| One of the hottest topics in our Problem Student | | | | pressure that is being exerted in their state |
| Problem Solver workshop staff development | | | | is absolutely counterproductive to testing, and |
| sessions has gotten to be participants' upset | | | | they are probably right. Instead of pressure, |
| at the damage they see being caused by | | | | show how education skills will be needed in |
| overzealous | | | | the adult world, and how critical they |
| state-wide assessment testing. As you may | | | | are to the kids' futures, rather than relate |
| know, | | | | learning skills to scoring well on assessment |
| some states have become so concerned about | | | | tests. Education is meant to prepare kids |
| measuring student progress, that many they | | | | for the adult world, not for taking tests.** Train |
| have | | | | Kids to Be Students |
| highly rigorous testing. In some regions, teacher | | | | We don't formally train youth to be students. |
| and | | | | Very few schools have a formal, written-down |
| administrator employment and/or salary are | | | | plan to teach attendance, punctuality, |
| based | | | | motivation, test-taking, homework management, |
| on test scores. In at least one state, personnel | | | | discussion skills, how to focus, etc. If these |
| have been caught forging test results. In another | | | | nuts-and-bolts skills were systematically |
| state, schools are actually given report cards, | | | | taught instead of just being expected, more |
| and | | | | kids might learn more, and yes, test scores |
| graded, with some schools failing. In other | | | | could be enhanced.** Train Kids to Manage |
| regions, | | | | Anxiety and Problems |
| professional sport team mascots and | | | | We also don't teach students how to manage big |
| cheerleaders | | | | problems from home, and anxiety about tests |
| are hired to urge students to score well.In one | | | | and |
| state, part of the progress assessment testing, | | | | school. Learning problem management and how |
| includes having students write an essay. One | | | | to |
| teacher | | | | overcome anxiety will be skills a child will need for |
| wrote the local newspaper to tell of her dismay | | | | an entire lifetime, and yes, could enhance test |
| when | | | | scores.** Stop Micro-Managing Teachers |
| one of her students wrote his essay on his | | | | In many states, teachers are treated like |
| return to | | | | money- |
| middle school following a period of dropping out | | | | grubbing scum. Teachers do the most important |
| due | | | | jobs on the planet, often for humble pay, and |
| to serious difficulties he was facing. The essay | | | | without thanks while also serving as parent, |
| was judged unsatisfactory when scored for | | | | psychologist, nurse and pastor to many lost |
| the test on such measures as grammar, | | | | souls. Instead of making teachers' jobs |
| punctuation, | | | | harder, give them more support and better |
| etc. The teacher now had the difficult situation | | | | training. Much of today's teacher training is |
| of having a young, vulnerable student receive a | | | | not geared to face the big social and emotional |
| failing score on a highly sensitive topic. Worst | | | | problems that arrive each day with the kids. We |
| still, apparently the student's story would also | | | | also have schools where classes include a |
| have been failed even if the essay's focus had | | | | whopping 38 youngsters and the sky can be |
| been to lament the death of his mother, or to | | | | seen |
| describe the beating of his sister. There is no | | | | through the holes in the classroom. We expect |
| provision to adjust tests to the special needs of | | | | teachers to teach against all odds, all while |
| students, or to give consideration to special | | | | consistently criticizing them and reducing their |
| circumstances. This inflexibility is true across | | | | budgets.** Stop One-Size-Fits-All Testing |
| many states that use progress testing.The | | | | Few accommodations are made at all in |
| teachers and counselors who come to our | | | | performance testing. A child who was raped the |
| workshop, often ask if there are approaches | | | | night before, |
| that could work better than what they view as | | | | or slept under a bridge, or witnessed terrible |
| "education at all costs," when students are | | | | domestic violence, must still perform. No one |
| expected and pressured to produce regardless | | | | wants lower standards, but build in some type |
| of any family problems, disabilities, crises, or | | | | of breathing room for students with serious |
| personal horror that a child may be living with. | | | | or pronounced distress, disabilities,crises, |
| There are much better ways, and some of | | | | cultural differences, ethnic differences, |
| the best, are described below. But, testing | | | | language differences, etc. In one state, |
| does not leave only challenged kids buckling | | | | many of the schools that performed |
| under the pressure. My own 13 year old, | | | | poorly on state-wide tests were |
| easy B+, honor roll mention, doesn't-even- | | | | communities with many minority group |
| study-much, normally unflappable student | | | | members. Little effort seems to have |
| burst into tears recently,terrified that she | | | | been made to ensure that these tests |
| will flunk the 10th grade tests she will face | | | | were fair to children who were |
| that are still more than 2 years away!Here Are | | | | different from the dominant culture. |
| Adaptations to Consider:** What Could Replace | | | | So, their school flunked.** Stop Telling Schools |
| "Education at All Costs?" | | | | They Flunk |
| So often adults have two viewpoints towards | | | | Imagine you are a six-year-old and you hear that |
| educating youngsters in distress. Some adults | | | | your school flunked. Imagine the impact on you, |
| say that no matter if the child is being beaten, | | | | especially if you struggle academically, or have a |
| or goes unfed, or whatever the distress, the | | | | low opinion of yourself, or you already live with |
| child must still complete homework on time, | | | | racial bias, or you're a new immigrant feeling |
| take tests, etc. This can heap more misery on | | | | adrift in a new world...where even your school |
| the shoulders of a deeply troubled youth. | | | | flunks. Let's find more grown-up ways of |
| Others take the opposite tact and say they | | | | referring to schools that struggle.If you want to |
| don't want to add to the child's problems, | | | | see how the education world |
| and so they won't expect much from them. | | | | looks from outside the box, be sure to check |
| Sadly, this means the child may not get the | | | | out the hundreds of surprising, wonderful |
| education they still need. Instead of these | | | | methods and ideas on our web site |
| extremes, find the balance between these | | | | You won't find |
| viewpoints: never abandon your educational | | | | a focus on content or testing, but you will |
| mission, but don't accomplish it all costs.** | | | | find common sense methods that work to |
| Understand How Much Pain Exists | | | | build motivation, stop work refusal, help |
| Non-mental health professionals may be | | | | traumatized youngsters, and improve |
| shocked at the surprisingly high numbers of | | | | class participation.Get much more information on |
| children in pain. The literature suggests that | | | | this topic at |
| perhaps 10% of the children (or a family | | | | Author Ruth |
| member) may struggle with substances; 10% | | | | Herman Wells MS is the director of Youth |
| may be emotionally disturbed; 20-30% may | | | | Change, |
| face sexual abuse or incest; 10-15% may face | | | | ( Sign up for her free |
| verbal, physical or emotional abuse. Even | | | | Problem-Kid Problem-Solver magazine at the site |
| though these numbers don't take into account | | | | and |
| the overlap across these groups, that's a lot | | | | see hundreds more of her innovative methods. |
| of kids facing a lot of pain.** Stop the Pressure | | | | Ruth |
| There are ways to evoke a desire to perform | | | | is the author of dozens of books and provides |
| well that doesn't have to be experienced as | | | | workshops and training. |
| pressure. So many teachers believe that the | | | | |