Season 2, Episode 1 - Having A Vision
My third year of working with eighth-grade remedial students, the state decided to raise the stakes. They started using achievement tests for promotion to high school. If my students didn't pass the test, they didn't go to high school. I had been given big notebooks full of test prep materials, and I was told to follow the scripts that were inside them.
I talked to my students about the test, and as any 8th grader would, they said, "This isn't fair! Why can’t we just let next year's group worry about it? Can you write to the governor and get this to change?
I said, “We can't do any of that. We're going to have to deal with this the way it is. This is what I’m supposed to do.” I dropped the notebooks on my desk, and they landed with a thud. It got very quiet.
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Categories: rigor,tales from a teacher's heart,barbara blackburn
I am going to purchase the video to share with teachers on my staff. This story was very inspiring and I believe that my teachers will benefit from it.
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Very inspiring video. Thanks for sharing this
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Great way to introduce the SOLS and actually occurred just like this in the State of Virginia, I remember it well.
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We're glad you enjoyed it!
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Very inspiring!
It is true that students just need 1 person to believe in them.
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I loved it! Thank you for sharing this inspirational story.
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You're welcome! It's one of our favorites over here at Eye On Education.
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