Reason for Celebration!!!
Susan M. Belott, Administrator
Luther Memorial Learning Center, Erie, Pennsylvania
Luther Memorial Learning Center
opened its doors in 1976. For all these many years, the teachers
have hand corrected and scored the standardized tests every
spring. Every teacher knows what painstaking work this is and the
length of headachey time it takes. We always rationalized this
extreme behavior by bragging that our teachers used this as a
learning experience every year to see what areas needed more time,
attention, improved curriculum. We also congratulated ourselves on
never taking time to “teach the test” because we were too busy
teaching “children”. The truth was that we were trying to save
a few dollars. We, as a staff, decided last year that after 25
years, we would let the publishing company score our brand new
achievement and cognitive abilities tests. The tension was
palpable as we awaited the UPS truck that would deliver what
seemed to be the most important report card a teacher could
receive. The days slowly ticked by as we listened for the big
brown truck to deliver our public joy or sadness.
It was balmy and almost summerlike
when the delivery man came through the door. I picked up the all
important package and went into my office. I almost cried tears of
pride for our teachers who love these students so very much and
for the students whose futures are in our hands. These students
are our family and deserve the best placement in high school and
beyond. The scores would help to serve these students well in the
years to come. We had an emergency teachers’ meeting that
afternoon. We all shared our joy and our relief. We always knew we
were doing an outstanding job of educating these students. Now,
strangers with the latest, fastest computer programs and machines
that we know nothing about had reinforced what we have believed
for so long. We bragged to anyone who would listen, seventh grade
boys made a huge chart showing our years of success beyond the
national norms, Pastor insisted that a bulletin spreadsheet be
included for the Church members to share in our accomplishments.
What is the importance of
standardized testing, you ask? Reason for celebration!!!
Susan M. Belott is administrator at
Luther Memorial Learning Center in Erie, PA, with an enrollment of
185 students serving grades K-8. Susan may be reached by email at sbelott@luthermemorialonline.org.
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