Wow! I don't know exactly when TEA released TAKS ratings for the past school year, but I know that I looked at them less than an hour ago... and now I'll write what I think about them, in case anyone is wondering how a teacher feels.
I am excited to report that my campus was rated "Recognized"-- so way to go 3rd and 4th graders!!! I had only a small part in this, as a first-year, 2nd Grade teacher in the 2010-2011 school year. I tutored 3rd grade students twice a week in math; and words can't describe the joy I felt when one particular student shouted to me, coming in from 3rd grade's award ceremony, that he did well on his test. :-) I'm hopeful and expectant that the students I sent on to 3rd grade this year will continue to do well and show the state how prepared and knowledgable they are on the STAAR test.
As you know, my school is a charter school; in the middle-ish of the largest district's territory in our county. The neighborhood school just down the road was rated "Academically Unacceptable", which absolutely breaks my heart. Our student populations are just the same, really. They're all young--- a variety of "at-risk" and "performing", from nuclear families and broken families, wanting to be cared for and taught. Because my school is a charter, we're probably a little less lopsided with different demographics. (Being a charter allows us to accept students from anywhere in our region-- so we have many students from our neighborhood, and a handful from each part of town/suburbs.) To admit my naivety, I have yet to wrap my mind around how such a gap between two neighboring schools is possible. Surely the teachers at both schools invest equally in their classes and work toward success with great intentionality each day. But maybe not? I guess that's really the hard part for me to understand. The population of our schools are extremely similar... and surely adults wouldn't decide to be teachers if they didn't care. I can't imagine being a teacher without the passion that is in my heart for education, students and this neighborhood. So now, I'm grappling with the question: are we somehow denying children a quality education? My building has limited space, and can not accept everyone who applies. (Not to mention, students learn less effectively and richly in classrooms with 25-30 students, which is a reason why we cap our classes below 20 students.) And I truly have no idea what all goes on any day at the other school.... I wonder what their teachers are like; how they feel, what they do, what they're passionate about....
I have no conclusion to all of this... not even to what I, personally, think about all of it. But I'm thinking that this is probably the root of why I cry when I watch the documentary, Waiting for Superman.... and why I have to take a long walk by myself afterward (every time!) to process it and my place within all of this. Ohhh pubic school....
Soooo frustrating! I think it has a lot to do with adult involvement-parents, teachers, etc. The kids are the same, you're right. The public school teacher part of me wants to argue that the parents of your kids care enough to get their kids into the charter school so something different must be going on at home, but I don't think that's necessarily true. Do kids get kicked out of your school based on behavior? That could be a factor...
ReplyDeleteIt's a mystery. Lord, help!!!
I guess adult involvement is a part, but surely not enough for a 2-tier difference! Kids can get kicked out based on behavior, but it's very, very rare. I'm still a little frustrated with this, even a few days later.... but now that I've started staff development, I'm just really excited about this year and what I CAN do for my students-- trusting Jesus to take care of both schools! :-)
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