Testing Woes

I'm sure every teacher has testing woes and can understand the sheer agony of helplessly watching a child that you've taught all year make a(many) ridiculously bone-headed mistake(s) on a high-stakes test. I've been feeling it this week for sure! My kiddos are subjected to an hour plus of silent, sit-straight-in-your-desk-and-listen-to-the-teacher testing every day this week! It is excruciating. No matter how hard I try to hype it up... it still stinks. Gum, prizes, chants, candy, snacks, promises of recess time - none of them are helping to quell the anxiety. I had two kids crying today half-way through and one threw up and told the school nurse it was because she was nervous about the big test. Sigh.

High-stakes testing makes me feel like the WORST kind of teacher.

On the bright side, tomorrow is Friday and I have big plans for the remaining weeks of school! I have already begun creating an elaborate tracking chart with end of the year goals (personalized for each student). I have been working on mini-units on fun topics associated with enjoying the great outdoors (one of my favorite pastimes) and making plans for incorporating more informational reading and writing into my plans! Ever since we read a story about Frog and Toad called "The Kite" my kids have been obsessed. Tomorrow after our last hour of testing we will be reading a story about flying a kite, looking at a real kite, building our own kites, going outside to fly our kites, and writing and drawing about our kites. Can't wait to go fly a kite!

Post-Spring Break Traumatic Stress Disorder

Spring break was utterly relaxing! I did all of the wonderful things that one does when on a break... saw family, saw friends, ate too much, drank too much, slept in, read books, shopped, and exercised (if skiing counts!). I also turned 28! All in all it was amazing. I woke up on the first day back to school feeling refreshed and excited...

Then I arrived at school. After a few minutes of cheerfully catching up with other teachers and staff, I went in to begin a professional development around the Common Core Curriculum. Within 2 minutes I felt like I was wearing a sweater made of lead. Tension started in my neck, my heart started racing... Stress. Was. Back. All I could think was there are approximately 8 weeks left of school, one of which will be swallowed whole by Stanford 10 testing... and my kids are not ready for 2nd grade! On top of that, the type of student population that I teach loses more than the 6 or so weeks of instruction that other kids lose over the summer. My babies will lose 3-4 months! That means it is my job to OVER-prepare them. How am I going to do this!? The thought of the Common Core Curriculum is exciting but also nerve-wracking. While I can't wait to do everything differently next year, I still need to find ways to make this year meaningful for my students.

Any ideas? Eek! T-minus 3 days until standardized testing begins...

Intentions

Last week I signed my letter of intent to return to Baltimore City Public Schools for the next school year. It wasn't a difficult decision but it did make me reflect a little bit on why I got into this profession in the first place and what I was thinking before I embarked on my first year of teaching!

This job is immensely more challenging than I ever could have imagined. I constantly feel like I could be doing something better... and the worst part is that is probably true! Now that I have 7 months of teaching under my belt, I feel more like I don't know anything about anything than I did when I started! Is that possible?

Sometimes I think to myself, "You are taking this WAYYY too seriously." But then, it IS serious! I will be these kids' only first grade teacher (hopefully!) What if I screw it up big time? What if I already screwed it up big time? Let's hope not...because I'll be back next year to screw it up all over again!