It’s the END of the semester! Time for in-depth reviews, developed discussions on the content of the semester, thoroughly researched and well-written papers to be turned in, and those long, comprehensive, final exams. Isn’t it great to see such PROGRESS AND SUCCESS that comes from your hard work and dedication throughout the semester?
Ha! Do you really see this? I do remember those days… but, my days at the end of the semester are quite different now.
I see:
- Students skipping school on the final days because: “They can’t pass the class anyway, so why does it matter?”
- Students coming in all hours of the school day asking for bonus or extra credit.
- Students asking when I will be “fixing” their grades in the computer so it shows they are now passing.
- Students rejoicing that they just passed their Algebra exam because the teacher made it so easy; otherwise everyone would fail the course and she would be in trouble. “The questions were like, ‘What is 1+1?’ I totally passed it with like a 100!”
- Emails from parents asking, “What can we do to get my child’s grade to passing?”
- Emails from parenst asking what I have done to help their child pass my class this semester.
- No replies from parents to whom I respond that I offered before and after school assistance, study sessions before tests, a writing session before and after school, bonus assignments posted online for each unit, and weekly email reminders to parents and students about upcoming assignments, tests, and other due dates.
In the early years of my teaching career, I remember hearing the words “high expectations” so often, I wanted to vomit each time it was uttered. I was teaching with high expectations. I was pushing my students. I was preparing them for college. I was seeing success. But now I long to hear those words come from an administrator. I think I would grab them and hug them with great vigor if they told me to hold my classroom expectations high and
DO NOT LOWER MY STANDARDS
just to make everyone feel good and appear as though they are earning the credit. And then, I would probably pass out from all of the excitement.
But as testing accountability became more oppressing, I no longer heard the words “high expectations.” It was a thing of the past. The new words were “closing the gap” and “passing rates” and “no retention” and “accept all work, late or not” and so many more. These can all be combined into one simple phrase in my book: Dumb down the education.
We are no longer called to the principal’s office because little Sally’s mommy is concerned that she will not be college ready. We don’t hear that Johnny needs to work more on developing his research paper so his college essays will be well-written. We aren’t told that we need to step up our standards to compete with the other local high schools in our academics. Instead, we are asked questions like: Why are so many of your students failing? What can you do to improve your students’ grades? What can you do to fix the grades problem for your classes? What can you change so that more of your students are successful in passing the course?
What can I do? NO! It’s what SHOULD my STUDENTS DO? I can answer that question.
It is no longer a question about meeting the standards. It is no longer a conversation about creating college-ready students that will make us proud in their futures. It is no longer about producing students who know our content and can retain what they have learned in their high school classes as they move on into adulthood. It is no longer preparing students with good work habits and strong ethics. Those ideals are becoming novelties of the past.
So, as this semester comes to an end, I have a decision to make. Do I conform or do I teach?
The lesson that I teach in these years may not be about history or geography. It may not be about the mistakes of the past or the heros who have changed our world. Instead, it may be that if you do not work, you fail. If you do not study, your GPA will not be good enough to get you into college. If you do not write your own papers, you will receive a zero for your work and learn about a little thing called plagairism. And the biggest lesson of all: If you do not put forth the effort in high school to do your best, you will live a more challenged life in adulthood. Life does not come easy to those who ONLY wait.
But then again, that is in my ideal world. The truth is that other questions around this whole situation come to my mind now. Do I want to keep my job? Do I want to constantly be harassed by the adminstration? Do I want to be identified as the ONE who will not pass her students? Should I just dumb it down like the rest?
Is there anyone else out there that wants to keep their high expectations?
Where have all the TEACHERS gone?
Is there HOPE?
I feel your pain Michele. Hang in there and know in your heart what kind of teacher you want to be. Keep your high expectations. Hopefully there is a principal who understands what it takes to have our students ready for college and beyond.
Wishing you the best,
Vicky Leon
I feel your pain; you are not alone.
Add this one to your list of stupid questions from administration: "Ask yourself WHY your students don't LIKE you. What is the reason?" Ummm. Yeah. The principal asked a colleague of mine "why the students didn't 'like' her."
Her reply: "I'm here to TEACH. It's not my problem if they don't 'like' me."
Good grief! And can you guess the biggest reason why students didn't "like" this teacher? Because her classes were HARD. She PUSHED her students to LEARN. *gasp!
Yup. You're not alone. I'm guessing that the MAJORITY of teachers feel your pain.
How does that saying go? "Those who can, teach. Those who can't, pass laws about teaching."
Another one: "You can't put students FIRST if you put teachers LAST."
Sums up a lot of our teaching career, doesn't it?
You are not alone, Michele. I can already tell which of my fifth and sixth graders will be college and career ready in six or seven years. They are the ones who check the board for assignments and due dates. They read the directions and rubrics carefully. They ask me clarifying questions well in advance of the due date. They will enjoy classes like yours because you challenge them.
I teach remeidal math at a community college, and many students fresh out of high school, in general, do not know how to study or want to study or care to study. Those that do, pass. Those who do not, fail. There is no grading curve, no extra credit, no late homework, no excuses for missing class. If you want to pass math, you come to class, turn all homework in on time, use my before and after class help sessions, and study for tests. Without my class, you do NOT get an associate's degree. It's totally their choice!
Those who mislead or deceive those in high school by saying that all classes are to be easy, the teacher is to be liked, and extra credit is necessary to pass any class are simply setting these students up for failure!
I agree. I have a senior class this year and am hearing the same things. It's frustrating. Our school also passed a rule this year that we must accept all late work. It is not teaching the kids the right lessons. They aren't going to get these breaks in the real world. Future employers need to see the connection–the reason they get crappy employees is because they continue to cast their vote for politicians who don't really care about education by supporting NCLB. If they want quality future employees, those kids HAVE to learn to fail in order to learn how to pick themselves back up. Our future work force is going to expect to do very little and get paid a lot, while we teachers do more and more work for less. It is so idiotic.
I do not think I could have said it better! Amen!!!! Amen, amen, amen!
Hang in there Michele. I hope that my children have a teacher like you that has high expectations. I don't want my kids to be special snowflakes, I want them to be ready to go out into the world and be prepared. Sadly as others have said this is a symptom of the terrible NCLB and an increase in the helicopter parent. When will our society wake up and see the mistakes we are making with the children which is the future of our country?
Where have you been all my life? Great post.
You hit the nail on the head-sometimes I want to hit a student on the head! 🙂
Shannon
6thgradescottforesmanreadingstreetresources.wordpress.com/
Michele, Ditto for what Tracee O has said. It's a myriad of problems but those who are in power are responsible for what's happening to education in our country, Watering down of curricula, not allowing kids to fail, lack of respect for teachers that has been played up by the media BIG TIME, parents not stressing education at home, the textbook publisher moguls who actually dictate what we teach our children and the politicians who THINK they know what's best for our kids. The federal government has no right to mandate our curricula. It should be given back to the states and teachers within states to decide what's best. Testing, testing, testing! The NCLB has taken the creativity from the classroom and kids aren't taught how to think any more. Kids cheating and thinking it's ok. Pitting teachers against teachers because of new evaluation mandates. The list goes on. From experience, I know that you'll have students who have been in your classes, tell you in future years, that they appreciate that you set high standards for them. It happens to me all the time. I'm one of few who speaks out and the administration doesn't like it, but you know what? They know we're right because it's all coming down from the top and they don't want to rock the boat. You have to decide what's best for you. Just know that we're all experiencing the same thing.
Happy Holidays!!!! Hope you've enjoyed a day full of love & laughter surrounded by loved ones!!!
I've got your gift waiting for you!!!!!
Come unwrap it ♥
ateacherstreasure.com/2011/12/treasured-gift-happy-holidays.html
❤ Mor Zrihen ❤
A Teacher's Treasure
In answer to your question, "Where have all the TEACHERS gone?"…sadly, many of us gave up and got out. After spending 10 years in the cesspool that is public education, I just couldn't take it anymore for exactly the reasons you have mentioned. I admire you for your high expectations and your perseverance, but be sure to take care of yourself along the way. Thank you.
~Cindy