Re: hypocritical? necessary?

[Karen Canty <kscanty@PACBELL.NET>]

Teresa,

If I had a child still in school - Mickey's comments are exactly what I
would say to you...I had one child who could have cared less about tests -
took them and got on with her life - the other had more anxiety and I found
that the teachers who treated the test as a part of regular school life -
without any undue influence on his life in her/his classroom - were the ones
who made him feel the most comfortable and safe...which I am sure you do for
your students...

Karen
  -----Original Message-----
  From: Assessment Reform Network Mailing List
[mailto:ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU]On Behalf Of Mickey VanDerwerker
  Sent: Monday, March 04, 2002 8:32 PM
  To: ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU
  Subject: Re: hypocritical? necessary?


  In a message dated 3/4/2002 7:48:53 PM Eastern Standard Time,
jtglenn@CAROLINA.NET writes:



    At any rate, thoughts from you wiser and more experienced people?


  I'm not wiser nor more experienced in this but ...

  If you were going in  to be with my son while he was doing his writing
test, I would thank you mightily for just being with him during this
traumatic event, being kind and understanding with him, patting him on the
back and giving him a tissue when he cried. I'd also appreciate it greatly
that you didn't stress to him just how important and critical it was for him
to do well on this most important, all knowing, all telling test. He has
already internalized that message (and not from home!) and is very scared.

  I recognize how hard it is for you but if the state is going to do this to
him, I'd rather he be with someone who cares and gets it than someone who
thinks that this is the right thing.
  Mickey, mom of five