I'm in Pennsylvania, and our 3-8th graders just spent a week taking the PSSAs.
I am the parent of a kindergarten student, yet the testing schedule has had a profound effect on my child's school experience this week despite his not being of the age to participate.
-there was no music this week, no art, and very little PE.
-that means that his teacher missed most or all of her prep periods.
-the gifted center was not operating this week, so my child and other students missed out on that experience which is also a part of their IEPs.
-all student work was removed from the walls or covered up.
Please comment here and tell me, if you're a teacher/parent in PA, what effects the PSSA has had on your school climate this past week.
My kids (a first grader and a fourth grader) who go to Pittsburgh Linden say that 1-3rd period is "frozen." I'm not totally sure what that means but they haven't had their normal classes during that time. Less gym and art for sure. My son, the only kid in the school who has been opting out, has been volunteering in two first grade classrooms. He is in fourth grade. He LOVES opting out :-). Though he said he was sad to be opting out in math, because, and I quote, "I'm really good at math. If I took the test it would help my teacher to get a better grade."
ReplyDeleteTesting is still going on. My son has had a visitor from second grade, every morning last week and also today. Apparently this child's teacher has been pulled and the child doesn't work well with subs.
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