testing, testing, one, two, three...more!

Ok, so you have heard a lot about testing lately. There are a lot of changes this year and I am still trying to wrap my brain around it.

Since No Child will be Left Behind, this year in Texas all children will take an on grade level test. In the real world, that makes sense. Have a high standard, and then people will rise to that standard, right? In my experience, that is not as easy as it sounds, and not as pretty as it looks on paper. With all of the changes in the TAKS test this year, especially how it affects students receiving Special Education services, I have really had to shift my thinking.

To me, there are two ways to look at it. Prepare the kids to pass the test or fill in the gaps so they are more successful at learning. When I have a second grader reading at a Kindergarten level (yes, there is a Kindergarten READING level) my goal is to teach that student to read, as quickly as I can, or as slow as I have to. By this time if they are still not reading, they need direct instruction. Not just because it is the right thing to do, not only because research says so, but because next year, they are going to take a test. Not just any test, The Test. That is where the dilemma lies. We are teaching that student at a pace that is appropriate for them, and going deep enough for conceptual understanding. That takes time. That same second grader by this time next year will be asked to take a test on a third grade level. Even if that student makes a year and a half progress, that puts them at about the middle of first grade. The books at a first grade level are decodable and predictable. The third grade reading test assumes the student will decode the words and then asks students to make predictions, generalizations and summarize. Bottom line - it is a hard test. We would not pass it out in a first grade classroom and expect to set the world on fire.

I expect all of my students to make progress academically. The problem is the progress they make will mean very little to them if everything else is telling them that The Test decides if they have learned what they need to learn. I can tell you right now, some of them haven’t. I am not being pessimistic, we just aren’t there yet. We will get there, but it maybe after they take The Test, maybe next year. We will get there. I am teaching the curriculum that is aligned to Student Expectations, which relate to the TAKS objectives, but to me that is not the end goal. It is a good goal, but not the only one. I want students to make progress. I expect them to make a lot of progress. What that looks like everyday just may be a little different than how it is supposed to look on Test Day.

The TAKS test is important. I am going to do my best to prepare each student to take it, as well as determine appropriate test accommodations, but it does not stop there. I am going to teach so that students learn and we will see where that takes us.

Tutoring

Tutoring resumes today with 3rd and 4th grade, 3:10 - 4:00. Students can be picked up in front outside the pod doors. No tutoring next Thursday (half day) or the following Tuesday (no school).

Storyline Online

I LOVE this website, Storyline Online. It is a place to find great books with a video stream of famous actors and actresses reading the stories while showing the actual illustrations from the book.

We used this website in our reading group when we read Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco (my favorite!). After we watched and listened to the story being read aloud, we talked about fluency. When you read with fluency, the words come alive and start to make a picture. Instead of reading each word, one by one, you group the words together in a way that makes sense. That is what happened in the story when Tricia learned to read. She started with letters and sounds, then she was reading word by word. Finally, words came alive and she chased the knowledge through the pages of the book.

We also talked about how, just like soccer and playing the piano, reading takes PRACTICE. The more you practice a story or passage, the more fluent it becomes. Stay posted for future fluency tales...

ADHD Guide

Many parents ask about ADHD and how to cope with it at school. It is something that I am interested in on a daily basis, and I am constantly looking for new strategies and research so that students that are effected can be more successful in the classroom. Check out this

Parents Medication Guide

published by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association. In addition to the risks and benefits of certain types of medicine, it also give practical advice for teachers and parents.

ADHD has many effects on learning. Often students are distracted during instruction and miss key concepts. I hear from parents all the time, "He/she is a smart kid and used to excel at school." As the concepts become more difficult these students fall farther behind. They require certain accommodations in order to be successful.

Students with ADD and ADHD may qualify for support through special education services. Keep in mind the diagnosis comes from a doctor and not the teacher or school diagnostician. The school can provide valuable information as far as what type of learner the student is and types of distractions and academic challenges they face. Teachers asses reading levels and math assessment for all students. They can also provide information about the student's behavior. More formal assessments can be done to rule out learning disabilities if that is suspected. All of that information can be shared with a pediatrician. The decision to medicate is ultimately between you, your family and your doctor.

Congratulations Mr. Rich!

Mr. Rich has a new baby girl! Her name is Caitlin Mary and she was born on December 31. She is 4 lbs and 11 oz. Mrs. Rich teaches 2nd grade at Good Elementary. We wish them all sorts of happiness and restful nights! Happy New Year Mr. and Mrs. Rich and welcome to the world little Caitlin!