“We should spend more time fertilizing and nurturing the flowers instead of measuring how tall they’ve grown” – Author Unknown.
Well said. There is an ongoing debate in this country over standardized testing and assessment. In many states standardized testing has taken over the school’s curriculum. As I’ve heard it stated before, standardized testing is becoming the tail that wags the dog. When I lived in Florida they started the school year earlier (mid-August – In Florida!) in order for there to be more time to prepare for the FCATS (the Florida State Standardized Tests). No matter what your opinion, few would argue that standardized testing, although necessary, has taken on a bigger role than perhaps intended.
I was fortunate that I taught in a private school once. When going over the social studies curriculum, which included both Regions of the United States and The History of Florida, and reviewing the science curriculum which included an entirely separate curriculum on the Florida Everglades, I was told by my very wise principal, I would rather you go a mile deep and an inch wide than an inch deep and a mile wide. She told me to take the most important ideas and delve into them with the students. She wanted them to explore, understand, and digest the information rather than move them along to get through everything by the end of the year. Because of her view on education (and because we didn’t have the pressure of the State standardized tests), I was able to streamline the Regions curriculum, have fun with the Everglades curriculum, do a fabulous solar system unit, really teach the students how to do a science fair experiment correctly (and without parental help) and explode volcanoes in the classroom. Yes, I should have done it outside, but it was Florida, in May. It was hot and humid and I didn’t want my already curly hair to frizz anymore.
It’s all about priorities when you’re teaching.