Teachers AND Kids (AND ME) are Sick of School (AND PROBABLY TESTING)


It’s so hard to get through this last week or so of school...
Not only for teachers, but for kids too.

Last week my son’s teacher gave me a behavior update…
He can’t seem to sit still or have much self control as before.

This weekend my middle schooler seriously procrastinated on a homework project…
When she loves doing that portion of her classwork.

My highschooler (who is basically a straight A’er and lives for school) literally said to me last night before bed, “You have NO idea how so sick of school and do not want to go back, and if anyone told me that I could skip the rest of the year, I would”. (This is a kid who asks me to bring her homework home if she is sick for 1 day; she hates missing school.)

Is it testing this year? 
There’s been three types (minus exams).
Is it the weather? 
It’s been super nice out lately!
Is it vacation coming?
Nah, they’ve always been excited in May/June when the end of school is near-
they never dread finishing up the season…

Could it be the cramming of subjects in between. The last minute (fun but exhausting) 3 field trips they smash into the last two or three weeks of school, along with end of year awards, inductions, celebrations and projects? I think it’s the testing if you ask me. I’m not sure. But, I remember when the last week of school back ‘when’ was just about messing around, watching movies, trying to stay cool in the classroom when it was 101 degrees and celebrating busting your @&% the whole year.

When I looked at my three kids this weekend during each of their issues, I felt so bad for them.
I could just read it on their faces! I could feel it… and now I can’t wait for them to be out of school (and the system) PERIOD, and wish that by the time their kids are at the stage of needing to attend, they’ll have done away with schools and put the learning in the hands of parents (don’t hate me teachers and other school employees- there’s issues over the years with school now and it’s not you). We should privatize it all or send it all online, and get it OUT of the people's (gov’t officials most likely) hands who are sitting in a room somewhere making decisions for those who have to teach and learn (most know that’s what our board does), because it’s nothing they could understand unless they are the ones to live it daily. 

Unless you’re with kids all day, scheduling, testing, teaching, correcting the papers, disciplining, working in the class (on the front lines) there is not much you can do accurately to asses then create the perfect situation for a teacher and student.

School's not going that well anymore, and in my opinion needs a serious overhaul.

I have empathy for every child and teacher, principal and class assistant.

No cursive, but the law requires ‘signatures’.
Classroom discussions and assistance for kids cut short by so much disciplining.
Lessons rushed or crammed (and worst case stopped in their tracks to spend a week preparing for TESTS that stress kids out because they don’t know what’s going to be on them-sometimes it’s not what the teacher’s prep packet included).

My family and I have had, in my opinion, about 5 1/2 total great years in our schools, and that’s even after homeschooling for our first 5 1/2 years (where my kids came out quite study smart and intelligent). There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss homeschooling. But my kids have always thrived and I’ve never looked back with anger  (just sadness and regret that I didn’t have the complete decision to put them in school). This year, they’ve been more stressed over finding enjoyment, and I’ve been more frustrated than pleased.

Good luck to you and your classrooms, families and self, for the next 8 days (or less).

Summer is almost here.




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