Inspirations

My sixth grade teacher, Ms. Kneece is still my friend. On Facebook and all! Recently I have found myself in a lot of conversations about creativity and pressure in schools. I love Miss K because she was tough on us, but believed in us, too. She was a fabulous teacher. When testing became more important than teaching, she retired. But not before getting in a last word - this poem, which I hope you enjoy and will inspire you in some way.
ODE TO THE CHILDREN
Come in children, you’re welcome here
We’re going to have a wonderful year
Just one pre test before we start
And perhaps just a few more before we part
We need to evaluate you all you see
So please pay lots of attention to me
I’ll try to teach you a bit here and there
But testing’s important-please be fair
I need grades for your report cards, four in all
So we may as well start testing in the fall
Get your erasers out and your pencil holder
I need lots of scores for your assessment folder
We have the Cat, the Sat and don’t forget the Star
We have to see if you’re up to par
Can you circle, can you bubble, can you fill in the blank?
Remember one day you’ll have me to thank
When you go on to college or is it middle school?
Your scores will show that you’re no fool
I know that reading The Cay was such a waste
And we should have gotten rid of Art Masters-with all that cut and paste
The debates, the poetry and the music too
Should all have been thrown out just for you
We only tried to do our best
But NONE of those things were on the test!
Just when you started to learn the most
We had to remember to start the “post”
How would we figure out what you knew
If we didn’t test you the way we do
Sit down children---and please stay awake
After 3 test booklets I’ll give you a break
Now see wasn’t that a lot of fun?
Hey, it’s summer, you’re testing is done
But students, before you go
I have a secret that you should know
It may not be right, It could be a sin
But I’ll bet in September, it will all start again
So good luck class, I’ll miss you a lot
Remember I’m the one who taught you to fill in the dot
I remember my teachers and my bottle of ink
They spent all of their time trying to get us to THINK
When all they had to do to make us the best
Is learn to remember to “Teach to the Test”
Some of here will be gone in September
But we want you to know that we’ll always remember
That even though we may be out of reach
We look back with fondness at the time we did teach
Now brighter minds make decisions, I know they’ll prevail
It will never occur to them that our children may fail
For testing is important and assessment is fine
But PLEASE educators, we’ve crossed the line
I know as I write this I’m being a pest
But PLEASE start to teach-not only to test
Our children will thank you for your time and your trouble
When school is for learning---not just filling the bubble!!!


LATINO WRITERS AND JOURNALISTS
Wins 2008 International Latino Book Award
Best Reference Book in English!