No Walk in the PARCC......

By:  Toney Jackson

Here is the video of the poem  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEgg3A2NPhU

Here is a link to Toney's website   http://www.toneyjackson.com/#!No-Walk-In-The-PARCC/c1yf2/550b798f0cf292acc4c4a998

It's no mystery

You can learn more on a park bench or a bench press

Than you can doing test prep for the PARCC test

Seriously…

You can go outside and watch leaves changing and falling,

And learn about seasons, the reasons they change,

And why being the same isn’t something to shoot for

And why planting your feet in the ground to soak up experience is something to root for

And why pumping blood through repetitive motion with the right level of resistance

Will do more to build you up, than consecutive doses of what someone you don’t know supposes

That you ought to know, but that probably won’t make a difference

'Cause you will able to make a decision to make a commitment to college, a job,

Or the place that you're livin'

And none of it's thanks to the way you were tested in school,

But the way you were taught

And the way you were able to say that it isn’t... about testing

And it isn’t about doubting the worth of assessing

It's about seeing that tests designed with dollar signs in mind, are detrimental

And that tests designed with those in mind WITH dollar signs, are evidence to the fact

That fair is a relative term,

And that slanted scores in schools where economics are lopsided are not coincidental

And we saw better days before we ever raised the idea of educational monopolies

There are so many better assessment philosophies

So many better ways to teach kids to use technology

This is useless

Taking time away from worthwhile instruction, for efforts that are ultimately fruitless

I mean, what do you expect when you’re giving kids a test

And adults can barely do it?

Why are we bombarding teachers and kids with this?

Just because it’s what appears “in”?

Just because they roped your peers in?

Just because of the votes of approval politicians and their peers send?

Just because big brother's got a stranglehold on your school

And whenever you try to help your students break that glass ceiling, he peers in?

Just because we’ve got that much money and time to spend on the prep materials from Pearson?

Honestly...

If your professional development doesn't develop your ability to do better at your profession

Then it's unprofessional, which hinders development and professionalism

Which is contradictory

So just know that the reason kids and teachers are tired of what's going on in schools...

Is no mystery