Reply to when schools focus on the wrong things (from a teacher)

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[quote=Anonymous]Kids these days take an assessment test on a computer that spits out an assessment analysis that teachers just have to read and plan lessons for. They are typically taken at the beginning of the year, middle of the year, and end. I really don't know how much easier they could make it for teachers. The assessment just confirms the 2-3 grade levels below for you to justify the teaching level. What do you actually have to do for it?

The sticky note example is just some example to help teachers work together better. It isn't related to assessments. Maybe your biggest beef is that teachers shouldn't have to collaborate so much.[/quote]

Ummm, where to start?
I'm a first grade teacher.  Here is a list of just some of the assessments my students take each year:
*Easy CBM math (yes computer), 3 x a year to all kids 1:1.  Weekly progress monitoring 1:1 to any kid severely behind, bi-weekly to kids somewhat behind, monthly to everyone.
*Easy CBM reading (part computer, part person based) given 1:1 3x a year.  a) phonics sounds, b) word segmentation c) word reading d) passage fluency.  Weekly progress monitoring to any kid severely behind, bi-weekly to kids somewhat behind, monthly to everyone.
*Sight word testing on 136 words, 3x a year benchmark. Weekly progress monitoring to any kid severely behind, bi-weekly to kids somewhat behind, monthly to everyone.  Given 1:1
* Fountas and Pinnell running records.  An intensive reading test where we measure miscues, comprehension, a written response and fluency.  It takes about 30-45 per kid and in my district teachers have to do this while the entire rest of the class is working independently.  This happens 3x a year for everyone and then another 3-6x a year per kid based on need.  Given 1:1
*writing opinion paragraph benchmarks, 3x a year.  Plus monthly to assess progress for instruction.  Given whole group
* math unit tests.  About 8 times a year.  Quizzes another 6-8 times a year.  Given whole group
*Access testing for ESL students 1x a year.  Given in small groups

None of these "spit out assessment" data for me to use.  I do it all myself.  Easy CBM will "grade" the tests for you, but it doesn't tell you what to do with the info.  More importantly, it doesn't help me with the fact that I only have 45 minutes to teach math, when I really need 90 to differentiate for the 4-5 different math levels I have.  None of it helps me to lead small groups.  None of it helps me to conference with writers and help them fix their mistakes.

My issue is NOT that I don't want to collaborate.  My issue is that I spend so much time in useless meetings that I don't have time to collaborate.  In fact, the district wastes so much of my time that I go into the building on Saturdays for 3-4 hours every week in order to make copies, clean up, prep things, etc. because I cannot get it all done between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., even though I work through every single lunch and the little non meeting prep time I have.  Its insane.

To the poster who says we should all just "tell our principal" how we see things.....are you insane?  Do you just tell your boss what to do and how to do it?  Sheesh.  
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