Public school teacher Sherry Wood (no relation) had a powerful response to my recent post called “Flunking Third Grade.” She offers it here as a guest commentary:
As a 27-year veteran teacher of 3rd grade, I found these headlines appalling. It is so frustrating to me when politicians make blanket statements about what children should know and by what age.
Have they ever been responsible for a year’s educational growth for a child? Have the politicians ever greeted a child at the door when his father has been taken away from home last night because he was selling drugs out of the family apartment?
Have they ever snuck a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter in a child’s backpack on a Friday afternoon because it is the end of the month, and she came to school hungry and as a teacher you are so worried about her not eating all weekend?
Have they ever looked into the eyes of a child whose parents fight day and night and is afraid if he does not get perfect grades it might cause his dad to leave again, and this time for good?
If the world was perfect and a child had two parents at home with stable jobs, and a stable home life, and who sent children to school emotionally ready to learn during the day, and supported learning at home in the evenings and weekends with time and energy, then perhaps blanket benchmarks could be set. Children have to be emotionally available for me to teach. I work hard to build a community in my room, to make them feel accepted, loved and safe, but I can’t follow them home. I can only share them with their parents for that year.
These are my students, not employees I can fire if they are not doing their “jobs”. Politicians come from the business world where they deal with adults, not children. I do not have the knowledge or know how to run a business, nor do they have what it takes to run my classroom.
—Sherry Wood, third grade teacher
I’d love to know:
–How do other teachers out there feel about the increased numbers of states returning to academic retention for failure on reading tests in third grade?
–What supports do you think are needed in the early grades to help the struggling students in your classrooms?
–Does your district have funds for summer school reading programs for first, second, and third graders?
–What kind of before- and after-school supports does your school provide for struggling readers?
–What do you consider the keys to reading success for young struggling readers?
Ask Chip a question or share your own thoughts!
—If you’re reading this entry on the blog site,
click “Post a Comment” or the word “Comments” below the entry
—If you’re reading this entry from your email,
click “Yardsticks” to go to the blog site.
Then click “Post a Comment” or the word “Comments”
below the entry.
Categories: 
Tags: 
There is wisdom in each of the comments about third grade retention. Powerful and helpful stuff. Thank you all.
I’m touched by each of the comments left here. Sherry’s passion and care for her students is palpable. Tracy’s honesty touches each of us – parent, teacher, students. Margaret’s dose of reality reminds us that this is not easy for anyone. Education, like life, is a process. It seems as a culture, we’re losing (or lost?!) sight of this – and the real victims of this are our children. My 9th grader has been commenting for years, “why can’t we just BE the age/grade we are? Why do people have to say things like “next year you will …” or “as almost-7th graders …” Even in schools where there is an effort to remain developmentally focused, there is undue pressure to MAKE our students perform, often beyond where they are capable of performing – maybe because their bodies and minds are not ready, maybe because basic needs are unmet, maybe because skills are not where they should be, or maybe, as Tracy said, because the world and people are imperfect. It’s time to see children for who and where they are and to work constructively and positively to support them towards growth. Same with parents and teachers. It’s hard to remember that we’re all human, but we are. We don’t do our best and feel our best when blamed, criticized, left out, or made to feel inadequate. Find resources as Margaret suggested, find creative ways to connect as Tracy said, go the extra mile as Sherry does. Many, many thanks to the legions of teachers and administrators who do this every single day!
My response has less to do with what Sherry wrote (I agree with her) and more of a response to your question for struggling students.
It is time the blame game ends. Blaming teachers for children not succeeding. Blaming parents for children’s lack of success.
Are there bad teachers? Sure. But there are more good teachers out there than some would have you believe. Teachers that work hard. Who go in early, stay late, bring their work home with them. Teachers whose goals include inspiring their students to be the best of themselves.
Are there bad parents? Yep. Are there less than ideal home situations for some students? Absolutely. I have yet to meet a parent who does not want the best for their child; a parent who wants more for their child.
The blame game needs to end. Teachers (schools) can become agressively transparent. What is the curriculum? What is the rational behind how the curriculum is approached? What does intervention look like? Invite parents in.
But, it needs to go beyond that. The parents that get blamed the most, often require more outreach. They work numerous jobs, lack transportation, transport their children to extra curricular activities. Parents are exhausted.
How many positive memories do hou hold of your school years? Now imagine if you struggled in school, had to drop out, or felt isolated. Some parents have such tragic memories of their school days fhat it is painful for them to walk into a school building; no matter how much they love their child. Find alternative ways to invite parents into to be partners in their child’s education. Hold events in the neighborhood; Kindergarten registration, book clubs, math nights. Send home videos of their child learning, text them, call them.
Do things like these take time from a teacher’s family? Yes. But I can’t think of an educator who wouldn’t be willing to do this. Why? Because they know that strong school-home connections are what help a child succeed.
The most precious gift we have to give someone is our time.
I was very moved by Sherry’s words and this post. Thanks to both of you for addressing these issues.
When I was in the classroom, I was required to retain any of my kindergarteners who did not meet math and reading benchmarks. In addition, in October, at my first parent-teacher conference, I had to tell the parents of any children who weren’t then currently meeting benchmarks that their child was in danger of retention. They had to sign a document acknowledging as much.
Although many of these policies come from a well-intended goal of helping make sure children make progress with their learning, I think they are misguided and harmful.
Many of my students had made incredible progress from the beginning of the year till the end, as most came with no prior schooling, limited oral language, and few academic skills. They were often on the brink of being able to read but just not quite there yet. My experience told me that with continued individualized attention, they were going to be okay. Being retained despite such progress gave them the view that they were failures, setting them up, I think, to view school negatively from the outset.
Similarly, it was so hard in that October conference — often my first long conversation with a family to try to convey a positive view of their child while also having them sign a paper that said that same child might have to be retained. Many of the families of my students had not had much success with school themselves, and it often seemed to be a crushing blow.
Finally, although retention may sometimes be appropriate, I also think we have to consider the long-term consequences. What is it like in third, fourth, fifth grade or beyond to be a year or two older (and often bigger) than your classmates? What does it feel like to have failed? I have to think that excessive retention leads to dropping out later on, as well as many other consequences.
Having said all that, my district did provide many opportunities and resources for before and after school individual and small group work with these students. So, I was often able to get most students on grade level and avoid retention . . . .