phone cover, no one bonked anyone on the head for saying something dumb (this game is called Bonkaz and is as childish as it sounds), and no one made fun of (packed up) anyone’s shoes.

Of course: the ontological argument (I’m sure some more well-versed MU theologians than I might disagree about my terminology here, but bear with this non-Catholic for the sake of argument).

Why not? My students were arguing about the existence of a higher power. What fun!

I snuck from my desk up into one of the student desks, just outside of the argument — which at this point was engaging about 80% of the class. First things first, the argument was really well structured. People were listening as others spoke, people were taking time to think, people were deferring to “experts” (the preacher’s kid). I couldn’t have designed this if I had tried.

One student, Jermaine (names have been changed to protect the innocent), was asking most of the questions.

So He just snaps his fingers and the world is made? He hears everything? If I am saved, does that mean I can still go to hell? Are God and Jesus the same person? Is God a person? How come when I pray for stuff I never get it?

All open ended, all for which it was clear he had no answer. Then Marissa started weighing in with answers from her experience. And “Brother James,” the future preacher, started talking about God as perfection and humans as sinners. Then the cool guys, John and Javon, lent their approval to the conversation by quieting people down when they wanted to hear a particular answer.

I let it go for 20 minutes, void of test prep, void of teaching, oops. So fire me!

Then they asked me. What about all the other religions? What about their Gods? Can there be more than one?

I started into a discourse about world religions as constructs for creating meaning and answering the unanswerable. I tried to get them to fathom the expanse of the universe, and just when their brains started to hurt, I told them that if they needed a higher power, right where their brains started to hurt, that’s where it would be. In my mind, this seemed like a fun exercise. Naturally, they got bored, so I stopped and they started again, realizing that they didn’t need me for this one, because I, probably more than most of them, have no answers for their questions. And then Jermaine realized, as many admit, the answer often times cannot come from without. Wow! Everyone nodded and that was it.

On that day, my students asked a ton of questions, and I answered none. That sounds like bad teaching. But in this case, it was the best teaching I could have done. Sometimes we just need to get out of their way. I’m grateful to my students for reminding me of that.

Classroom Management: Data Driven Discipline

By Ryan Krienke – Data, data, data.  In the world of education we rely heavily on data to make decisions.

SAT\ACT guide colleges and universities in their admissions decisions.  We have become so cut-throat that 8^th graders take high stakes tests to gain entrance to the best local high schools.  The notion of merit pay is emerging in some districts where teachers are paid by performance, a performance that is largely measured on their student’s test data.  Some of our schools give computerized tests to our students, multiple times per year, use the data to group students, plan interventions and track progress.

In many of our schools and classrooms maintaining strong classroom management is an important element of creating a strong learning environment. However, collecting and analyzing data on behavior trends is not always used to guide classroom management.

I am not talking about the notes we send to parents.  I am talking about actually looking at spreadsheets that show how many students were sent to the principal’s office and for what purpose?  How many of these kids who were in trouble were repeat offenders?  How many teachers are sending them to the office?   What time of day?  What day of the week?  Has the trend of poor behavior increased or decreased over the last week?

Data, data, data.  It can be overwhelming, but it tells us a story, a story that is free from bias.

As principals we can use data to determine if teachers have different expectations for student behavior.  We can learn if a child is struggling socially with something in a specific class or with certain students at a specific time of day.  We can probably even tell which classes a child likes and which they find boring just from looking at behavior data.

Teachers can analyze data to determine if a student is acting up in all classes or just a particular class.  Am I the only teacher who is having a problem with students being tardy?  What routines are my colleagues using that are more effective?

Just like teachers should be looking at assessment data to make instructional decisions, schools can use behavior data to make policy decisions, classroom management decisions, as well as decisions for school and classroom routines.  Student referrals, notes home, name on the board or any number of things we do as teachers to curb bad behaviors should become something much more useful than just a communication tool or deterrent for bad behavior.  These things should be logged as data to inform our processes.   And with today’s educational world being so fixated on test data, we need to find ways to use all of the stats available to our benefit.

Mid-Year Challenges: Introducing New Students Into the Classroom

By Dana Berens – After having a three-week (spring) break, getting back into the swing of the classroom was tough!

While it made me appreciate the calendar set up of a year round school, it also surprised me how long three weeks was. While it was fantastic prep time, the one thing I could not prep for was the new students waiting for me.

I know, and have heard constantly in my four years at Marquette, that as educators we need to constantly expect the unexpected. Always be on our toes. Stay spontaneous.

I had considered the possibility of one new student joining the classroom after break…but when I found out that there would be three, it blew my mind.

Three more copies of the already planned week needed to be run off. Three more folders needed to be prepped for homework. Three more students need to be tested and assessed to decide which differentiated group they should be in. three new personalities and behaviors to blend into an environment. It is a lot, and one more reality check of being in the classroom.

What seemed to be a stressful situation, at first, shortly became a great experience. Not only was I tested in my preparation and organization, but I was also given the experience to introduce and integrate new students into the classroom. In addition, I was able to observe my students as they took on peer leadership roles. They offered to show students which stations to work at, where to get materials, where to sit at lunch, and played with them at recess.

It was a breath of fresh air to see my students, who can be quick to be feisty, remain calm and take on mentoring roles for the newcomers. Seeing my student’s kindness and maturity is another silver lining to hold on to for those days where 4:00 cannot come soon enough.

Making A Difference: It’s Extracurricular

By Matthew Olinski – I remember sitting in my physical education class when I was in high school, with the teacher taking roll call.

As he was taking attendance, he offered a simple compliment to me, “nice race last night.”

It happens that I ran the hurdles on the track team. Although he was not the track coach, he had had taken notice of one of my accomplishments in track. A smile spread across my face.

I carry that memory to this day, and use it to guide my day to day interactions with students at my school. I read the announcements to see if any of my students have birthdays that day or if they have taken part in any extracurricular activities.  Acknowledging the little things makes an enormous difference and I get a lot of smiles because someone has taken note of the extra work students put in beyond the usual school hours.

There are several times throughout the year when teachers in my school are recognized as “super fans” or fans of specific students, not just in sports like basketball or softball, but also in our school’s cabaret show performed by the choir.  It is honestly, quite the honor for a teacher to be selected.  I enjoy participating in and watching these activities, and really believe the students enjoy seeing their teachers recognize the hard work and dedication they put into their activities.

Teachers are teachers in and out of the classroom.

Putting in a few extra hours per week to observe some of your students taking part in these after school activities is a small emotional deposit to give for a large return on the investment.

It is the type of connection, in fact, that just might get those students to make the extra effort with the academics in classroom.

Despite what you may think, students also enjoy running into you outside of the classroom, even though they may not readily admit it in front of their peers at times.

I have students who smile and say “hi” to me when they see me in places like the grocery store.  I think they’re actually surprised that I have a life outside of the school.  After all, I used to joke with some students that I slept in my classroom at night, until I realized that some really did think that.

On a more serious note, be careful how you conduct yourself in certain public situations.  Summerfest is a popular summer activity, but just like the unannounced student at the grocery store, you may see one of your former students, or possibly someone who may be in your class the following fall. So, you’ll want to be on your best behavior.

Although Mr.  Hudson, the physical education teacher from my high school days  has long since retired from teaching; it is my hope that I too,  make a difference in a students’ lives by being a role model and supporting them outside of the classroom as well.  After all, making a difference in a student’s life is why we chose this profession in the first place.

How Are You Different? Tips for the job search

By Matthew Olinski – As we enter the homestretch of the university school year, many people are about to leave Marquette to begin careers in their chosen fields.

Consequently, this time of year makes me think back to my days as an undergraduate student — and the ways in which I built up my own resume.

As a social studies education major–and there were plenty of us from schools across Wisconsin — it was vital that I make myself stand out as the candidate that would be the best choice. I remember going to job fairs and standing in line with copies of my resume in hand, and then sitting in front of someone for a relatively quick interview with a long line of people behind me.

What could I do to make myself stand out as the person they wanted to hire?

To be completely honest, I didn’t succeed in making this happen in the majority of situations.  But, I did put resumes out to numerous districts. Ironically enough, after accepting my first contract as a middle school social studies teacher, I was subsequently offered two other jobs.

The first piece of advice I want to give to job seekers is: do something that makes you stand out and that is important in your field.

My examples included being trained and up to date in CPR.  This is always a beneficial skill to know when working with others. You never know when or if you will need to use it (and hopefully you never will), but it is something I did to make myself more marketable to my employers. I also had experience, beyond student teaching, in instructing both children and adults through a Parks and Recreation class.  I made sure to reference these additional experiences in my interviews, selling them skills that fell outside of teaching social studies.

A second piece of advice: as I learned over the course of my field work and through time talking to administrators, you absolutely need to get to know the school district you are applying to. 

If you are in the interview, and they are asking you questions about specific teaching strategies, apply them to the school district to which you are specifically applying.  Every district and every school has a web page. Look at it a few times to examine their mission statement is and learn about their philosophy on education.  Not only does this information prepare you for an interview, but it offers you a preview of whether or not that school and that district is really a place you want to work.

Third: Get your letters of recommendation early, and get them in order. 

Someday you’ll be a teacher, and students will ask you for letters of recommendation. When high school students ask me for this information, I request that they give me more than a few days notice.  It is only right that you do the same for the people you are asking.  Not only are they likely to be very busy people, they probably have multiple people asking them for letters of reference.  Also try to get a variety of people for your references. Your professors, your field work teacher, and a principal at the school are all good choices.

All in all — get out there. Differentiate yourselves. And put your best foot forward. You’ll be glad you did when the job offers begin to roll in.

The Other Shoe of High Stakes Evaluations Just Dropped

By Nick McDaniels – The other shoe just dropped for me, but we’ll get there in a minute.

Operating under a pay-for-performance structure is not good for morale or working conditions or students. For a teacher, it means waiting with your finger in the dam, holding back the pressure supporting a family, boosting the test scores, managing a classroom, navigating the common core curriculum, attending meetings, joining committees, and, at some point, actually teaching children. Why do teachers take on all of these jobs, many of which used to be handled by central office personnel or department chairs or team leaders (positions which are going the way of the dodo)? They are afraid for their jobs.

The carrot under pay-for-performance is a bigger raise (and the satisfaction of a student succeeding on a test developed at taxpayer expense by multi-national publishing and consulting corporations). There is supposedly a huge stock pile of carrots to be awarded, all so far out of reach that most are discouraged even at the thought of trying. The teachers who actually get the carrot find the taste to be soured by the hours of test-prep and sacrificed family time it took to get a nibble.

The stick under pay-for-performance is devaluation, whereby teachers are told they are not good enough, they are not doing enough, and either need to work much harder or find something else to do.

Most teachers, because we are a bunch who are industrious and eager to please, do their best to achieve the standards set no matter how unreasonable they may be in hopes that an observer or evaluator will note their hard work and reward them for it. But eventually, we will all be exposed. These systems are not set up to make teachers look good anymore than the testing regimes are set up to help students succeed. Eventually, the way the systems are designed, we will be devalued.

And then what?

Finding the Right Balance

By Matthew Olinski – Even as I sit here writing, the issue of balancing the right combination of family and personal time, commitment to my career, working on my graduate program work, and other time commitments is a difficult one to get correct.

It seems that there is always more to do than the time allotted, and there is no exception in the education field. In fact, I think our chosen career field often draws in those who give as much of themselves as they can.

Trying to find the right balance of all of those pieces in our life may be a never ending search.  I have spent countless hours after school correcting papers, preparing materials for the next units, and making phone calls. It seems that there is always something to do, and being a reflective teacher, there usually is.   I myself stayed, and have seen other co workers stay, several hours after the work day is over.   I often stayed later as a single teacher because I didn’t have as many family commitments. Now, I am eager to get home to see my wife and play with my little daughter.  I have spent several Saturday and Sunday afternoons inputting grades and creating new tests.  Teaching an AP level class has only added to the time commitment.

I’m sure anyone who has begun his or her student teaching is well aware of the time they have put in the first time around. I used to think that the job got easier each year, and — to some degree — it’s true. You are not completely reinventing the wheel every year, but you are still correcting homework, quizzes, and tests.  Parent contacts are important, so there needs to be time for those.

The education field is changing rapidly, so career skills and lesson plans need to be kept up to date. Working a full time job and then going to grad school, and keeping up with the work there is a challenge to, especially after the addition of a young baby into my life.  I have already found myself sacrificing activities in order to make more time for both my career, because after all, I still need to pay my bills, and for the commitment to graduate school, which I chose willingly.

One of the toughest parts of this career is the time commitment required, and the fact is, you don’t get to punch out at the end of the day.  When I find that perfect balance, I’m going to write a book about it, although that would get added to the list of items I need to finish then!

Managing my Burn Out Year

By Nick McDaniels – I’ve spent some time (hopefully not too much time) thinking about a good metaphor for my job.

Most everything I thought of was amusement park related. This is probably good and bad. So here’s what I settled on and then I’ll explain how this all relates to the title.

If you’ve ever worked in the roller coaster that is an inner city school,you know there are incredibly long, almost not-worth-it, lines at the copy machines, you know there are times when a bunch of kids are moving around really fast, yelling loudly, and flailing their arms, and you know that after each ride, when you get off the train, the people you see on the next ride might be totally different people. Of course the kids are different every year, but the staff changes from year to year in sadly predictable ways.

Just like when you’re on a roller coaster, there are people who get off the train, and then go get immediately back in line for more of the same, but there are also people that take one ride, realize the hassle it takes to enjoy the ride is too much, and go eat an eight dollar, three pound turkey leg from the concession stand (this is not part of the metaphor).

Oh… and because I know you were thinking it: Working in an inner city school, like the elevator business, has its ups and downs.

So why does this happen: changes of cast from year to year (in this way it’s almost like a Circus, but I didn’t want to have to decide who in a school is the person who follows the elephants around with a big shovel)?

Burn out.

We all know the statistics. Teachers, particularly new ones, don’t stay in the classroom, or at least not in an inner city classroom for very long. I see that. I see a lot of teachers complete their contracts with their certification organizations and leave, I see some others stretch another year out of themselves and leave, and I see a few more who are sticking with it longer. I have also seen some veteran teachers who reach a point when they know it is a enough and move on to other, hopefully greener pastures.

In my fourth year now, and already committed to a fifth, I am nearing the less traveled years statistically for new teachers, but I will admit that this year I felt the burn out creeping into my psyche in a way that I never have before. We all, or the sane ones, burn out a little bit every year. You’d have to. Summer generally heals all wounds. This year however, I felt that March feeling in November. It scared me then and I know it had an impact on my year.

I’ll admit to having a rough year, new curriculum, new grade level, new classroom, large class sizes, some particularly challenging students, and the impact of a generally low school morale. All of this contributed to my burn out feeling, no doubt and the cause, while important, doesn’t matter as much as the effect.

So how have I minimized the effect? I tried to get more joy out of my students rather than worrying about test scores and curriculum. I tried to boost the morale of my colleagues. I tried to spend more time with my wife and daughter. All of these things worked to some extent. But none of them worked so much as to keep me from looking elsewhere for a job as most people do.

But the moment I pulled up the employment vacancy list, particularly looking at non-classroom positions, I realized what I was doing. I was getting off the roller coaster and going to buy an eight dollar, three pound turkey leg (maybe this part of the metaphor does work a little). I decided at this point to reaffirm my commitment to children. I needed to get back in line for another trip around the track.

There is no trick here, no secret. Just will and timely reflection. I am managing my burn out year by owning it and not letting it consume me. After multiple burn out years, it will consume you, and you probably need a change, but for me, this is my first experience. What helps me, when thinking toward next year, is remembering that every year for an inner city student, is a burn out year. Things are worse for students than they are for teachers, generally, and we see the impact that it has when they let it get to them (terrible grades and attendance, violence, etc…). I realize that my duty to my kids, is to manage my burn out, and stick it out for them, because they don’t have college degrees that can allow them to change their situation as easily as a teacher can. In this way, we, as teachers, can shoulder their burn out too by being reliable and dependable.

From this, I have found a way to gain comfort. Burn out year or not, Summer will heal things, and next year will be better. I will plan to stand up straight and make sure I am tall enough to enjoy the ride, because as we know, the times when it is fun, it is really fun, and I won’t let one year derail my commitment to children.