I am participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge: A slice a day for all of March. You should do it too! Thank you, Two Writing Teachers! Readers, check out their site, and start slicing!
The silent countdown has begun at school. It’s a shift in the air, imperceptible to some. But, I feel it.
I feel it in the hushed conversations, “Did you do that?” “Do your kids know that?”
I feel it in the paperwork I find in my “To File” pile, and take out to scrutinize.
I feel it in the student data I look at just to check one more time.
I feel it in the way I try to assure myself by listing things I have done.
And in the way I don’t believe my own list.
I feel it in the questions I ask myself: “Did you explicitly teach ‘dynamic character’ as a literary term? How about bias? Epic? Conflict? Exaggeration?” “Did you do enough close reading with this class?”
I feel it in all the things I have left that I want to teach.
And most of all, I feel it in my big yearly question: “Was the decision to teach the kids and not the test the right one?”
And, in my big answer: “Well, it’s too late now anyway!”
In about 5 weeks, our state testing begins.
Teachers aren’t allowed to opt out, you know.
On a Thought 
I love your big answer! I WANT to opt out!!
Thanks so much for the comment! I’m glad you stopped by. 🙂
You made the right decision to teach the kids and not the test. Feel proud of that!
Thank you. 🙂 I’m trying to feel proud instead of stressed!
We start tomorrow and all those doubts are running through my head. Do I do enough?
Yep, opting out isn’t an option.
I hope your day went okay. So many doubts… 😦 Thanks for stopping by!
🙂
Yes, spring is a wonderful season, but it also brings the tests and that stress of wondering did I do enough?
Sometimes I wonder what Spring would be like without these wonderings… 😦 Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment. 🙂
Nothing about school should ever have us stressed like this! If teachers are stressed, you can imagine the poor students.
Teachers and students should not feel so much stress about school! It’s hard enough without the insane amount of importance placed on just one measure of learning.
I agree! I work in such an amazing school… so student centered… but there is still this quiet stress about these tests. 😦 Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
What a brave decision!! Good for you and for your students!!
Thanks so much! Fingers crossed, I guess. 🙂 I appreciate your stopping by. 🙂