TeachingToTheTest

Summer School in the 21st Century

When I moved from the great state of Massachusetts to Florida (or as I called it at the time, 'freaking Florida'), I was a senior in high school. Because 'Health' is apparently NOT equal to 'Life Management Skills,' I had to take a 6 week class in the summer where I actually, you know, TOOK 'Life Management Skills.'
Now, it's 14 years later (wow), and I am 'teaching' summer school. Summer school consists of 4 weeks, 4 hours a day, 4 days a week. During this time, I sit at a computer and they sit at the computer taking tests in whatever subject they failed. They cheat like crazy. I have done my best to minimize the cheating, but it is impossible to keep them from looking back the 'book' (which is a PDF file) when they take their tests. And they test in every subject: Math, English, Literature, American History, HEALTH!. It's all a joke. If they can take a class online in 4 weeks and test out of it, what the hell is the point of school? Am I wrong for 'supporting' it because I need the money?

posted by Boston Dreamer @ 8:14 AM