Unclear on the Concept

Teachers are upset over the days they have lost due to the bad weather in North Texas. They say they don't have enough time to teach their students what they need to know to pass the state exams. Linda Price, a teacher at Sheffield Intermediate in north Dallas, said her students need more work before taking the TAKS March 1. "They're looking horrible," she said. "We can't catch up in writing." I think our schools are unclear on the concept. The TAKS is a comprehensive test intended to demonstrate that the student is picking up the concepts and information he needs to succeed. It is not an end in itself. Our educators are thinking backward. The successful student will pass the TAKS -- passing the TAKS does not make a successful student. If the teacher has been teaching the student to write since August, she shouldn't be concerned that her students can't "catch up" to take the test. Five days shouldn't be a make or break deal. The kids should already be well-versed in the writing principles they need. "Teachers fretting over lost days." The Dallas Morning News; February 10, 2011; p. 1B.