National Quilting Day

So, it has been a while since I've written here. Nothing too exciting going on. This past Wednesday I finished up a 7 week long term sub position. The 4th graders were a good group of students, except for the 7 days we all endured for CMTs. Fourth graders normal good-nature left the building under the increased pressure to do well, make the school proud, and keep the Realtors happy. My bitterness about massive testing comes through when I see what these tests do to teachers and students. The 4th grade teachers I worked with are experienced and very capable. But the amount of pressure they are under from Math and Reading experts in the building and the school's administration is high. And, yes, these tests are called high stakes. But some non-educators, outside the classroom, are calling the shots. The fourth graders I had are practicing constantly for the tests and the tests' formats. As one of my teacher friends said, "I used to enjoy teaching. I used to enjoy working up project-based learning activities for the students, and always enjoyed their enthusiasm and pride when projects were shared. But now I worry that I'm not doing enough to ensure success in the eyes of the administration." Students must practice skill after skill, proving that they are good test takers. This is no way for 9 and 10 year olds to develop a love for learning. And if these students are to be successful adults they must be able to function in a society that will be much more complex and rewarding than answering multiple choice and open ended questions. When do they dream? When do they play? When do they imagine? When do they create? When do they experiment? When do they investigate? When do they discover? When do they learn that these questions play a big role in how and what they learn.
I've labeled this blog National Quilting Day, so I should address it. I brought several of my quilts, large and small, to school while subbing. The students loved them. They wanted to know how do you do that? "I see triangles, trapezoids and octagons in that quilt." (Thank you Mastery Test Prep.) One nine year old told me she quilts and was taught by her grandmother. I asked her to bring in what she had made. She was thrilled and did so. Many wanted to wrap themselves in a quilt and I told them go ahead. They are meant to be used. My group even went so far as to set up a schedule when students could wrap the quilt around them, and then had to relinquish it to the next person.
Time to end this entry, find some lunch, and quilt.