The Underbelly of the Education system

I realize I haven’t updated about school lately, not due to lack of activity but due to desire not to feel a wave of anxiety.

Here’s the deal…the TAKS test (the state assessment that determines funding…thanks GW) is in two weeks. For the last month, we’ve been in TAKS crunch time. Basically, all subjects not being tested are put on the back burner for a month plus. That means me. Here’s what my schedule’s been:

For two hours every morning, I do an enrichment academy for two classes (55 students). These are the students who don’t need math or reading help. We’ve been working on presidential campaigns. Great idea, tons of work.

After that, I get maybe 3/4 of my students in class, while the rest go to special TAKS sessions with specialists. I haven’t seen some of my students for two weeks.

Then, as a special treat, we have “5 hour frenzy” on Fridays. For 5 hours, I have the same 55 students. At first, this was a nightmare that caused me to breakdown into tears in front of several of my students. Then, my principal managed to get a competent permanent sub for the other class, so now I only have 2.5 hours with the same students. Except, I still have to write lesson plans for myself and the other teacher.

Now, the rumor is, we are going to 5 hour tutorials everyday of next week.

I don’t say this to make you feel sorry for me. I’ve dealt with this crap for two years. Though no other school in the valley has adopted this sort of schedule, and there is no precedent to prove this system works, RMS keeps on plugging the academies. I say this because this is what education is becoming, this is where education is heading if we keep No Child Left Behind….we’re talking the death of social studies as we know it. It’s really sad that we are raising a generation that hates reading, writing and basically…learning.