I've Been Waiting for This

It finally happened.

And I'm ticked.

Our grade has pretty good state test scores. We feel (probably like every teacher does) that our scores could be better and that the kids deserve that, so we're always looking for new ways to meet their needs.

Like everyone else out there, we do lots of small groups, lots of pre-teaching, lots of reteaching, tutoring before school and during lunch and LOTS of small victories cheerleading in an attempt to make a small dent in the long list of needs our little kiddos have. We are so proud of them when they get to see some success throughout the year, and excited for them when they can show some growth on that doggone state test.

Because of the hard work the kids put in, some of them score proficient in reading and/or math for the first time in their school careers. We are so proud of them!

Well, another teacher at our school suggested lately that the only way some of our 4th graders could score proficient in reading or math was through cheating.

Cheating?!?!?

That assertion completely disregards all the extra work and time those kids put in to accomplish such scores. It implies that they CAN'T do it. It implies we teachers cheated too.

We didn't cheat. We all, teachers and students alike, worked very hard, as I know all of you do too.

Maybe that teacher should take a lesson from the kids. Hard work has its rewards.