News outlets across Mississippi have been busy reporting the Mississippi Department of Education’s recent release of grades for the state’s schools and districts.
Yes, I believe it is wonderful when these students perform well enough on one fairly stressful day of testing to earn their school a top ranking but in reality, are these grades really a true reflection of what our students are learning?
I remember my own high school career and although I did take state testing, I do not recall this much emphasis being placed on the results.
What I remember is that English teacher who never gave up on a shy girl with poor speaking skills, the History teacher that made every day an adventure through the sands of time or the choir director who taught me to love a variety of musicals and how to sing alto. The list goes on.
Students learn something new every day in classrooms across Pearl River County.
They are learning how to take flight through reading, experimenting with the latest scientific breakthroughs, learning a trade, learning how to balance a checkbook and many other skills that they will need to become the functioning members of society they will one day be.
When I look back, I don’t remember the grade my high school received, I remember the teachers and administration that encouraged me to attend college and strive to make my dreams come true.
To this day, I am still in contact with many of my former teachers and principals; they even attended my wedding.
It is my hope that the future doctors, accountants, scientists, writers, mechanics and other workforce members remember their teachers and administrators for the wealth of knowledge they passed on to them each day.