Over the last two days, I have been so proud of my students.   Wednesday morning I woke up and did not have much of a voice.  I have been nursing a cold for about a week.  So, I wrote a note on the board telling my students what to do and they quickly, and easily went about their work without any hassle.  Some of my students took right over and became my voice and gave extra directions to the entire class that I could not quite utter.

Today in my Honors English 11 class my students completed their debates.  My heart was ultimately bursting with pride as the last two groups presented today.  I watched their faces, I watched them listen to one another and quickly take notes in order to respond and I watched them speak their point of view.  One student volunteered to debate her point of view with a mystery guest and she certainly held her own!  The mystery guest turned out to be one of our social studies teachers.  Overall, never having tried something like this, I had no idea  how it would turn out.  The debates exceeded my expectations.  Actually, my students exceeded my expectations!

In both cases, my students rose to the occasion.  One group of students being so familiar with the daily routine in my classroom, were able to complete a worth while assignment without much direction from me.  Secondly, my honors kids have grown so much and had the opportunity to really shine in front of their peers.  These events are what make it great to be a teacher!

Bravo everyone!!

Have you ever stayed home from school because you were sick, really not feeling well?  That’s what I have been doing for the past two days.  So, why do I feel guilty?  My mother thinks I am overly dedicated to my small rural school and my students.  Isn’t that what a good teacher does, show dedication?  I know that no one can engage my students like I can while reading Macbeth.  No one can answer specific assignment questions but me.  This year like every other year, I have built rapport with my students and even former students who are still in the building.  For some of my students, their teacher is the only constant in their lives.  Putting all of that in someone else’s hands kind of makes me uneasy.  I care about my students and I also enjoy what I do.   Wouldn’t that be considered dedication?

Guilt also arises when I think of the extra assignments I have had to assign due to my absence.  Once I get back, period baskets will be over flowing with completed work, which will in turn need to be graded.  I also look at my desk at home and see four piles of research papers that were turned in before break that need to be graded.  When I am trying to rest, my mind is flooded with thoughts of what I need to attend to.  Things like preparing my students for round two of the Regents Exam coming up in June and a final project for my seniors, how to reschedule debates for my Honors class.  Sometimes I think it is easier to just go to work?!

I just read an article by Dick Iannuzzi about the latest buzz word in re-inventing the wheel of education.  I was encouraged that he stated, “teachers live and breathe accountability…”  A truer statement was never made. Such things as classroom management and content skills are tested daily.  Teachers are reviewed each year in some way.  Then we have school report cards and standardized tests that are also used to evaluate teachers.  I wanted to yell “yes!” when Mr. Iannuzzi stated that,” [a]ccountability  starts first with students.”  It seems that there is so much hand holding and second chances for students when in the first place they are not always held accountable for their actions, inappropriate verbal comments, and lack of school productivity.  Some of the time, they don’t care and will make it very clear that they don’t care.  Remember the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink”?  I know this is part of our job to watch over each and every student, yet I can’t help sometimes feeling, should I take time to badger a student who doesn’t care or use the time with students who are truly engaged and want to learn?   I worry about the state making teachers, and administrators accountable for their students or school districts based on test scores.  I know for myself, I was an excellent student, but a lousy test taker.  So, should that reflect badly on the teacher?  I don’t think so.  The article goes on to say there “is little evidence that student test scores are an effective means of evaluating individual teachers….” 

It seems that Mr. Iannuzzi is definitely the voice of the teacher when he says that “‘teachers instinctively  know about student performance… because teachers toil on behalf of [students] every day’”.  He brilliantly asks, “perhaps its time someone asked a teacher.”  We do know our students best.   We build a rapport with them, encourage them, cheer for them, listen to them and teach them.  However, a test score will reflect on the overall job of the teacher? 

After the student, came the parents being accountable. Parents certainly want to know how their child is doing or why their child is failing.  Yet, how often are they actually accountable for the study habits or productivity of their own child? 

Accountability needs to be placed on the proper shoulders.  Yes, data and test scores have their place.  I am not sure it belongs on the shoulders of evaluating teachers. Today, a teacher wears many hats and performs several jobs that are never taught in college during the preparation of becoming a teacher.  This profession is overwhelming and so rewarding all at the same time.  I agree when the article stated, that teaching is an art and being an effective teacher, “‘can’t be measured by a test alone.’”