A student asked me why school didn't end right after the test.
While in one breath, I felt it was such an incredulous question, I also understood it. Testing drives our campus. It is considered an effective means of collecting data about our students and their learning. Not all people are good test takers, though. I have seen insightful children that do not bode well staying put for 4 hours with attention focused on one subject matter. I can tell you that at least two children in our hallway either did not get their prescribed medicine at all or in a timely manner on testing days. This means that one child can adversely affect many others. (Think about the movie, "Marley and Me").
Some of the best teaching and learning happens after the test, though. The pressure is taken off the students and teachers as well and we can see a renewed interest in the art of learning and being fully engaged in that learning.
If your child asks why we still go to school after a test, please consider a response something like this. "Once a test is over, our job is not done. Though it's true we have allowed someone to test our understanding, we still have to use that knowledge and understanding to continue to grow."
Life is full of lessons. Let's not let our children think that learning only happens at school. We teachers don't deserve that kind of power or responsibility. There is something to be said for the old adage, "Learn something new every day."
