Testing

It is FCAT time. I can hear groans from teachers and students all around me. Although I am not a fan of standardized testing, I can see the need for assessment. But there seems to be continual testing! And of course, the media center is closed whenever there are tests. I joke that when this school was built they forgot to add testing rooms.

It is a compliment that the media center is used the most for testing because it is the most comfortable and inviting room, and students prefer testing in here. I also realize that the administration doesn't have much of a choice. I get displaced or teacher's classes get displaced. (Hence the need for specific testing rooms!). There just seem to be so many days of testing that force us to shut down. Students and teachers are upset because they cannot use the resources. Sometimes I feel that people don't realize the media center is a classroom too, one for the entire school. And when it is closed, the entire school is affected.

So, let's stop testing our students so much, and start promoting wonderful research projects and reading instead. I believe that will be more important in the real world.