It's that time of year again....

for Indiana standardized testing!!

I HATE standardized testing!!

If you work in the education system, I'm sure you feel the same way!

In Indiana these tests include ISTEP (grades 3-8) and IREAD (grade 3).

Since I work with 3rd grade, my March will be busy with testing, make-up testing, and anxiously awaiting scores (IREAD). Out of March, I will only have my students for 1 week. How much can they learn from me if I don't have them? This is very frustrating for me. I don't like standardized tests. I feel that my kids will get more of an education from me than testing them every time they turn around. 

My poor 3rd graders are so nervous, which is to be expected because they have never taken big tests like this. They are also nervous because if they don't pass IREAD the first time they are required to take summer school where they will take the test again. If they don't pass it that time then they are automatically retained in 3rd grade. That's a lot of pressure for an 8/9 year old :(

We spend our month on pins and needles, hoping our precious students pass all of these tests. We hate for them to have to be disappointed because that means they are disappointed in themselves and how does this help a child?

Sorry, just had to vent.