Don't Measure Me By My Students' Test Scores

Cross-posted at Brilliant or Insane 
 
As a lifelong educator, I’d like to believe that all teachers and administrators understand we can’t use standardized test scores to measure teacher effectiveness. So, I was shocked the other day when an educator, one who I think highly of, used test scores to compare two teachers’ effectiveness.

All of teacher A’s students passed the standardized test. Teacher B’s students didn’t fair as well, but teacher B’s classes were filled with special education students, rule breakers and fence-riders (those students who are easily swayed by their peers).

As a teacher, I loved teaching the most challenging students, so I was taken back by this educator’s dubious claim. If he were to look at my standardized test scores, would he think any less of me as a teacher?

When you teach challenging students, the state-mandated curriculum must not be ignored, but often it should take a back seat to the unwritten curriculum. Comparatively, the standard curriculum is easy to teach. If test scores were my primary concern, when a student misbehaved, I could have simply stated, “John, do the work or get a referral.” I then could return to teaching the mandate curriculum. My students’ test scores may have been higher.

But, I aimed to teach life skills, to build trusting relationships with all of my students and to help students learn from their errors (be they academic or behavioral).

Teaching the unwritten curriculum includes no absolutes. Every decision is complex and weighs heavily. Instead of focusing solely on test scores, I aimed to build students’ social and life skills. Instead of plowing through the curriculum, I taught with empathy. I tried to never leave a student behind; I never gave up on a student.

Sadly, test scores cannot measure these attributes. Teacher effectiveness can only be marginally reflected in the scores of our students. Please, never rely on test scores to measure teacher effectiveness.

The Domino Effect of Education Standardization

Cross posted at Brilliant or Insane 
 
Fourteen years ago, after five wonderful years as a teacher, everything imploded during the sixth year. The same administrators, who once encouraged risk-taking and personal growth, became dictatorial and over-controlling. Instead of working together, we now competed and fought for control.

Why the sudden deterioration? Standards of Learning (Virginia’s standards).

I abandoned the sinking ship. I wasn’t alone. Seven other teachers (a significant number as this was a very small school) jumped to other jobs. One of the other departing teachers expressed the feelings of all of us, “I feel like I’m just a cog in the machine. Easily replaceable.”

In the blink of an eye, everything changed with the new standards. Administrators became manipulative and domineering. Teacher autonomy went out the window. We were told, “If it’s not mentioned in the Standard of Learning Framework, you won’t be teaching it.”

When observing classes, administrators sat with the standards in hand. I got chastised for talking about Winston Churchill and the Battle of Britain in my World History class (remarkably at the time this wasn’t included in the framework, but it has since been added).  A peer was raked over the coals at a School Board Meeting for having poor SOL scores (Virginia’s End of Course Tests) despite his students scoring well above the state average.

Sadly, my experiences are not unique. Today far too many teachers feel the same way I did 14 years ago.

Essentially one knee-jerk reaction led to another in a domino falling-like series of transgressions. NCLB led state governments to increase “accountability.” Pressured school districts exerted control on school administrators who passed it on to the teachers. Constantly being reminded, “It’s your job to make sure your students perform to these high standards,” led teachers to increase their control over students. Reluctantly, we taught to the test.  With autonomy destroyed, many educators’ enthusiasm and excitement for teaching waned. Lectures became commonplace. Teachers bypassed labs and projects that engaged students and instead dispensed review worksheets to drill in the facts.

The pressure to produce results undermined teachers. The burden of standardized test results backfired as student learning suffered. Teachers became more controlling despite knowing that students need the opposite—teachers who nurture, support and engage students.

Fortunately, many states, including Virginia, are looking at loosening the standardization grip. Reform can’t come soon enough.

We Owe It to Our Students and Our Teachers to De-emphasize Standards

As a high school history teacher, I struggled to balance Virginia's state standards (SOLs) standards with bringing history alive, instilling creativity, developing higher-order thinking skills, and building 21^st-century skills.

When push came to shove, the standard always won out. It was a constant source of frustration. 

As an administrator, I don't want my teachers to feel the same pressures to teach to the test. I've encouraged them to take risks, stretch themselves, try something new and sometimes even reinvent themselves. 

I owe it to them and we all owe it to our students to make school and learning enjoyable and engaging. 

Below is part of my weekly message to my staff.

Please know that I have complete confidence in you. In this era of standards and accountability, risk-taking can be daunting, but I’ll come back to a simple question, “Why did you become a teacher?”

I’m willing to bet that none of you answer, “So my students can pass a multiple choice test?”

So as you enter the second term, take a risk. Step out of your comfort zone. Bring your subject alive. Create lessons that embody your spirit, your passion and show why you became a teacher.

As we go forward, lets make it a goal/expectation that each of us tries one brand new lesson this term. Please invite me into your classroom when you try this new lesson.  I look forward to seeing your passion come alive.

Recently, I’ve seen several teachers—and more importantly, students—go beyond the standards.  These teachers recognized that the standards are simply a framework that shouldn't restrict our teaching. Their lessons were filled with creativity. The questions being asked didn't have right/wrong answers. The end result: students who were enthusiastic about learning and a classroom filled with pride and passion.

In addition to applauding your efforts, I want to encourage you to take risks. Step out of your comfort zones. Try something new. Diverge from the pacing guide. Challenge yourself and your students. 

So as you enter the second term, take a risk. Step out of your comfort zone. Bring your subject alive. Create lessons that embody your spirit, your passion and show why you became a teacher.

As we go forward, lets make it a goal/expectation that each of us tries one brand new lesson this term. Please invite me into your classroom when you try this new lesson.  I look forward to seeing your passion come alive.

How About An Educational Documentary Worth Watching?

On Friday night, like many educators, I found myself watching CBS’s Teach. Within minutes though, I found my mind wandering and my frustration growing. I began to channel surf. Then a friend and co-worker texted me, “Good documentary on CBS called Teach.”

I flipped back, thinking, “Maybe I’m just too cynical about anything created by Davis Guggenheim.”

Admittedly, I wasn’t a huge fan of Guggenheim's Waiting for Superman, so maybe my bias was clouding my judgment. Knowing teachers would be talking about Teach on Monday, I tried to stick it out. I began multi-tasking—if I’m going to watch this I mind as well be productive and learn something. Anything.

For me Teach was too cheeky and almost propagandist. While I have no problem with the Khan Academy, we cannot seriously believe that it’s the solution to our educational issues. The teachers profiled in Teach clearly have made a difference in the lives of their students—as have hundreds of thousands of other teachers.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, Guggenheim paradoxically states, “The strange thing I found is that very few people can tell you what makes great teaching….That’s why we start Teach with the simple premise of ‘What is a teacher, and what do they do.’”

I struggle to agree with the premise that we don’t know what makes great teachers. We do. Research abounds with what makes a teacher great. Additionally, instead of focusing on being great, why not focus on simply allowing teachers to teach well.

Today, too many teachers are handcuffed by overwhelmingly detailed and complex standards with rigid pacing guides. Instead of focusing on real teaching and meaningful learning, time is spent preparing students for the next standardized test.

Teach, in conjunction with Teach.org, kicks off an 18-month campaign to urge students and recent graduates to enter the teaching profession. If that is Teach’s goal, shouldn’t the focus be on schools that have downplayed increasing standardization? On schools that give teachers the freedom to do what’s best? On schools where teachers are respected, purpose-driven and strive to become masters of their crafts?

That would be an inspiring documentary and one worth watching.

So Mr. Guggenheim, how about it? 

Creativity Matters and What We Can Do About It

Yesterday, Eric Sheninger posted a blog entitled Creativity and Why it Matters. The Adobe Education study suggests creative thinking should be made a higher priority  in education. Based on a survey of 1,000 college-educated adults, 85% agree creative thinking is critical for problem solving in their careers.

Some other survey findings:

• 82% wish they had more exposure to creative thinking as students
• 91% agree that there is more to success in school than focusing on course material
• 71% say creative thinking should be taught as a stand-alone class

In my 20 years as an educator, I can honestly say I’ve seen a deterioration of higher-level skills or creative thinking. While standardized tests don’t deserve all of the blame, it’s not purely coincidental that the increase in standardization correlates with decreased creativity.

I know standardized tests are here to stay—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing—so what can be done to expose more students to creative thinking?

• We must recognize that standards are just a framework and we must not limit our teachings because of them.
• Creativity should be taught in all classes
• When possible adopt project-based learning
• Limit lectures and talking to the students
• Increase student accessibility to fine art and career-technical education classes
• Ask questions that don’t have answers 
• Embrace 21^st-century skills

What should we do to increase creative thinking? 

In addition to the study's press release Adobe released an infographic summarizing the study's findings.