Digesting

We got our state test scores back today. I really thought I nailed them with my class. And to be fair, the fifth grade as a whole did quite well in math. 70% of kids passed. However, in reading only 47% passed. I did so well (relatively of course because 60% isn't that great) with the writing test, and I really wanted to to better with reading. Again to be fair, these are not my individual class percentages, I should get those this week, but following the property of averaging, they cannot be far off. The worst part is that as a fifth grade last year we also only got 47% of kids to pass. We didn't improve at all even though the students we have now are said to be higher.

I wholeheartedly believe that the teacher is the most important factor in education, and can be the only factor in a good education if the teacher is good. But what else could I have done? Should mastery of a state test be the only way to measure academic success? If a teacher is only capable of maintaining a grade level of growth instead of a grade level plus some which these kids need to succeed stay teaching? I am going to have a much more challenging group next year. How will I ever get them to mastery?

I know all of this might be moot since I have yet to receive my individual class scores, but I know it pertains to many teachers. Should we keep just average teachers on the books, or is average going to fail the youth of this country?

Just something to think about...