The Testing Blues

In light of the MCT, our school is trying to make the necessary changes to enable our students to be successful. The administration is making all kinds of changes as we get closer to the MCT. Including Saturday school, block schedule, and teaching only math, reading, and language arts. I am a science teacher, and I am required to spend two days a week teaching math. The math teacher and I collaborate to ensure that the students are learning the same things in both classes. We try to give the students a double dose of math. I also give the students homework in math. All science teachers are suppose to teach math at least twice a week. All teachers in the school are to help the subject area teachers. Subject area teachers include math, reading, and language arts teachers.
Next week we are giving our fourth practice MCT. The week after that we will be going to block schedule. During block schedule, the plan is to teach only math, reading and language arts. All other teachers will be assisting the subject area teachers. They will not be teaching at all. We will sit in the subject area teacher’s classes and ensure that all students are on task. We will basically be helping with discipline. The subject area teachers will be teaching two class for two consecutive class periods. The students will be taught nothing but math, reading, and language arts up until the MCT. After the test we are going back to the regular schedule.
The school started Saturday school this week. The same teachers that teach extended school teach Saturday school. Extended school is for students who are struggling in the subject areas. The students stay after school for extra help on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. The students also get extra points in the classes and a snack for attending. The students attend Saturday school from nine to twelve. The students get extra points for the class they attend and pizza for attending and being on task and engage for the entire four hours.
We are doing this with only one month left until MCT. I can’t help but think that we are doing this too late. Is it ok too overload students with this much information.? Is this effort too little too late? This is what we talked about in class this weekend. Is NCBL putting too much pressure on our students? Our students are not learning to be life long learners. They are learning how to pass a test. I think, we are destroying our students love for learning. The students at my school constantly complain about the amount they are tested. All teachers are supposed to give an SPMS test on every Wednesday. We also give our regular tests and the practice MCT test. By the time the MCT comes around our students will be worn out with testing. Everyday I see more and more of my students becoming unmotivated by school. I think that many of my students will become drop outs. I think, this over testing will increase the drop out rate. Many of my students dislike school already. With this extra testing their dislike for school is increasing.