Look, I’m Gonna Say It
I’ve been in this education game for over two decades. Twenty-one years, four states, 214 conferences, and about 36 hours of sleepless nights worrying about whether we’re screwing up the next generation. And, honestly? We are.
I’m not talking about teachers. God bless ’em, they’re the unsung heroes. I’m talking about the system. The bureaucrats. The politicians. The so-called ‘experts’ who’ve never set foot in a classroom but think they know better than the people actually in the trenches.
Let me tell you about Marcus. Let’s call him Marcus because his real name doesn’t matter. He’s a teacher at a school in Austin. We were grabbing coffee last Tuesday, and he told me, “They want us to teach to the test, but these kids? They’re not test-taking robots. They’re humans.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
Standardized Testing: The Big Fat Lie
Standardized testing is a joke. A cruel, expensive joke. You know what it measures? How good you are at taking standardized tests. That’s it. Nothing more. But oh, do the powers that be love their pretty little bar graphs and “data-driven” decisions.
I remember sitting in a meeting in 2008 with a colleague named Dave. He was going on about how “we need to raise standards” and “these kids need accountability.” I asked him, “Dave, have you ever taught a class of 30 kids where half don’t speak English and a quarter haven’t eaten lunch?” He looked at me like I’d spoken Martian.
And that’s the problem. We’ve got people making policy who have no clue what’s happening in real classrooms. They’re not seeing the kid who’s homeless. They’re not seeing the kid whose parents are deployed. They’re not seeing the kid who’s working two jobs to help support their family. All they see are numbers on a page.
Speaking of numbers, did you know that in 2019, schools in the U.S. spent $87 million on standardized testing? That’s right, million. And what do we get for that? Stress. Anxiety. Kids who hate school because it’s become a test-prep factory.
But What’s the Alternative?
I don’t have all the answers. I wish I did. But I know what I’ve seen work. And it’s not more tests. It’s not longer school days. It’s not taking away recess (which, by the way, is a human right, not a privilege).
It’s about giving teachers the freedom to teach. It’s about giving kids the freedom to learn. It’s about understanding that every child is different and what works for one might not work for another. It’s about, I don’t know, maybe treating education like it’s important?
And look, I get it. It’s easy to point fingers. It’s easy to say “the system is broken.” But what are we gonna do about it? That’s the question I’ve been asking for years. And honestly? I’m not sure we’re asking it enough.
But here’s a start. If you’re a teacher, keep fighting the good fight. If you’re a parent, advocate for your kids. If you’re a policymaker, get your butt in a classroom and see what’s really happening. And if you’re a student? Demand better. You deserve it.
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A Quick Digression: The Homework Debate
Now, let’s talk about homework. Because, honestly, I could rant about this for hours. You know what I’m talking about. The “more is better” mentality. The “if they’re not drowning in worksheets, they’re not learning” nonsense.
I’ll never forget the time my daughter, let’s call her Emily, came home with three hours of homework in fourth grade. Three hours! She was nine years old. What happened to playtime? What happened to reading for fun? What happened to just being a kid?
And don’t even get me started on the “practice makes perfect” argument. Yes, practice is important. But so is sleep. So is family time. So is mental health. But sure, let’s pile on the homework because apparently, that’s more important.
Look, I’m not saying homework is evil. But I am saying we need to find a balance. And right now, we’re way off-kilter.
Anyway, I could go on, but I won’t. I’ve rambled enough for one day. The point is, we need to do better. For our kids. For our teachers. For our future.
So let’s get to it. The clock’s ticking.
About the Author
Sarah Jenkins has been a senior editor at various educational publications for over 20 years. She’s a staunch advocate for educational reform and has been known to rant about standardized testing at dinner parties. When she’s not editing, you can find her hiking with her rescue dog, Max, or trying to convince her teenage kids that she’s still cool.
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