Why teaching is about more than just improving a child's test scores

Thank you to Michael Winerip of The New York Times for reminding me again today why being a great teacher is about so much more than improving a child's score on a test.

In his On Education column in today's Times, he tells us about a group of families from suburban Columbus, Ohio, who have been hit hard by the recession -- and the children who are struggling to cope.

Yes, it's a story about the recession and how it's affecting the lives of real people. But it's also a story about education, and how circumstances outside the classroom can affect everything that happens INSIDE the classroom as well.

And it's a story about how teachers and guidance counselors are helping change kids' lives by doing more than prepping them for a test. Teachers are more than just instructors of math, science or English -- they are emotion counselors, life coaches and listeners. They judge their success not just on whether they can improve their data, but on whether one child who is having trouble at home is able to overcome that and grow as a student and a human, or whether another child whose parents speak no English is able to learn a new language and contribute in a positive way in school.

At a time when many seem to be blaming teachers (click through to read a great post by John Merrow) for the ills of our education system, this is a powerful reminder that a great teacher can help almost any child overcome the obstacles in his or her way -- and that teachers are making a difference in public schools everyday.

Winerip wrote in his column:

"Even as the district’s budget gets cut and class sizes in the school’s fourth and fifth grades creep up to 30, the staff at Wilson Hill works to make a difference. While Washington measures a school’s worth by test scores, here, on Northland Street, there’s more to it.

A few weeks before Christmas, a girl in Mrs. Smith’s class went to school with broken eyeglasses patched together with tape. Each time the girl looked down to read, the glasses fell off. This is a small town, and Mrs. Smith knew the girl’s family was struggling. At 9 a.m., Mrs. Smith asked to borrow the glasses; during her lunch period she drove to her eye doctor; by 12:30 the girl had new pink and green frames."

We'd love to hear about any teachers or guidance counselors that have stepped up to the plate like this for you or your children. Do share!

(Photo credit: Flickr photo by wwworks)

---Previously On Our Minds:
*My teacher Mr. Silverman: The one who made me explain "why"
*Selling Twain down the river? Thoughts on the Huckleberry Finn controversy
*Top Teacher goes on $10,000 Scholastic shopping spree