My Future Determined?

This week, I assisted in admininstering our state exams and am again reminded of why and why not teacher accountability should be held to these text results.

NO!  How frustrating to watch a student not try, not even attempt to use the brain cells he/she must have in there under all that hair.  Seriously.  Speedy would be an understatement.  (FYI:  this one is not one of "my" students...or not one who had spent much time in my class this year).

To spin off of William Carlos Williams' poem...

So much
depends upon

A test-taking
student

Using knowledge
stored within

Due to his
teachers' devotion.

YES!  Then, there sit my darlings working from timer to timer, knowing I believed in them, knowing that the time for my devotion was expended, ended, terminated and 'twas time now for them to show up and show out...if they would just try on every question on the test.

YES!  Just do your best on the test!

This year, we tried the following:  extended lunch for working diligently...or, at least, appearing to work diligently. 

This year, I tried the following:  for receiving a ticket each day for the extended lunch...a party with Gillmore Brownies and Gillmore Chili Cheese Dip...their two requests.  Would you believe that every student in both of my classes received two tickets?  YES!

For 27 years in this business we call education, for 27 years in this career for which I have a passion, I have always set the bar just a bit higher than they wanted to reach...and then watched them reach it.

This week's bar...just try on every question. 

Did they succeed?  Hummmm...I know my darlings...and I know their love for going into busy mental boxes...BUT this I do know:  they reached higher this week than they had orginally intended because I told them I knew they could.

Yes!  The Gillmore Brownies are baked and ready to serve to my achievers!