So, this is what I did on May 31, 2012 - I emailed the Texas Education Agency about my concerns that certain behaviors of people at my (former) school weren't quite ethical. I did not mention the name of the school or district, and only my name is included. Well, here - read for yourself:
I have a question about an incident that happened at my school and would like to know if this would be considered Serious Testing Irregularity, directly or indirectly assisting students with responses to test questions.
I have been a 4th grade Language Arts (writing) teacher at this school for the past nine years. Other teachers and I suspected that another 4th grade writing teacher (teacher A) had inappropriately coached her students in preparation for the TAKS writing test during the spring of 2011, but had no real evidence. This year, teacher A became an instructional specialist at my school. The teacher who took her place, teacher B, had several lower-ability students in her class and discussed with teacher A her concerns that they would have a difficult time passing the new STAAR writing test. Teacher A responded that teacher B should do what she had done previously - write a composition herself and have her students write it over and over to memorize it, then teach them how to tweak it for a variety of prompts. Teacher B was appalled and refused to do that.
Later, teacher B attended a staffing on one of her lower-ability students and voiced her concerns over his ability to pass the STAAR writing test. Teacher A was not in attendance, but her special education co-teacher was. The SpEd teacher said she should do what teacher A had done the previous year - write a composition, have her students memorize it, and teach them to tweak it for a variety of prompts. The school's diagnostician was alarmed and the conversation quickly turned to another subject.
Let me state that I was not privy to either of these conversations, but teacher B related the conversations to me afterward. Teacher B was later told by our principal that she was going to be moved to 1st grade for next, in part because she was not the kind of teacher that should be teaching writing. Teacher B has been disgusted by these incidents but also somewhat feared that reporting said incidents would affect her teaching position negatively. I retired from this school today and have no such fears.
I am not sure of the protocol for reporting a possible testing irregularity and so I am asking for your assistance in this matter. If this indeed would be considered a testing irregularity (and not just an incredibly stupid method of teaching students to pass a writing test) and you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
I never heard back from TEA.
My next step was to contact the Testing Coordinator for the district. It took me days to work up the courage to do this, but I finally did, yesterday. I related the concern exactly the same as I had presented it in the email, and her response was basically, unless the teacher actually said on the testing day, remember the paper we have been working on - now use it, then it would not be considered an irregularity.
Me: So, it is OK for a teacher to write a composition herself and have her students memorize it to spit back on a state writing test?
Her: Did that happen this year?
Me: No, it happened last year, on the TAKS test. Teacher A said told teacher B that she should do the same thing this year, and teacher B refused.
Her: Well, it was easier to get by with something like that under TAKS testing, but would be caught under STAAR testing as the guidelines are more rigorous. So, if the teacher did that, it would only be considered good teaching.
Me: So, you are saying it is OK for a teacher to write a composition herself and have her students memorize it for a writing test?
Her: Well...
Me: Because to me, that is unethical, and doing something like this is a big problem! My school does have quite a good reputation, especially when it comes to teaching writing, and to find out that there are people at my school who believe this kind of behavior is OK would seriously affect that reputation.
Her: And what school is this?
Me: (I told her) And I want you to know that the principal does know this has happened. She and teacher B had words over it, and teacher B was told that if she could not do this, maybe she should not be a 4th grade writing teacher, because many other schools do the very same thing. In addition, I am now retired and my principal and I did not part of the best of terms, partly because of this issue. However, in no way am I trying to "get back" at my principal or any other person at this school for this problem; rather, I see it as being very unethical and gives our profession a bad name. This kind of behavior should not be allowed to continue.
Her: I have been making notes about our conversation and I will keep an eye on this school, now that I know about this issue.
Me: Do you need anything further from me, phone number...?
Her: Oh, no. If you have a teaching license in the state of Texas, we can find you.
* * * * *
So, what have I learned from this?
That it is OK to do whatever you want to stay on top?
That testing results are more important than real learning?
That having a conscience and believing in ethics is not valued?
I feel bad for the students caught up in this - they are the victims of what too much of our society has become, placing more value on the end result rather than the journey. I feel bad for the teachers who DO have a conscience and believe in ethics, because those that value lesser things so often seem to come out on top. To the many good teachers still out there, stay strong and do not give up; what you are doing will have a longer-lasting effect on students and they DO know the difference between right and wrong.
One more short story about a lack of ethics...recently the 3rd & 4th grade science teachers were in the midst of giving a very lengthy and difficult end-of-year benchmark test to their students. Several questioned the instructional specialists about when the scantrons were due because the test was taking so long. Their response? "It's the end of the year and no one cares. Just give them the answers so they can fill in their scans."
* * * * *
Now, I know that this behavior is not going on everywhere, all the time, by everyone; however, it is a sampling of what can happen when people get so caught up in results that the lose track of what the real purpose of education is. The school I retired from has many, many wonderful and ethical teachers and I hate to see them have to put up with what goes on. So many are disgusted by what they see and hear but feel their hands are tied; they will keep quiet and wear beige, do the best they can at their job and love their students, and hope that someday all will be well again.
And P.E.B.E?
People for the Ethical Behavior of Educators.
Are you one?
No comments:
Post a Comment