Chapter One

Initially, I was intrigued by the title of chapter 1 in our textbook, “The Measure of Our Success.” My mind first wandered to the subject of standardized test scores and, unfortunately, that was where the mind of author Kylene Beers wandered also. The ideal that the success of a teacher should be measured solely on a list of test scores is ridiculous. As Beers touched upon, there are more important qualities that the teacher brings to the classrooms than the ability to meet AYP. I was drawn to the field education because I wanted to help prepare students for success in the “real world.” However, this success does not find its foundation in the ability to pass a state test. Education cannot be minimized to a list of standards. How do you measure civic duty or the ability to work within a certain amount of time? If schools only focus on “the standards,” students will be left a victim of the public educational system. They will graduate with a standard, or in many cases below standard, diploma.

Also, I was interested in Beers’s discussion of the lack of “creative thinking” in the classroom. The ability to produce a product from knowledge gained in the classroom is an important skill. Learning facts does not constitute an adequate education, students must be able to use the information they have learned. However, like many other important aspects of education, there is not a score for “creative thinking” on state standardized tests. If a teacher focuses on an important skill that cannot be measured by a test score, they are not successful. This governmental logic is faulty, constrictive, and counterproductive. In short, if a teacher is seen as unsuccessful due to their ability to provide an above standard education, students will ultimately suffer from standardized tests, not excel.