This is an excerpt from the full article that was run in the Desert Sun. These are my brave colleagues who took a stand and I am proud of each of them. It is time to have an honest discussion about how we are hurting our kids' life long love of learning by the total emphasis placed on testing- God Bless all of you who took a stand! J.
Some teachers decry test stress
Critics say too much federal, state testing, not enough learning
Fourth-grade teacher Brian Collins said three of his students broke down in tears Wednesday because of testing anxiety.
"I think we'll see, in the near future, children (who are) seeing psychologists" because of anxiety, he said, adding that other students have complained of nightmares and lack of sleep.
Collins and some of his colleagues at Gerald Ford Elementary School blame it, in part, on Desert Sands Unified School District's new benchmark assessments, among other exams.
The tests, given periodically throughout the year, are meant to be a teacher's tool. The results allow teachers to gauge student comprehension of topics on the state exam and, in turn, modify their instruction.
But teachers at Gerald Ford say they are testing their students too much.
"I'm not a teacher anymore; I'm a tester," third-grade teacher Janine Young said with a laugh.
In English, for example, students read a story and take a test on it each week, the teachers said. At the end of the month, students also take a test from the Sacramento County Office of Education based on the stories.
Now, this year, the district also requires benchmark assessments, which review some of the same concepts as the other exams.
"I believe they (students) are tested more this year than any other year," said Kathleen Maddox, a third-grade teacher.
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