This video has been floating around the web for a bit and it's stuck in my head, especially in this testing season and seeing the stress on students faces.
"Test us tests, but the finals are never final 'cause they never prepare us for the biggest test, which is survival."
"My world changers and my dream chasers because the purpose of why I hate school but love education was to initiate a world-wide debate but to let them know that whether 72 or 88, 44 or 68, we will not let exam results decide our fate. Peace." - sulibreezy
I'm not sure I agree with all of sulibreezy's posts or videos. This one really speaks to me though. I pulled out 2 quotes that I can't get out of my head.
I don't give tests. I don't think I've given a test in 2 years. I've had students write tests, create jeopardy boards, and participate in Philosophical Chairs and Socratic Seminars. I'd much rather listen to 24 voices debate the merits of war from The Clay Marble than regurgitate facts from chapter 15.
They all read the book. I watched them. I read with them. They read to me. They read to each other. I don't need any lower level garbage to show me that. They need higher level stimulation to make sense of what they read and how it impacts them. They need to know it's okay to disagree with someone in conversation while sharing beliefs. They need to know how to open their mind and listen.
Hate school? I do. Luckily I believe that my classroom isn't really school. We don't sit in rows. We don't always raise hands. We don't always get along. We don't always treat each other the best. It's messy. It's confusing. It's discussion. It's reflection. It's games. It's struggling. It's not knowing. It's sit on the floor with your laptop and write. It's go in the hallway and collect yourself because you are laughing too hard. It's open the door and let outside people in. It's get on a bus and visit that campus and see what lies ahead for you. It's more than whats inside that numbered room. It's more than one day of one year.
That's education and it's so damn exciting.
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