Comment

Comment by Dr. Michael L. Cubbin on March 17, 2013 at 9:39pm

As I began this article I thought to myself, "Finally, someone gets the big picture! Someone understands how important not only standardized exams are, but that our children and students really need to put a big push out, especially now towards the end of the year." That warm and fuzzy feeling all came to a screeching halt at around paragraph eight.

 

Allow me to explain. I was recently reading the book "A Complaint Free World" by Will Bowen. One paragraph reads as follows (now is the time for teachers to really pay attention):

 

"Psychologist Robin Kowalski wrote that many complaints "involve attempts to elicit particular interpersonal reactions from others, such as sympathy or approval. For example, people may complain about their health, not because they actually feel sick, but because the sick role allows them to achieve secondary gains from others or the avoidance of aversive events." Does this sound even the least bit familiar to my fellow teachers? When will we stop our complaining, get off our duffs and do what we are hired to do?

 

I recall (every day of my life) teaching in China and walking the streets of some very poor neighborhoods - sometime 1 or 2 in the morning. I was amazed at the life that late at night. On more than one occasion I was asked by local store owners to, "Please sit here for a moment and have something to eat." Five minutes later I was routinely being introduced to a young teenage boy or girl who had just been rousted from a deep sleep with their College Entrance Exam prep book (gaokao) in hand and asked if I could spend an hour or two tutoring their child. 1am... tutoring until 3am. This is with the students never complaining once and being totally interested in soaking up every morsel of knowledge I could muster. The math was out of this world and the verbal English (much more difficult than our SATs) often had me stumped and I am no dummy. At least my doctorate tells me so.

 

When are we, as teachers, going to wake up and realize that this thing they call the "global community" is something that other countries (China for example) are grasping and winning better than we are? This article actually went on to say that giving multiple practice tests to students give "a bad message to students and parents." Am I dreaming? If I hadn’t Googled his name, I would assumed Peter Dewitt is either a relatively new teacher, or one of those outside our rooms, up in the clouds, who come up with "really neat and cool ways" to impress our students. Either way, he is so far off the mark, he cannot even see the mark from where he is standing. But no, Mr. DeWitt is a principal.

 

I teach Chemistry, but I spent 8 years teaching Earth science (complete with the NYS Regents). In all those years, I have had only 3 students fail and an average of > 50% of my students attaining over a 90% on the Regents. I currently teach Chemistry in a school whose population is 100% Spanish-speaking ELL students. They have all been here (on average) 3 years or less. Last year every single student of mine passed the Regents with 3 students scoring greater than 90%. Yes, my ELL students here in Queens earned a 100% passing rate on the NYS Chemistry Regents exam. Anything is possible if you want it to be.

 

How did they do it? Every one of my tests is comprised of Regents questions (as they will have the Regents in June). I tend to finish my curriculum early each year. This gives me a little extra time to give mock Regents in the class. I try to get in a few. Last year we went over 5 in class during May and June (as they will have the Regents in June). Every one of my students was required to purchase a red Barron's review book and to do at least one hour of work in it every night in addition to my homework which can take anywhere from 1 - 3 hours (as they will have the Regents in June). I give pop quizzes every day (as they will have the Regents in June). I teach everything they need to know so that they will be prepared for the Regents (as they will have the Regents in June). I understand that my students will be tested in June so it is my job to prepare them as thoroughly as I possibly can. This is why they are direct-depositing my well-deserved check in my bank every two weeks.

 

We went from the ridiculous to, well.... He stated "for those insecure teachers who want to make sure their students are prepared, it may seem like a good idea to give test prep for homework." And this article made its way to Education Week magazine? Cancel my subscription!  It continued "It also sends a very negative message to parents that the school only cares about testing. It's also a very arrogant move to assign it over a family break." Now I do not know about anyone else, but I live in Great Neck on Long Island. It is what I would consider to be an "above average" district. Last year my daughter received a packet (too heavy to weigh on a chemistry digital scale without reading "error") with multiple practice tests for the 4th grade exam. My wife and I were thrilled as were our friends. My daughter never complained once and completed even more once I downloaded them.

 

When will we stop this nonsense about standardized testing being a cross for our kids to bear (and stop telling them so!) and instead help them to rise to the challenge? This is our job and we need to stop the whining. I want my child's mind to be provoked and stimulated. I want my child to understand that life is going to be full of obstacles and unless we overcome them, they will defeat us. This topic is far too enormous to cover in this blog, but my upcoming book "The Business of School" deals with this topic and many more that appear to be attracting more attention in these times.

 

Let me close with one last passage from the article. Mr. Dewitt states that, "Teachers send it (practice tests) home because they feel intense pressure from their principals that the students have to perform well on the test. Those teachers practice during the day and send it home at night because they're scared." I am biting my tongue from expanding on these words. But I hope that as teachers we see that this type of thinking is what is creating many of our problems. This mentality is what is weakening our students and preventing them from achieving the greatness they so desperately need and deserve. We are teachers in the greatest country in the world and this is the best we can expect from those whose words appear in print for our colleagues to read. Shame on you, Mr. Dewitt. What would a teacher in China, Japan, Ireland, Finland or any other country producing top students think when they read these words? Don't kid yourselves. You know what they think.

 

When you go into your classes tomorrow, let your students know that the Regents (or any other standardized test) is right around the corner and that you have faith, confidence and belief in each one of your kids that they are going to knock it right out of the park. Tell them it is only a test and that they will be tested for the rest of their lives. Tell them this is not the most important one they will ever take, but it is the most important one they will be taking this year and that you are going to push them harder than you have all year to make sure they will rise to the occasion. Remember the words of my greatest pedagogical mentor (besides Mr. Charlie DeMeo) when he said, "Students will rise to the level of our expectations." Perhaps Mr. Dewitt should go to his library this week and rent "Stand and Deliver" to see what can be achieved if we have the ganas to believe!

 

Dr. Michael Cubbin