Teaching to a Test

Well I just couldn't resist this morning. I was reading my niece's blog and the comment from my Aunt Kitty really stirred me up! She was right on in her response. I love her lurking - but I'm hoping she'll blog someday too. I love her stories...

So her comment was "As long as our schools have to "teach to a test" (No child left behind)I am afraid life skills and Yoga will be relagated as an extra curricular activity. So many young people are ill prepared for life after school. Change is in the wind, though, if other young people think as you do. Fixing our education system should start with your generation demanding it."

If you know me you'll know that I am very passionate about my children's school and their education. I had the good fortune to enroll my daughter into preschool at Chico Country Day School. I didn't know much about schools at the time, but knew the teachers from a Mother's group I was in. That winter I received a notice in Karlee's cubby that Chico Unified School District was holding a Kindergarten Workshop at CSUC. At the time I taught "Great, some direction". Not. This was rooms full of people - no direction. No instructions. Nothing. It was literally wall to wall people. I came back with some literature and read through it. Our neighborhood school was a year-round school. I knew right away that was not for us. We like spending our summers at the cabin. So that was out. So I decided to enroll Karlee into Chico Country Day School. They are a charter school. Which at the time they were 1 of 2. I had heard both good and bad - about the same for all the other schools I'd inquired about. They had a different teaching method (ITI, integrated thematic instruction) then all the others. CCDS was in the middle as far as test scores. Much higher than our neighborhood school. And they were around the corner from our house. This was our pick. They had a lottery system. So our daughters name was (literally) put into a jar with about 100 others. They held the drawing in there multipurpose room - which was shabby to say the least. But sitting there you could see how much care and effort they had and were putting into there school. This school had taken over an old commercial space that once held a motorcycle shop and turned it into a school. Now back to the drawing. When Karlee was entering Kindergarten, two classes had 10 boys and 10 girls each. That's 40 total. They no longer do that as someone cried foul and it's now discrimination to divide the classes that way - go figure! So Kyle in first grade has only 18 other boys out of 60 kids. With 3 classes that is only about 6 boys per class - now I find that discriminatory! Anyway then you take away the spots for siblings, employees children, retention and two extra spots in case they hire someone that needs the spot. That year the only thing available was 6 girl spots and 8 boy spots - I did say there were about 100 names in the jar right. The drawing begins, people are sitting there on pins and needles hoping they hear their child's name - it was so tense (now I can't help but laugh about it). And then the second name was drawn and it was our Karlee. Oh my gosh, I burst into tears. Crazy huh? Well not for the other 86 people on the waiting list.... Fortunately, I only had to do that the first year and then Kyle was in automatically.

So what got to me this morning was the "teach to the test" comment. I know I'm dragging alone here. Sorry! That's it - that is what I love about our school! We do not teach to the test. Here is some info on the ITI Method. Now what I love about this ITI method is that they learn by seeing, doing, touching, hearing, building, and even gardening. Yes they do have to include the standards, but it's how they teach that is different. At our school we have Lifelong Guidelines and Life Skills. This is introduced at the Preschool level and continued on throughout the years. We have even adapted them at home. And definitely the thing that stays with me is the community feel we have at our school. Every Friday we have an "All School Sing" where the entire school comes to the multipurpose room and sings together. This is where kids are also awarded "Life Skill Awards". If you've been seen demonstrating a Life Skill you are awarded a certificate. It's really great to see the kids come together, everyone is treated equally. You see a lot of the older kids encouraging the younger kids on the playground. Each day the entire school recites the pledge of allegiance in front of the flag together. Since my daughter was in 1st grade, I've done that with them nearly each day. Even Kyle could recite the pledge before he could write his name... These are all good touchy, feel things. But the bottom line is our test scores are flying off the charts. Here are the most current records (API). When we first started at CCDS it was about 7 years old and was about 7th in standings out of 14. We are now 2nd in the district. Each year it seems our test scores have gone up double digits, last year we went up 58 points. We are also in our new site as the district accepted (after much debate) our Prop. 39 request and put us in a school site after some shuffling and school closures. It has seemed over the years that the Charter School up rise has caused so much negativity - but why take away such a great thing. I read our newsletter last week and we will finish the year with a $100,000 surplus, and a balanced budget. How many other schools can say that? Our school ROCKS! But then again, I'm really passionate about it. As I'm sure other people are about there school's as well. You've got to find what's right for you and give it all you've got because that's what will matter most. We have some great leaders at our school and we are very fortunate that we can govern ourselves. Yes we have to answer to the district and they pretty much treat us like the redheaded step child. There loss is our gain! But how can you argue with our great success! Well long winded, but I think I got it all out there. Trying to do too much today in between writing....