Paul’s words

“Unfortunately, the WASL creates panic, insecurity, low self esteem, and sadness for our children.”

This quotation comes from the letter the Seattle teacher produced in giving his reasoning behind his refusal to administer WASL, the state end of grade assesment test.  I chose the quotation bacause it speaks to a concern that we did not disguss in class.  How do we as future teachers monitor and the limit the potentially damaging effects end of grade tests have on a student’s self esteem?

Do we tell them that assessment tests aren’t important?  While what we tell our student’s is dependent on the actual test, it is important that we place the test within the greater context their lives as learners.   For example, a question on a test may measure whether or not a student remembers a mathematical formula, but it will not measure the creativty a student exerted on his or her fall science project or the perseverance that student showed earlier in the year when strugling with a different mathamatical concept.  In sharing this greater context of achievement with students we can hopefully lessen the pressures they put on themselves and each other.