Tests and Tears

The approach of the state-wide assessments, an unfortunate rite of spring, has brought with it a great deal of unwanted and unnecessary anxiety among staff members and children. Tests that produce tears, stomach aches, or sleepless nights should be questioned.

I have served as an educational leader for forty years. On that basis, I can assert my opinion that tests do not define children. In fact, while tests are used in many different ways, and often determine the path one takes through their schooling, they may not be predictors of success as adults. Maybe the outcome of tests enable some people to experience advantages in the future, such as college entrance or admission to advanced programs, but that is not enough to ensure success. More likely, the assessment of adults in workplaces is viewed through the perception of an individual's ability to communicate, cooperate with others, exhibit dependability, adapt to new situations, display responsibility, and a host of other attitudes and attributes commonly referred to as "soft skills."

Our school will be measured by the state agency of education in large part on the results of tests like the SBAC. Although I do not ignore the data obtained through these tests and others, and we strive to meet our collective potential, I maintain that we cannot allow the facts and figures of these test results to obscure the faces and feelings of the children taking the tests. The mission of our school does not mention anything related to test results. Rather, our mission is: "Provide opportunities for learners of all ages, at all stages, to reach their potential."

Think back to your own favorite teacher... Do you know: What college they attended? What their grade point average was? Whether they had a graduate degree? How they scored on teacher tests required for certification? Probably not. But, I bet you can remember how they made you feel. I'm sure your favorite teacher stood out because of their ability to bring a smile to your face on days when it was hard to smile, their acceptance of you as an individual, their acknowledgement of a new hair style or a lost tooth, the time they took to listen to you, and many other experiences not measured by any timed test.

I believe that the measure of a person is not what can be seen, but what can be felt - and that is what's inside of a person - their level of care, empathy, compassion, tolerance, willingness and ability to listen to opposing views and ideas, determination, acceptance of learning as a life-long experience, commitment to their beliefs, and many other characteristics that define who we are.

I will end this post (which helps define who I am) and step off the soapbox by sharing the following quote attributed to Sir George Pickering (and others):

"Not everything that counts can be counted. Not everything that can be counted, counts."

Think about that as we each face our own tests, be they with paper and pencil in class or challenges at work or at home. What really counts?