So there have been a lot of changes...

 2009-2010 CHANGES

by Sarah S. Steele

It’s finally the day before the big day of the year

The kids are almost back now, and I think that I can hear

The quiet sounds of pencils writing, brains in thinking mode

And that’s when I remember all the changes that are coming

That make me want to start running

That will make my head explode!

Our class numbers are growing, although not our teachers’ aides

Our Sitton isn’t spelling “wonderful” like we had prayed

We want to learn to use our white boards with our Mimios

But the remotes for our projectors cannot reach outside our doorposts

                  Down the ever-winding hallways

                  To the place where they are stowed!

The math, of course, is different—grouping students into clusters

The 80% mastery has teachers in a fluster

The lunch prep has been shortened to tutor kids one-on-one

But with our time to prepare lessons given now to more assessing

                  Feeling more the pressure pressing

                  We are just about undone!

I feel called to mention Reader’s Workshop (not to start a riot)

The setup, training, all that testing—it’s harder than a diet

The students take their AR tests but don’t forget the other—

The F ‘n P and oh my, me! He’s not achieving Level G

It’s time, I think we all agree,

He’s failing; call his mother!

We have less time and money for our academic clubs

But we are pulled out so often that that money’s spent on subs

It’s all because we have no half-days for our teacher progress

Instead our days are loaded with data to be un-coded

                  People saying we’re outmoded

                  *Ahem* I believe I do digress.

Oh, the luxuries of yesteryear, doing what we want and when

But with the state dictating plans, we can’t even use red pens

And don’t even get me started on what I will do for grades

For those ELLs who leave my room and don’t come back ‘til half past noon

                  From yesterday ‘til we leave in June

                  And they just say, “Use S or U”

I could cry for goodness sake!

But my most consuming issue doesn’t deal with grades or rules

No, not even with the policies they hand us for our school

The problem is much deeper than the trouble in my classroom

The thing I’m needing most of all is in that place right down the hall

                  A place where I need not recall

                  These problems that do not enthrall

                  But make me want to hide or crawl

                  Or crouch down and feel very small

                  Or stand up straight and start a brawl

                  Because of the things I appall

                  But none of this matters at all

                  Because                 

                  *pause*

I need to use the bathroom!